Your Royal Stairway - How to Achieve One

More often than not, most items found in your home serve primarily the purpose of decoration. Take your vases, paintings, and carvings, among others, as examples. However, some items serve for particular functions but may also serve as a decoration. Take your crystal chandelier (it is primarily to give light to your home but also serves as dcor to your ceilings) and your antique mirror for instance.

One thing that is not actually furniture which can be both useful and decorative in function is the stairway. Oftentimes, they serve as pathways from one level of our house to the next. Obviously, this is really a great help in houses with two or more floors. There are also houses which opt to put a stairway's platform in direct vision of a person entering the house from a front door. It gives out this appealing impression. Given this, it is therefore necessary that a stairway is not only sturdy and secure (for purposes of safety) but also must demonstrate "grandiosity" in its own right. Usually, this is attributed to the entire design of the stairway, but can also be tracked down to the specific stair parts, too. You have to remember that even the smallest detail, in this case part, can affect the totality of a whole structure to function and serve its purpose. This goes the same for the stairway and its stair parts.

A stairway may be built in different fashions. It can be helical, straight, or sectioned with a balcony. These final structures usually depend more or less on the materials used for the stair parts. Colossal mansions and castles usually have marble staircases of regal grace and elegance. Suburban homes have staircases of wood. For high buildings and skyscrapers, they have cemented or stone-made staircases. There are also some which have more than two or more materials mixed.

Some stair parts may be made of wood, while the others with cement or steel or other materials. For example, the steps are made of cement, the balusters from steel and the handrail from wood. However, when a staircase is made of marble, it is almost always the only material used for its stair parts, too. Oftentimes, the color of these stairways is usually the same with the rest of the house. This is because a stairway is a part of the entirety of the structure of the house.

There are various designs and materials of stair parts which when combined properly may produce a great look for the stairways. The general consideration is on the structure of your home. Also, consideration is also given to your budget to achieve the one which you like and is fit for your home. Most construction stores and depots offer various stair parts with affordable and reasonable prices.

Stairways, just like any general structures, rely greatly on their stair parts to achieve the final look to be visually stimulating to your guests and visitors and also for its solidity. Be certain that you only get what is best for your stairway to produce the effect of a royal pathway, to the next floor that is.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

Cupola Design

Small structures on roof tops have a special place in my heart.It was to the belfry(a cupola with a bell) of a renovated 1865 school house that I took my wife Alicia on our first date.We talked about life, watched the sun set, drank a glass of wine and felt like we were on top of the world.Almost three children and 10 years later, I think that belfry must have played a part in my good fortune.

As I drive along country roads it is the cupolas I see first in the distance as they create a jagged skyline above the barns.These are small buildings in their own right perched atop of the roofs of larger buildings.In farm structures their function is mostly for ventilation and sometimes to bring light into the hay mow, but no one can deny that they were put up with thought and care.When you see a cupola atop a barn on a rural road you should look at it very carefully. Often it is the one place where the builders 200 years ago had the opportunity to showcase their design and detailing ability.The barn itself usually needed to be put up quickly and simply so the farm could continue to function. The cupola on the other hand is where time was spent working on the details and having some fun.

The role of the cupola on the roof of the American homes is long and varied.Some of my favorite lanterns(cupolas that bring light into the interior) are on Greek Revival and Victorian homes in the Hudson Valley.Early home designers used cupolas the same way we use them today. They used them to ventilate attics, to bring light into an interior space. They made covered rooms to view the world or protect their precious bell, and used cupolas simply as decoration for their rooftops.When cupolas are designed and placed properly, it is hard to imagine the larger buildings without them.

Lanterns not only bring light into homes, but also give off a warm glow on snowy winter nights that feel like beacons guiding us home.

From the Oxford English Dictionary
Cupola:Arounded dome forming or adorning a roof or ceiling.
Belfry:The place in a bell tower or steeple in which bells are housed.
Lantern: A square, curved, or polygonal structure on the top of a dome or a room, with glazed or open sides.

http://www.crisparchitects.com/ James M. Crisp, AIA is an architect working in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Electric Fireplace Stoves

You can transform any room with the stylish flexibility of electric fireplace stoves. They are wonderful for enhancing the ambiance of the room while taking up any space you feel the need to fill and not waste, as well as not taking up any floor space at all depending upon the model that you choose.

Electric fireplaces are essentially space heaters with a hot new twist. They are attractively manufactured and incredibly eye appealing. However, you should keep in mind that since they are enhanced space heaters that they will not produce as much heat as a wood or gas fed fireplace.

You must use your ceiling fans to help distribute the heat to other areas and never expect your electric fireplace to actually heat a bigger area than is intended by its use. Also remember that you do not want to place your fireplace in the same area as your thermostat as the heat from the unit will inhibit the normal start up of your furnace or central heating unit.

Depending upon your personal sense of home or office design you will find there are some delightful features and options available to you when you choose electric fireplace stoves. There are various styles, designs, sizes and finishes of fireplace units to compliment any type of room.

Such options and features may include a 2 speed blowers and distributing fans for heating as well as a programmable thermostat and temperature readers. The visual and audio effects are controlled as well as the adjustable 3D hologram flame feature, the dimmer and down lights. Using these you can create any desirable atmosphere from simply casual to mystic and romantic. You may choose from various styles such as a curio cabinet, television stand or a home entertainment center as a focal point in any area.

Creating an atmosphere that is heartwarming comfortable and visually appealing in every way while doing your part to make the planet a better place to live is an incredibly amazing feeling. You will be pleased with the effects you can achieve while using your new electric fireplace stoves.

View beautiful Electric Fireplace Stoves at EveryElectricFireplace.com. Click Here to find the stylish and beautiful electric fireplace you need to save money on heating costs today!

11 Tips for Stripping Wallpaper: How to Get Rid of Ugly Wallpaper!

I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again. The only reason I did this is for $100,000 profit. My family and I did not have time to wait for professional help. We sold our investment property before finishing the work and needed the home ready for appraisal.

While stripping the wallpaper, I realized that many homemakers get wrong advice for this horrendous task. After years of experience on over 30 houses, I offer my tried and best tips:

1. Use a clothes steamer or rent a professional steamer

2. Soak a large section of the wall

3. Run a "Paper Tiger" scoring tool across the damp section

4. Steam the section again

5. Spray the section with fabric softener and hot water

6. Score the section with the paper tiger again

7. Steam again

8. Remove any curling edges (sometimes large areas peel off)

9. Scrape with a six inch sheetrock blade

10. Repeat the above steps on the section until most scrapes off easily

11. Scrub with hot water, TSP, and a sponge with a scratchy surface

Cautions: Use the Paper Tiger gingerly so you don't scratch or gouge the walls. Use gloves with the harsh chemical TSP.

Don't live with ugly wallpaper any longer!

P. S. Please email me if you have any additional tips on stripping wallpaper that would help others!

Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Jeanette Fisher loves to help home makers create homes for glorious living. For free ebook on Interior Design Psychology go to http://www.joytothehome.com

Why Does Wood Crack When it Dries?

Differential Shrinkage - To get right to the point, wood cracks due to differential shrinkage! Differential shrinkage occurs because the outer fibers in the shell dry first and begin to shrink. However, the core has not yet begun to dry and shrink, and consequently the shell is restrained from shrinking by the core. Thus the shell goes into tension and the core into compression. With the stresses from the shell and core pulling in opposite directions the wood fibers break and a crack forms. The larger the wood member, the more stress is exerted to the wood member. Examples Lets take an example of a 1x8 board versus an 8x8 timber

• The 1x8 board is only one-inch thick so it dries fairly quickly. The stress are minimal and just a few, small surface checks may result.
• The much larger 8x8 (8-inches x 8-inches) timber takes a long time to dry which could be as much as six-months. The inside of the timber will stay wet for months while the outside is dried to well below 20-percent moisture content. The stress that is set up within the 8x8 will eventually result in a inch crack or larger on one face to the timber. This crack will go all the way to the center of the timber and usually be on one face only.

I have seen people cutting a round, lilly pad from the end of a log so that they can use it as a cutting board in the kitchen. It looks nice in the green, unseasoned state but after a few weeks it develops a large, pie crack in the piece. It is eventually discarded as unsightly. After throwing it away they wonder what happened to the wood that allowed this to happen.

This is just another reason why wood materials should be properly dried before using them in any mode other than for exterior use such as fence posts, landscape timbers or a rough fence. If they are being used where their final moisture content will be 15% or lower, they should be dried prior to milling and installed into their final end use. In this way the seasoning, stress cracks can be aligned in such a way that they are hidden or discarded. Preventing Cracks Proper drying techniques and PEG What can be done to prevent this seasoning degradation in wood? With large quantities of lumber, boards to timbers one can only resort to proper drying following the many details that make up the complete process. This can be done with either a kiln or by air drying but many details have to be followed to have the results desired. It is not the purpose of this short subject to outline what must be done to properly dry wood. This will be covered in another article.

For small, fairly expensive items such as carvings, another method can be used to prevent degradation due to seasoning checks and cracks. This is done using a chemical called polyethylene glycol-1000 or PEG for short. This material looks like a block of paraffin in the solid state but will dissolve in water. The correct method for using this material is to soak the newly carved piece of wood in water for a month or more depending on its size. After it is completely saturated with water it is placed in a solution of PEG and water. It is kept in this solution for several months for best results. The solution should be warm and can be kept this way with a fish bowl heater. After the carving is thoroughly saturated with PEG, it must be dried slowly in a cool environment and out of the sunlight. The result is a wood carving that will not shrink when it dries and thus will not crack.

The physical explanation for the above process is this: PEG can only be transmitted through the wood if the wood is thoroughly saturated with water. When the PEG enters the cells, it fills the cell walls and the cell lumen located in the center of the cell. When the wood is dried, it cannot shrink because the cell walls are now filled with a solid (PEG) and cannot shrink. If the wood cannot shrink, it cannot crack or split! As a final note, I used this method on a piece of sycamore that was buried in a clay pit for nearly 6,000 years. I had it made into a gun stock and after 30 years of use the gun stock looks like new without the slightest hair line crack in any surface of it.

For more information about replacing rotten logs, drying wood, chinking material, stain or log cabin kits contact Clyde at http://www.westernloghomesupply.com or call 719-547-2135.

Westernloghomesupply.com is a distributor of log home chinking, cabin caulking, log stains, wood finishes, knotty pine log cabin siding, replacement house logs & complete log home kits.

Home Improvement Tips - Types of Countertops

It used to be that laminate was pretty much your only choice for kitchen countertops. Those days are thankfully long gone but now a homeowner is faced with a variety of choices and wide range of prices available for your kitchen renovation.

Some of the popular choices include:

Ceramic Tile

This remains as a popular and economical alternative that is heat and scratch resistant. It is high maintenance though since it needs to have it's grout sealed regularly to avoid staining.

Concrete

This is a incredibly versatile surface that can be textured and detailed with patterns unlike any other surface. However it is extremely porous and needs to be regularly sealed to avoid stains.

Engineered Stone

This product is made of a quartz composite with colored pebbles or different materials giving its wide range of colors. Texture is usually even and the colors can be reproduced over larger areas. It as extremely durable product that can resist heat and stain.

Granite

Granite is a natural stone. It comes from different regions of the world and can vary widely in color and pattern. It needs to be seamed and requires period sealing to avoid stains. It cannot tolerate high heat from hot pans.

Laminate

Laminate comes in a variety of colors but is not designed to be long lasting. Although it is somewhat stain resistant it will scratch easily. It will also burn easily from hot pans.

Marble

This is another natural stone that is porous and stains easily. It must be sealed every two to five years. They are also easily scratched and cannot take high heat from hot pans.

Slate

This is a third natural stone that is less porous and doesn't require sealing but can be easily scratched

Stainless Steel

This is a very popular product because of the sleek modern look it conveys. It is very durable and resists staining. Often times the surface is brushed to hide any scratches.

Wood

Various types of hardwoods can be used for countertops. It does require regular sealing to avoid drying out and is susceptible to burns from hot pans.

These are some of the pros and cons of the more popular types of countertops. Choose your countertop carefully depending on your usage and needs.

Bob Current writes on a variety of subjects including home improvement tips. You can get a free copy of his report about Choosing The Best Contractor for your project at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info and at http://www.concretecountertops.bcurrent.info/concretecountertops

Surface Protection Products Save Builders Money

Houses are expensive to build. From the basic framework to the finishing touches of the perfect flooring, the right cabinetry and the decorative front door, everything costs money. Contractors know that even with the best of intentions, accidents happen, and something expensive needs to be replaced or repaired. Contractors and builders can save time and money by using surface protection products to prevent damage to fixtures.

Surface protection products will more than pay for themselves in the time and money saved by not having to replace or repair anything in the home. Products are available to protect just about any surface in the home during construction. As word spreads that these surface protection products are used and save the new homeowners money by preventing costly delays, a builders image will improve.

FLOORS/CARPETS - Instead of nicking that beautiful wood floor that was just laid, or tracking stains all over the pure white carpet the homeowners have chosen, floors are easily protected while the rest of the job is finished by using surface protection products. Tacky mats are also available to trap dirt and debris from being tracked through the new home.

WINDOWS - Window protection prevents scratching of the glass while allowing natural light inside. It is easy to install and easy to remove, providing protection with UV resistance.

DOORS - Doors can easily be wrapped in a protective sheet to prevent dirt smears, dents and paint overspray. Door protection is light colored, so any important site information can be written on it by the construction crew without damage to the door. Door protection is cost effective and can be ordered in custom sizes if needed.

COUNTERS - Easily modified to fit any surface, counter protection products come in economy, standard, deluxe and premium varieties. All but the economy style are made of thick durable corrugate attached to strong plastic sheeting to provide protection not only to the countertop but to the front of the cabinetry as well.

CABINETS - Durable cardboard sheeting is easily attached to cabinet fronts to protect them from dings, scratches, overspray and dents. It can be re-used until it is torn.

BATHROOMS - Tub damage is a very common event and can really add unexpected costs to building a home. There are various styles of tub protection on the market from liners to covers. Each has their merits but the keys to preventing damage are eliminating the use of bath tubs as garbage cans and preventing contractors from standing in the tubs, grinding screws or nails into the finish of the tub or shower pan.

Toilet protection is available as well. It locks on securely and protects the entire fixture during construction.

HVAC - Inexpensive HVAC protection is worth its weight in gold - it keeps screws, nails, dust and debris from falling into the heating ducts. This simple product can save you a lot of money spent in cleaning the duct work after construction is finished.

Builders and contractors everywhere can benefit by using surface protection products during the construction process. Many of the products are reusable from job to job, and can be printed with the name and/or logo of a business for promotional purposes. Time and money is saved by reducing the amount of replacement and repair needed when finishing up a construction job.

Mike Blake is co-founder of Blake Products and has several patented and patent pending surface protection products. Through his experience in the construction industry, he recognized opportunities to save builders money through preventable damage. For a complete line of surface protection products, please visit http://www.blakeproducts.com your Surface Protection Center.

An Introduction to Awnings

Awnings come in a variety of colors, styles and functions. You can find traditional retractable awnings, awnings for residential homes and even sleek and modern designed awnings. Awnings can serve as a way for a business to advertise locally, to provide shelter from heat or cold for energy efficiency, to simply make a home more beautiful, or a combination of all of these. Awnings have begun to gain more and more in popularity over the past decade or so, with many homeowners recognizing the benefits of having an awning installed.

Placing an awning over a window, terrace or balcony can add beauty and value to a home. Awnings can add curb appeal to nearly every home without blocking views from the windows. Awnings are even great for patios, decks and doorways. You can choose from either stationary or retractable awnings; whatever meets your design and efficiency needs.

Many people enjoy having awnings installed on their decks and patios. One of the most popular types of awnings to install in these places is the retractable awning. On hot days, the retractable awning can be opened to provide shade for those sitting outside as well as for the home itself; blocking out most of the direct sunlight from windows and doors can yield tremendous savings on utility costs.

Thousands of awning companies are doing business across the country. Because the competition is fierce, you can get great deals on multiple awnings or even deep discounts on a single awning. You can call around to local installers to find out what their specials are and compare the savings around town. Simply stated, awnings can make a wonderful addition to nearly any home and in many cases can increase the overall value of the home.

Awnings Info provides detailed information about retractable, canvas, window, RV, patio, aluminum, deck, and commercial awnings. Awnings Info is the sister site of Gazebos Web.

Linking Areas of the Home With a Dumbwaiter

There are many reasons that people choose to install a dumbwaiter in their home. Sometimes it is installed by the home builder as the home is being built. This can help to increase the value of the home and its appeal to potential buyers. Other times, the homeowner will decide to install a dumbwaiter into their home after it is built.

There are many advantages to having a dumbwaiter in the home. These devices help make it much easier to do the many chores around the home. For instance, bring groceries up from the garage, is much easier when you can simply load up the dumbwaiter car and push a button. They can also make it much easier to bring laundry to and from the laundry room. These devices can also make it much easier for caretakers who need to bring food or supplies upstairs on a regular basis.

There are several popular kits that are used today to allow a homeowner to retro-fit a dumbwaiter with ease. The electric dumbwaiter is the most common type used, but some people prefer a manual dumbwaiter instead. The disadvantage of a manual dumbwaiter is that it will only be able to support less weight than an electric dumbwaiter. Also since you must use your own power to raise or lower it, they can be rather unpractical.

When installing an electric dumbwaiter, it is necessary to do some planning first. Usually the car of the dumbwaiter, which is the part that holds the goods as they are moved between floors, takes up about two feet by two feet of space. This means you will need a vertical shaft between floors that is about 4 feet squared. This is one reason that it is easier to install the dumbwaiter as the home is being built.

In retro-fit situations finding a space can be an issue, but usually most homes have an area that will work. The car can be configured so that the door opens on different sides, so this means you could configure it to open on one side in the kitchen and a different side upstairs. This increases the flexibility of the device. Often if all else fails, a closet can usually be converted to hold the dumbwaiter.

A track is used to keep an electric dumbwaiter and the car moves along the track. Most tracks are designed so that they can be installed into a wood framed home. The track comes in sections and can be slid together. This makes it much easier and more manageable to install the track.

Some dumbwaiters are in large part already assembled. The cable drive system is already installed along with the car on a short section of track. This piece will be placed at the top of the shaft, then after the track is attached to the shaft, there is little left to the installation. Since the installation is simpler and takes less time, it will in turn cost less to install.

There are many people that choose to install a dumbwaiter in their home. These lifts make it much easier to take care of tasks around the home.

Sean is knowledgable about mobility lifting aids, like the dumbwaiter Several kits are available, such as the AmeriGlide Express, which are intended to be installed quickly and easily. A large part of this lift is actually already assembled, so that the installation can be quicker and easier. This will not only save money, but also time, because the lift can be up and running in only a few hours.

Stair lifts, another type of mobility aid are also very popular. These devices install onto a staircase and move a person along the staircase, so the risk of a fall can be reduced. In many cases, homeowners find that a stair lift ends up being much less expensive and easier to install than an elevator would be. The AmeriGlide Express actually uses the incredibly durable motor found in a stair lift This motor has been extensively tested, with a simulated 16 years of usage, and showed only a little wear, so it will provide many years of dedicated service.

Everything You Should Know About Log Cabins

Log cabins are small houses built from logs. These houses can usually be seen in regions with a high concentration of timber. Log cabins were famous in North America during the colonial era because of the lush timber in the area.

The architecture of a log cabin may seem simple but it is not. Builders should first cherry-pick the right log for the cabin. It should be straight with manageable taper, and it should have few limbs or knots. Depending on the size of the cabin, old growing trees are preferred for a large-sized cabin.

Building log cabins also relies heavily on the location. The site should be home to adequate sunlight and the ground should be flexible enough for a good drainage. This is because they do not follow the usual architectural structures of concrete houses. They rely on nature for most of its workings.

Frontier life relies heavily on nature and log cabin builders make it a point to maximize natural structures. For instance, a moderately rocky area would be suitable for a log cabin as compared to soft ground. Also, the cabin should be strategically built with at least one of its corners is resting on a large rock. The large rock can be used as a foundation for the house.

Cabin homes can be built with earth floors. However, people use foundations to keep out the dampness from the soil and also to make additional storage or cellar underneath the cabin.

As sturdier homes were built, log cabins were converted into shelters for animals or used as storage for equipment or tools. There are parts of Europe that use log cabins as summerhouses or as an extra room in a garden.

But more recently, people started constructing the so-called log homes. Log homes are houses built from milled logs and so can be mass-produced. There are many resorts that built log homes instead of the usual concrete houses. Usually, these log homes are built with additional stone furnishings unlike log cabins that are entirely built with timber logs.

As a carpenter Ive always wanted to build a log cabin. Maybe one day I will. If you are ready or thinking about building a log cabin, please visit me here for some great information to get you started.

http://www.details4life.com

Affordable and Sustainable DIY Earthbag Homes

Earthbag building (sometimes called sandbag building) is surely one of the lowest cost, most practical building methods. First used by the military for building durable, bullet and blast resistant structures, this building method has recently experienced a surge of interest among do-it-yourself builders. There are now an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 earthbag structures, including homes, offices, shops, schools, temples, clinics, orphanages and even ecovillages.

One of the strongest selling points is affordability. A simple earthbag dome, for example, using recycled grain bags and earth can be built for around $100. A larger, more comfortable home can be built for around $500-$1000. The EarthDome House at Terrasante Village in Tucson, Arizona is just one example.

Earthbags are ideal for owner-builders. The necessary skills for each step of construction can be learned in a few minutes. It boils down to simply filling bags with an appropriate fill material (typically subsoil or gravel) and tamping them solid. It doesn't get much simpler than that. Also, few tools are required - shovels, buckets, garden hose. The few additional tools needed (tamper, slider) can be made cheaply and easily.

Earthbag buildings are sustainable since they are made primarily of earth from or near the building site. Earthbag domes do not require wood, thereby reducing pressure on our forests. Expensive concrete foundations are not required if you use gravel-filled bags. In addition, these structures are safe, quiet, nontoxic, rodent proof, and fire, hurricane and flood resistant.

Energy efficiency is another strong plus in favor of building with bags. The massive earth walls stabilize interior temperatures in hot climates. In cold and hot climates, earthbags can be filled with an insulating material, such as lava rock, pumice, vermiculite or perlite. Some builders are experimenting with rice hulls for insulation, which are often free for the taking. In general, lightweight insulating materials (such as those just mentioned) require far less labor than those of tamped earth and provide comfort through the harshest winters or hottest summers.

Earthbags can also be used to create underground (root/storm cellars, etc.) or earth-bermed structures, privacy and retaining walls, planters, furniture (built-in benches, etc.), and many other uses. Earthbags are very adaptable and work just as well for domes as they do for structures with vertical walls. They also excel at creating free-form, curving structures.

As earthbag building grows by leaps and bounds, NGOs and other organizations are exploring their use for emergency shelters. Millions of victims of wars and natural disasters need low cost housing and temporary shelter. More durable than tarps and more comfortable than tents, earthbags work perfectly since even unskilled workers can build their own shelters - all without destroying local resources.

Owen Geiger (Director of the Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building at http://www.GRISB.org) has recently co-authored http://www.EarthbagBuilding.com to better focus and keep track of the rapid growth of this novel building method.

Lazy Motivation Tips

That title sounds like a paradox, right? I know. It intuitively sounds impossible. How can you be lazy and motivated at the same time? Well, how about using the easiest methods to get you motivated? Instead of thumbing through some 300 page book, why not learn how to motivate yourself in less time?

If it sounds too good to be true, then you are WRONG! You don't have to thumb through a large book full of complicated techniques that would take months to really even begin to understand and implement. There is always a shortcut and you can take it if you'd like. Of course, you could also choose the harder method and still wind up with the same results! So let's get started with the tips!

Tip #1-- Use the television to motivate you. Watch DVD's or shows that inspire you. If you want to get motivated about making more money, watch shows where the people live wealthy lives. Let yourself get lost in the imagination of it all. Now that is motivation!

Tip #2-- Use CD or MP3 programs and listen to them while you are doing other things. Let the techniques go into your ears and let them go to work. Most programs condense a couple of hundred pages of information onto one CD. Ahh. The laziness of it all!

Tip #3-- Learn from others. Why waste your time with techniques that don't work? Take the shortcut and find out what other people use that does provide the motivation you are looking for. Don't waste your time going from product to product only to find out it doesn't work. All that wasted time and energy!

Tip # 4-- Oh no, I was too lazy to write this one down. Just kidding! Visit websites that will let you sit in your computer chair with a relaxing beverage. Trust me, Homer Simpson would approve!

Well that's just four tips. See the 5th Tip in the lines below.

Tip#5 -- Go to http://www.successfulfather.com and SIGN up for the FREE newsletter and BOOKMARK the site. Kick your feet back and enjoy yourself.

Bryan Appleton is an author of self-help motivational literature as well as an entrepreneur and investor. He is a single father and has made it one of his life's goals to try and help other people live the lives they are dreaming of. You can find his website at http://successfulfather.com

Remodeling a Mobile Home - What Are Basic Cost Increments

The cost of remodeling a simple home can be estimated very simply by a market survey or by using cost estimating software. It is easy because simple home remodeling is very common and everyone has a bit of its knowledge. You can have an exact idea about the expenses of contractors, laborers and even the materials that would be used for remodeling a home. However, it becomes a little different when you are talking about estimating cost of remodeling a mobile home.

Remodeling a mobile home costs a little more as compared to normal homes. You can't get an exact idea about the cost of remodeling a mobile home. Its costs keep changing. However, you can use some of the below mentioned ideas in this article to know about the basic issue which make remodeling mobile homes more expensive as compared to fixed homes.

The Basic Cost Difference between Mobile Homes and Fixed Homes
You can get some ideas about the cost of remodeling a mobile home by making a simple comparison between the older homes and the latest models. You will find a lot of differences in their models as well as in their costs. The basic difference between newer and older models is the implementation of building codes and civil laws. Earlier, there were no such restrictions for building codes but now they are essential. It gives you an idea of possible costs for remodeling a mobile home.

What it says openly is that the costs of remodeling a mobile home these days are much higher as compared to the old ones. Remodeling your mobile home in alignment with the city codes might cost you a lot of money. You can, however, remodel the ceiling area because the mobile homes come with factory made ceiling areas but removing the old ceiling for remodeling your mobile home also costs much. The job gets doubled here as you will have to pay for removing the ceiling of your mobile home as well as for installing a new ceiling in your mobile home.

In a mobile home almost everything is settled inside the factory, even the floors of the mobile home. They are finished facing the walls and when you are remodeling your mobile home, you have to spend double of your time and money to fix the new flooring. It too costs a lot and as double as compared to ordinary homes. Moreover, in a mobile home, neither the doors nor the windows are of standard size. They vary in height and setting up new doors & windows causes a lot of effort. Experts have to work very precisely to make the new doors fit into their places. Here again, costs get doubled.

However, you can find good rates of remodeling a mobile home at times if the price of the materials and costs of labors have decreased. But it would still be more expensive as compared to remodeling a fixed home.

There is a lot more that you can get to know about remodeling, constructing and improving a home. All the related details are available at http://www.theyarelocal.com/articles/remodeling/index.php

Free Inspirational Quotes - Help Yourself, Help Others Too

What could be more empowering, in terms of self-help, than to turn your thoughts towards someone else's troubles?

Instead of trying to help yourself, then, you try to help others. And in doing so - when you stop continually thinking of yourself, and all your woes - you not only help others, empower them, you also help and empower yourself too.

That's what I believe, anyway.

And the following free inspirational quotes seem to be back me up.

"He who teaches children learns more than they do"
-- German Proverb

I think that he (or she) who teaches any child or adult learns greatly in the process, for sure.

But it doesn't just have to be children that this teaching refers to. You could be teaching a colleague or a friend or even your partner - you could be sharing your wisdom or expertise with them, and learning more about your wisdom or expertise in the process.

And you might not be teaching them, but guiding them, or providing mentoring.

"Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity."
-- Lady Nancy Astor

So it is real education what we should all be sharing, if at all possible. And then we really would be helping others, and helping ourselves too.

And, in case you think you don't have the necessary skills...

"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do."
-- Dr. Benjamin Spock

The famous American pediatrician was speaking to new parents at the time, admittedly. Still, his message is an inspirational one, not simply aimed at that group of people. It has truth to us all, whatever we find ourselves doing in life.

Yes, it's true, we *do* all know more than we think we know. And that means we all have the ability to help, somehow, no matter who we are and what few skills we think we possess.

This is a truly life-affirming belief. And Leo F. Buscaglia describes this belief, thus:

"Don't spend your precious time asking 'Why isn't the world a better place?' It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is 'How can I make it better?' To that there is an answer."
-- Leo F. Buscaglia

Yes, you can make the world a better place by sharing your knowledge and skills with someone else. Or you can simply wonder how else you can make a difference. And you can make a difference - all that's required is belief that you can...

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."
-- William James

Everyone reading this article has a unique combination of qualities. They will have faced and overcome many challenges individual to them. And these experiences will have given them a unique perspective on life - their perspective.

So, armed with that perspective, and a belief that they can make a difference if they but try, each reader will (hopefully) be inspired to help themselves by helping someone else, in a way only they can.

But it's not as simple as just reading an article. For anything worthwhile to be achieved, action is required. Action is what separates doers from dreamers.

And, of course, there is an inspirational quote for that, too:

"The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers."
-- Brian Tracy

And, if you take the first step here - if you decide to help others - then we will all be winners, you, me and the person you decide to help.

That is what I believe, anyway.

"With love and patience, nothing is impossible."

And that is what Daisaku Ikeda believes.

Thank you for reading.

Steve M Nash believes that you are your own self help guru. And that's why he created http://www.SelfHelpCollective.com - to let you help yourself, and help others too. You can read more short inspirational quotations by subscribing to his newsletter, The Weekly Wonder - http://www.selfhelpcollective.com/newsletter.html

Church Construction

The topic of church construction comes-up at some point in the life cycle of every ministry. Whether you're acquiring or remodeling an existing church or building a new worship facility from the ground up, the process of church construction can be daunting to say the least.

Over the years we have found that ministry staff and their advisors are so focused on the "hard" aspects of construction (financing, land acquisition, permits and entitlements, architectural design, etc.) that they tend to under estimate the value of the softer aspects like the design of their audio and video systems. If you desire to have excellent worship and fellowship, then it's critical that attention be paid to acoustics, audio, lighting, and video systems from the beginning of the church construction process.

One of the major problems plaguing church construction projects is the lack of vendor coordination, communication, and collaboration. There is often a gap in coordination between the design of the sound, lighting and video systems and the installation. Very often one company is selected to perform design work (early in the project) for the architect, and another is selected a year later to install the system. Changes to the electrical, structural and other building systems have often been made by the local building contractors during this time without thought to the impact on the technical systems, because "there was no one to call."

The key to a successful outcome for any church construction process is to have a design-build firm that has sole responsibility for every aspect of the AV system. A good AV design-build firm serves as a single point of contact on all issues ranging from concept, to design, to final installation and training. The design-build firm's designers, engineers, and technicians are involved in your project from day one, exchanging information all along the way, while never losing sight of your ministry's goals and priorities.

Good design-build firms have disciplined project management teams that anticipate and solve problems before they become critical issues. They become an asset to the project by bringing needed expertise at every step along the way insuring that a project is delivered under budget and ahead of schedule.

Ron Simonson is the President and CEO of CCI Solutions, one of the nations leading providers of professional audio, visual, lighting, and recording equipment. CCI Solutions assists corporate, educational, and worship facilities in achieving performance/presentation excellence. More information about Ron Simonson or CCI Solutions can be found at http://www.ccisolutions.com or by viewing http://www.ccisolutions.com/blog

Things to Consider With Basement Drywall Installation

A lot of homeowners prefer to use basement drywall for their basements. You might also be thinking of the same thing. If you aren't a basement expert though, you should consider a few important points before you finally decide on installing a drywall. Here are some crucial advantages to have in mind:

Cheap DIY

There is one overwhelming reason for drywalls being a popular choice. Drywall or sheetrock is cheaper compared to other materials. If you are on a tight budget and you are simply more concerned about improving the appearance of your basement, then a drywall is for you.

The cost of installing drywalls need not be expensive too. You can always do-it-yourself (DIY). If you have a natural aptitude for working with your hands on home improvement, then installing a drywall would be easy for you. There are many free online guides that will teach you how to measure, cut and install a drywall.

More Ceiling Space

The major problem with some basements is the low ceiling. The lack of ceiling height can make basement renovation a real challenge. There are many decorating tips and tricks that can help you create more space. It would also help though if you could limit the amount of space that a ceiling panel would take up. Drywalls for your ceiling would be the perfect solution. Unlike other ceiling materials, a basement drywall has very minimal space requirements so you don't have to give up a great deal of precious ceiling space.

Smooth Finish

A drywall can leave your basement looking beautifully clean and smooth. This will add to the comfort and warm appeal of your basement. This is important for any home owner who needs the basement for entertaining guests. A drywall can help you establish the perfect look that any visitor can appreciate.

These are only some of the advantages of preferring a drywall over other materials. As with nearly everything though, there are disadvantages to a basement drywall. As a home owner, you should always have more than just price and aesthetics as your major concerns for choosing a material.

Find out why some people choose to pass up the basement drywall.

Looking for more basement remodeling ideas? Find great tips and advise for basement plans.