Maybe its time you treat yourself to some luxury with a couple of nice bathroom home improvement projects. There are several things you can do to make your bathroom a place of total bliss and relaxation. This article will look at a couple great ideas for your next home improvement projects.
The first and all important step in redoing your bathroom is to decide what type of feel you are after. Will you spend time taking nice soaks in the tub or would you prefer a very relaxing shower. You want to be careful that you are not influenced by your friend’s bathrooms or things you have seen on television. What is really important to you?
When you’re visiting the nicer plumbing supply showrooms you will see that they have very nice displays of complete bathrooms. They look so nice when you’re looking at them. That is what they are supposed to look like. These people are trained to set them up in a way that will look enticing to you. Your home improvement projects may not be headed in the same direction, and can often change if you do not plan ahead.
The three most important elements to your bathroom are going to be the sink/faucet, toilet, and tub/shower. You may be able to make a considerable change in your bathroom by just adding a newer style toilet. The plumbing of many of these newer toilets is quite unique – not to mention economical.
Maybe your home improvement projects will include removing a wall to make the bathroom bigger. One of the main reasons for a bigger bathroom would be to include such additions as a garden tub or a gas fire place. You might even consider adding a nice stereo system to your bathroom home improvement projects idea.
Find more helpful home improvement tips by visiting http://best-home-improvement-projects.com where you will find helpful home improvement tips, advice and resources including information on kitchen repair, bathroom remodeling, and more Home Improvement Projects.
Best Home Improvement Projects
Five Tips to Recession Proof Your Home
What is a recession? A recession is when six months of negative economic growth happens (two consecutive quarters). Or in plain English, six months where the U.S economy shrinks in producing and selling goods and services. Ouch!
Making the mistake of refusing to think about it, thinking that will make it go away or not affect you is a risky mistake.
For example, if you're ever confronted by a mad, hungry wolf - burying your head in the sand and thinking happy thoughts is no survival strategy! But it does position you with your soft spot in the air, thus guaranteeing the wolf an easy, warm, ham dinner.
The same goes when an economic slowdown hits. Those who are the most prepared survives and even thrives in it - those who aren't won't. Regardless of how much or how little money you have.
For example, you may recall the last recession we had in 2001, dozens of Wall Street millionaires went broke almost overnight. Not to mention the hundreds of dotcom companies that went bust in tech heavy Silicon Valley in 2000. So, it's not the money but preparation that helps you survive an economic slowdown or recession.
Make up your mind now to refuse to participate in any one's recession - real or imagined, by preparing a survival plan now. As the saying goes, those who fail to plan - plan to fail.
Here's Five Ways to Recession Proof Your Home
As always feel free to share this information with someone you care about.
1. Routine Maintenance Preserves Your Money
Keeping up routine maintenance around your home will save you the cost of having them repaired or replaced. This will act as an enormous money -saver to reduce your expenses during a economic slowdown.
2. Don't Move ... Improve
During economic slowdowns it's always better to improve your home whether than trying to sell your home in a buyers market. If you can it's best to wait for a more advantageous time when the market improves. And instead improve your home with updates and other important maintenance projects.
3. Don't Panic - Protect
Now's a time to think more defensively. This means instead of buying new items, focus more on preserving and protecting what you have. For example investing in products that make what you have last longer like cleaning, maintenance and preservation products to keep what you have working efficiently.
4. Drive Your Computer - Instead of Your Car
With gas rising above three dollar mark it's important to find ways to use our car less or at least more efficiently. One of the easiest ways to is use your computer drive instead your car to drive. Online shopping will save you the cost of car maintenance, gas and wear and tear. So take advantage of this effective time-saver.
5. Give Your Home A Security Check up
Unfortunately when the economy slows down home burglaries and other economic crimes go up. As more people seek to find ways to make or supplement their income in unlawful ways make sure your home doesn't present a tempting target to an alert burglar.
As the economy grows tighter your preparation and planning will help you and your home ride out any economic storm better. By acting on the above suggestions you'll have less surprises. Of course no one knows what the future brings for the countries economy. But you'll feel more confident and in control by taking advance actions to protect yourself, your home and your family.
With recession forming on the lips and minds of government officials, wall street and business leaders by the day, you should start forming an action plan now.
Key Home Improvement Tips
If you're taking on a major home improvement project, there are a few tips you should know that can make the whole process go a lot more smoothly. From hiring the right laborers to planning smart, this article will cover the five crucial tips you need for a successful home improvement project.
1. Always check your contractor's and laborer's references.
Whether it's calling former clients, viewing their portfolios or reading online reviews, it is absolutely critical that you do a thorough background check of your contractors and any laborers you hire to help with your home improvement project.
You want to make sure that anyone you hire is licensed, insured, has a clean record and a solid reputation. Hiring the right person will save you both time and money.
2. Never settle for less than 3 quotes.
If you're pricing a paint job or a thousand square feet of tile, always request at least a quote from three different businesses to get a clear range of your estimates. By having three quotes, you're better equipped as a customer to really know the cost of an item or job.
If you like one provider or retailer better than another, don't be afraid to ask them to come down on their quote to meet their competitor's bid. Most good business people are more than happy to lower their price to attract a new customer.
3. Pad your budget.
When laying out your budget proposal, always pad it by at least 15-20 percent. You want some wiggle room for unexpected surprises, hidden costs and timeline problems. The planner who doesn't leave himself financial room to maneuver will likely face financial risks before the completion of the project.
4. Check your permits twice.
Before you do any major home renovation, make sure all your permits are in order. The last thing you want is an entire house overhaul being stopped by the building inspector once your house has been demolished. If you don't have sufficient knowledge, consult a lawyer or a licensed builder to make sure you clearly understand what's required in your city, county and state.
5. Have your materials on hand.
Having all your materials at the job site and ready to go before you start a project is your best insurance against delays. Most major home improvement renovations are delayed by unshipped products and supplies.
Remember, there's a lot that goes into any home improvement project, but with these five tips you're on your way to bringing in your project on time and on budget!
For information on practical home flooring recommendations, please visit http://www.home-flooring-styles.com, a popular site providing great insights concerning help with floor renovation ideas, such as Armstrong Vinyl Flooring, Mannington Flooring, and many more!
Home Equity Loan Rates - Pros And Cons
Have you owned your home for a least a couple of years? If so, you most likely have some home equity built up then. In today's real estate market, building up cash equity in your home happens rapidly.
A home equity loan allows you to borrow the equity you've built up in your home. Keep in mind that there are home equity loan rate pros and cons. This article will address some of the major ones.
Pros
A home equity can be a good deal if you're needing access to a large amount of money. You can borrow the money and repay it over a 5-10-15 year period at very favorable interest charges.
You can use the proceeds from a home equity loan for anything you want, from making home improvements to taking a vacation. It's your money to use as you wish.
A home equity loan can be a good way of paying for college education expenses.
A home equity loan is much easier to obtain than any other type of conventional loan.
Cons
A home equity loan is a loan, and you have to keep that in mind. You're paying interest on this money. There are some people who see it as a type of revolving credit, and get themselves in financial trouble later on when they have trouble making the loan payment.
Don't get a home equity loan and fail to make your payments. If you default on the loan it could cause you to lose your home entirely. Depending on the size of the home equity loan, you could have a cross-default clause which would cause your first mortgage to be in default also.
Be careful in taking out a home equity loan if you plan on moving in the near future. By stripping out your equity, you may leave yourself in a bad way when it comes time to find a new home.
These are just a few home equity loan pros and cons. Used wisely, they can be the solution to a financial burden you have, but used the wrong way they can be a financial disaster.
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To learn more about Home Equity Loan Rates as well as more information on everything to do with home equity loans, visit us at http://www.HomeEquityLoansA-z.com
Home Insurance Claims - Tips For Filing And Winning
The process of filing home insurance claims can mean only one thing, you have suffered a loss of some sort. Now the work begins. Acquiring home insurance is easy, with the help of your insurance agent or broker. Obtaining a quote and policy activation can happen very quickly. However, things do not go quite so smoothly when you try to file a claim on your home insurance. It can be in some cases, be shocking at how your once accommodating agent can all of a sudden seem a bit jumpy upon hearing the word "claim" mentioned.
A best case scenario is, the claim form is completed and the insurance adjuster has viewed the damage and assessed the claim as appropriate, then it is just a matter of waiting for the check to arrive from the insurance company, which is usually a reasonably smooth procedure.
However, winning a home insurance claim is not always so straightforward. The insurance company will be looking to find ways to throw out your claim in some cases. The main reasons they will use to reject your claim are that you are not adequately covered, your time period for filing has expired or that what you are asking for exceeds the claimable amount as detailed on your policy.
For these reasons, it is essential that you understand exactly what your policy states and covers. The policy itself is a binding agreement between you and your insurance company. You should read all the fine print and know exactly what you are covered for and what deductibles and exclusions exist. It is extremely important that anything you don't understand and any questions you have to ask be brought up at the time of taking out your policy.
Here are some tips to help you win a home insurance claim. First of all, evaluate your claim situation. Is this claim your first within the initial two or three years of the policy? If the answer to this question is yes, then ask yourself about the harm done to your property. Is your home vastly damaged? If you do not consider the damage to be great, it may well be better not to make a small claim at all. Lets face it, you never know what's around the corner and you may be wise to save your insurance claim in order to declare something bigger in the future. Insurers are less likely to grant many small claims for damages than one large one.
Following an incident where losses or damages have taken place, you should call your agent to make a report and ask him to forward a claim form to you. Absolutely be able to document all items and property damaged or lost. Make sure you know how long you have to make the claim and where it should be submitted to once it is completed. Even if you are confident about filling in the claim form, make any queries you have in writing and take instruction and guidance from your agent. Ensure you do it right and you will be safe in the knowledge that everything is documented as it should be.
You can expect a successful result if you submit your filing in a timely manner before expiration. Your knowledge of the terms and conditions of the coverage you have in your policy will play a huge part in you filing a accurate claim, this can not be over emphasized. If you are really not happy with the insurance claims adjusters assessment, you may want to consult/hire a independent private claims adjuster. You have that right. All in all as the homeowner, don't give up if your if your claim is disputed, you have to stay on top of your policy terms and sometimes insurance companies as well to be win home insurance claims.
Get More information on protecting your home click here Home Insurance Adjusters. Also go to http://Best-Home-Owners-Insurance.Com where you can get more info on your home insurance options including home owner flood insurance, home contents insurance, AARP home owner insurance and more...
Hot Tips - Home Buying During a Recession
Sometimes things are just not as easy as they first seem. For instance, you are thinking about buying a home or a condominium. When your region is experiencing a real estate recession, we're going to help you understand what you're looking at. The good news for you is, the buyer is in the position of power, which is why it is called a buyers market. The less than fabulous news is, there may not be as many homes on the market. This is because the sellers know; selling during a real estate recession is not the best of ideas, if they can avoid it. Keep this in mind when looking around, you may find something that is "good enough", while saving a good hunk of dough.
Tcat and Gudrun want to offer you two tips if you're considering buying during a real estate recession in your area.
One. If you're going to go for a house with a lower than market value price because of the real estate recession, we urge you to be a little more flexible in your wants. In other words, we are asking you to look hard at your judgments as well the home you're looking at to buy. Be careful and honestly ask yourself if you are saying: "This is not the house I want to I to buy." Ask yourself if you are being a bit too picky. Granted, it might not be ideal. The real question becomes, is the home you're looking at functional for your needs?
Two. Just because the conditions are good, as a buyer during a real estate recession, you shouldn't let it cloud your judgment. Buying just anything, because you think it's a good price and you are afraid the real estate recession may disappear before you've made a purchase is not in your long-term best interests. The old axiom, "look before you leap" holds true in this situation too. A seller may have to sell their home because of their individual circumstances. It's true that the market is making the seller a bit of a victim during a real estate recession, and that does not make the house necessarily a good deal for you, in and by itself.
In other words, don't let the current market conditions sway your judgment. Keep your head about you, think about the long-term. Just because it's a lousy time for the seller, because the markets beating him up with a real estate recession doesn't mean any house is a good house. Do your homework as you would in any other time, and keep a cool head to find both the house and a deal that you can be happy with for a long time.
Ya know? Doesn't matter how much you yell. We can't hear you. How about you take that energy and direct it to a keyboard. Send an e-mail to feedback@ButterflyLister.com about what topics you would like to hear about.
5 Tips for Home Buyers in 2008
Wow! What a year for the real estate and mortgage industries. When people look back on 2007 from a business and financial perspective, they will likely recall the subprime mortgage "meltdown" that has yet to play out.
The whirlwind of media coverage that has surrounded the subprime crisis leaves many home buyers scratching their heads. "What does all the mean to me," many buyers want to know. "What lessons should I take away from all this?"
With an eye on current events, I offer you the following tips for home buying in 2008.
1. Boost Your Credit Score
Credit is everything when it comes to home buying. Many of the people who became foreclosure statistics in 2007 got there because of subprime ARM loans -- the only type of loan they could afford given their bad credit. So focus on maintaining or improving your credit score in 2008.
2. Understand the Different Mortgages
Don't rely on a mortgage lender to tell you what you need to know about the various types of mortgage loans. Mortgage lenders make money by selling mortgages, so that is their primary focus -- selling you a home loan. It's up to you to understand the pros and cons of different mortgage types, and how they will affect you in the long run.
3. Know Your Real Estate Market
At the time of this writing, many real estate markets across the U.S. are experiencing a major slow down. This might mean that buyers can get a good deal on a home, and then profit from the appreciation / equity when the market swings back up again. The key to making a wise home-buying decision comes, in part, from understanding your local real estate scene. The "Homes" section of your local newspaper is a great place to start.
4. Reduce Your Debt
If you decrease your debt while keeping your income steady, you will have a more favorable debt-to-income ratio, which is one of the things mortgage lenders consider when approving people for home loans. That's one of the many reasons to pay down debt. Start with those credit card balances, since they probably have the highest interest rate of all your debt items.
5. Increase Your Savings
It's always a good idea to increase the amount of money you put away each month, but it's an even smarter idea if you plan to buy a home in the near future. Mortgage lenders will check to see how much cash you have readily available, because they know you'll have to cover closings costs when buying a home. Start putting money away as early as possible.
All of these tips can be summed up in one simple statement -- be a smart consumer. Many of the people who suffered under the mortgage "crisis" of 2007 were not smart consumers. They overspent and made shortsighted financial moves. Hence, they became statistics in a negative way. Follow the tips above, and you can avoid joining their ranks!
* You may republish this article online if you retain the author's note with active hyperlinks below.
About the Author
Brandon Cornett writes on behalf of Foust Asset Development, real estate professionals who ethically work with buyers and sellers in the Orange County real estate market of California. Learn more about the Foust team at http://www.foustonline.com
Selecting Furniture Is Not Cracking A Nut
No office is setup without appropriate furniture. The house does not appeal at all with it is not decked up with right choice of furniture. Subject to whether you had a home-office or a corporate zone, shelf your coins accordingly. You need not break a nut just to compute the cheapest quote you got for your home-office. Since office furniture is part of the overall décor of your office, it plays an important role in creating a good first impression on your visiting clients.
Each Room Has Retreat:
Once you have examined the basics, such as how much money you have to spend or how much space you have for contemporary office furniture, you can begin to focus on what you want. For instance, what type of office furniture could you like to purchase? If you are searching for contemporary office furniture, you may also be looking for something new or modern. You might need to setup different rooms in different ways as you would have a different feeling for each room. If you want a classy look for your room, go ahead with creating one with your ideas.
The Guest List Of Your Office:
Since you are searching for furniture for your office you should consider who all will be coming to your office. Think of the impact good office furniture has on a client visiting your office; and you will immediately realize the importance of office furniture. Since office furniture is part of the overall décor of your office, it plays an important role in creating a good first impression on your visiting clients.
The Budgeting:
Perhaps, the most important factor to examine is the amount of money that you have to spend. As you likely already know, office furniture comes in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles, all of which are offered at different prices. When searching for contemporary office furniture, it is best that you know, ahead of time, how much money you can afford to spend. Knowing this important piece of information will not only make choosing office furniture easier, but it may also help you save time. By knowing how much money is too much to spend, you can prevent yourself from examining office furniture that you can't even afford.
Depending on your proximity and access to the local/regional furniture stores & the range they serve, you ought to be clear whether offline shopping really worked for you. Alternatively, the www or the dot.com space might just land you at the doorstep of your imagination.
Since you are done with you're purchasing of the right kind of furniture you can always have a good time setting your things and make the space more appealing and cozy for you. Doing up your house or office with new furniture can be a happy going process too. You can pick up articles in beige colors that can add that sparkle tinge to your furniture, so that you are not bored seeing the same thing everyday.
You can also find more info on cheap home office and office chairs. i-homeofficefurniture.com is a comprehensive resource to get help in home office.
Unique Home Staging Tips
You have probably heard by now that you should "stage" your home for sale, but staging requires a lot more than simply setting up attractive displays. Some of the best home stagers out there have quite a few tricks up their sleeves, and here are some staging ideas that you don't want to ignore.
First and foremost, direct all of your attention to the kitchen area. Most home buyers are seeking to find an extraordinary kitchen within a home, but that doesn't mean that you have to start remodelling the entire space. Instead, apply orange oil to your cabinets in order to renew luster; place large bowls of polished fruits on countertops; and arrange some of your best cookbooks neatly upon the counter. Next, let's turn to the bathroom.
Those home buyers that are looking for unique kitchen spaces will automatically assume that you have a superb bathroom as well. So, why disappoint them? Of course, a large whirlpool bathtub will help, but there are ways to make your bathroom appear wonderful without any massive amount of construction. Tie your towels with ribbons in neat stacks; place scented soaps around the room; allow large glass bottles of creamy lotions to showcase themselves; and arrange lovely bath jars all around the room. In short, make your bathroom look like a five star resort, and buyers will immediately feel immersed in luxury.
Although the interior of your home is important, you should never overlook your backyard. Far too often, home owners allow their "out of control" backyards to remain unkempt. Instead, place large potted plants around the yard (choose colorful pots); spruce up any sort of backyard shed with a coat of varnish; and make sure that decks are smooth and neat. Also, consider investing in some new patio furniture in order to make your home extra appealing, and go ahead and shine that stainless steel barbeque.
The trick to staging a home is to create an illusion. Try to imagine pages of glossy magazines when you begin to stage your home, and set up everything within your home to appear picture perfect. If you feel as though your home looks too artificial, you are probably on the right track. Remember to shine any steel fixtures within your home, and keep all of your clutter neatly stacked. Home stagers are sort of like magicians, which means that you will have to use your imagination, but anyone can make a home look great with the aforementioned tips and tricks.
Raynor James writes on real estate and FSBO issues for FSBOAmerica.org.
Kitchen Tips And Shortcuts
Whether you love to cook or hate being anywhere near the kitchen, this list will help make meal preparation just a little bit easier.
1. Use vegetables to create a roasting rack for your meats. Put carrots, potatoes, and onions on the bottom of your roasting pan and place the meat on top. The juices from the meat along with the vegetables make for delicious gravy.
2. Don't drink wine but like to cook with it? Buy small bottles instead of the large ones.
3. Microwave long-cooking vegetables before grilling.
4. Reserve up to a cup of pasta water when cooking pasta. Use the water to add flavor and to thin the sauce.
5. Have two sets of measuring spoons on hand. That way you are not constantly washing them in the middle of meal preparation.
6. When preparing a meal, try doubling it and freezing the second portion for later.
7. Use a slow cooker, it's great for less expensive cuts of meat, soups, stews, chicken, practically anything can be make in a slow cooker.
8. Chop and measure all ingredients before you begin.
9. Get organized; prep your ingredients before you start to cook. Measuring and cutting up ingredients in advance. The French term for this is mise en place.
10. Bake instead of frying your bacon.
11. Marinade in zip-top bags. Mix the marinade in the bag, toss in your meat or chicken. Let sit in the refrigerator and turn occasionally.
12. When shaping meatballs, wet your hands to prevent sticking.
13. Use left-over meatloaf and meatballs in tacos, salad, casseroles, and pastas. Or make corn muffins by dropping the meat on the top of the mix and bake.
14. Save orange peels in the freezer for those meals that require orange peel when you don't have an orange handy.
15. Save the peel of a squeezed lemon in the freezer for grated lemon.
16. Mashed potato flakes are great to thicken up soups and sauces without adding cream.
17. Plan your meals in advance and prepare a shopping list.
18. Purchase and use rotisserie chickens from your local market.
19. Slice larger meats into thin strips or small pieces to shorten the cooking time.
20. Let the market do some of the work. Buy pre-sliced and pre-chopped vegetables in the produce section.
21. Gather all ingredients before you begin to cook.
22. Prep your ingredients while waiting for the oven to heat or water to boil.
23. Plan ahead. Place all non perishable ingredients, pots, pans, and utensils on the counter before you leave in the morning. When you return home exhausted from the day's work things will be ready to go.
24. Place oil bottles in cup cake liners to keep oil from getting your shelves oily.
25. Pound chicken breasts with a mallet to a thickness of about ½ inch. The chicken will cook faster and evenly if it is the same thickness.
26. Buy chicken tenders instead of chicken breast for quick thawing and cooking.
27. Save orange peels in the freezer for those meals that require orange peel when you don't have an orange handy.
28. Save the peel of a squeezed lemon in the freezer for grated lemon.
29. Sauté onion in butter and throw in left over rice for a buttery side.
30. Avoid flare-ups on the grill by trimming excess fat from meats and keep a small spray water bottle close to keep them at bay.
31. Freshen up left-over meat or chicken by serving a different side dish the second time around.
My Online Meals, http://www.MyOnlineMeals.com Kathy McHenry, founder and owner of My Online Meals is passionate about cooking and food. For information on meal planning visit, http://www.MyOnlineMeals.com
Small Bathroom Ideas - Making Small Bathrooms Feel Spacious
Most of the time a tiny bathroom is not your main bathroom, and least you hope not, but an extra bathroom that is located elsewhere in the home. Many times this bathroom is located in the interior of the home, which makes it not only cramped, but dark as well. Even in these situations there are small bathroom ideas that you can use to make the most out of the room.
If you are considering completely rearranging everything even the larger fixtures in the room, you probably will want to consult an architect or a designer to help you since it will involve moving electrical wiring and plumbing connections. Together, you can sit down and go over the options that are available to you in order to see if there is a way that you can update the room to include a larger bathtub or a stand-alone deluxe shower stall. Sometimes it is feasible that a wall can be knocked out or moved in order to add needed space.
If major renovation is not possible, there are still many tips and ideas that you may be able to utilize in order to give the appearance of a bigger room. First, consider the bathroom door. Can it be changed to swing in the other direction? That alone may lessen the feeling of claustrophobia. Or you may wish to consider changing it to a sliding door or even bifold closet doors in order to save some space. In most bathrooms the vanity cupboard and sink take up a lot of space. You may wish to replace this with a stand-alone pedestal sink, which will increase the look and feel of the room and make it seem less cluttered. If you are worried that you will be losing storage space, consider hanging wall units, shelving or hanging baskets to hold supplies. The more floor space that you can see will make the room seem bigger.
When incorporating small bathroom ideas it is very important to decorate with lighter colors that makes the room feel brighter and even bigger than it really is. Always be liberal in your use of mirrors, as they tend to increase the look and achieve the illusion of a bigger room. The type of lighting that you choose will also make the difference between a dark and dreary room and a light and cheery one. If there is no way to add a window or even a skylight to the room, consider your choice of illumination. Incandescent or fluorescent lighting will achieve completely different looks.
Having a small bathroom is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a smaller space to renovate and decorating it can be a breeze. Use these small bathroom ideas to create a room that feels less like a closet and more like an enjoyable getaway location.
For additional inspiration and ideas for remodeling your bathroom try visiting http://remodelingabathroomguide.com, a popular bathroom remodeling website that includes information on how remodeling planner software can catch problems before the remodeling job begins.
