Ten Tips to Create Excitement in Your Bath

A boring bathroom is not the end of the world. It functions well, it serves all of its purposes, but your bath should be a pleasant room to use. You need to stop thinking about bathroom vanities and bathroom mirrors as things that are not stylish and start realizing that your bathroom has the potential to be something better than you could ever image. Here are ten ways that you can turn your bathroom from blah to wow.

1. Bathrooms should be personal. When you are looking for a way to add pizzazz to your bathroom, remember that your family will be the ones that use it primarily. As such, why not add some personal mementos or pictures on the walls? They can create interesting focal points as well as design pieces.
2. Shelving can be art. Instead of relying on bathroom mirrors and bathroom vanities to be the central pieces, you can add a singular shelf to the wall, place a few decorations on it and really turn your bathroom around.
3. Bring in a chair. If you have a larger bathroom, you are probably not using all the space you have. Try bringing in a chair or small table to add some interesting features. You can then decorate the table with something that relates to your dcor.
4. Think about adding flowers. By adding fresh flowers to your bathroom at regular intervals, your bathroom will always seem fresh and exciting. You might want to choose only flowers that are in season for a constantly rotating display, even bringing in seasonal plants for the holidays too.
5. Change your ideas on vases. You do not have to use a boring glass vase to hold your flowers. Try to use things like watering cans and interesting pieces of pottery to change up the room and expand upon a theme.
6. Look at your bathroom mirrors. If you are creative, you can add frosted detailing to your mirror for a new twist on your design. Simply go to your local crafts store to find the materials that you need as well as design stencils that will help you be consistent with the frosting. If you ever tire of the design, you can always remove it and replace it with something new.
7. Change your bathroom vanities. By stripping the bathroom vanity and replacing the finish with stain or another color of paint, you will dramatically change the appearance of the room.
8. Replace your drapes or blinds. By changing the window dressings, you can create a new look to your overall bathroom interior. Change metal mini-blinds to wooden blinds or take them away to replace with gauzy sheets.
9. Take away anything that does not belong in the bathroom. This seems like common sense, but when you want to spruce up your bathroom; you need to take away anything that might be causing it to look too utilitarian. For example, remove the litter pan from the bathroom and find a new home for it.
10. Change everything twice a year. If you just do not know what to do with your bathroom, commit to making one simple change twice a year. This will help you continuously update your bathroom mirrors and bathroom vanities without taking a lot of time or money.

Dave Robert is a VP at Discount Bathroom Vanities Publishing, and an avid fixer-upper who's been restoring old houses for more than twenty years. Readers can tap into Dave's knowledge about home remodeling, and kitchen and bathroom design, at: http://www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Advantages Framing With Steel

Modular Homes - Total Cost of Construction

So you are looking at property and have decided to build a modular home. You may have even decided to act as your own general contractor. You are now putting together a budget. It is fairly easy to get the prices for the land and the modular home, but it is not as cut and dry to piece together everything else that will be needed at your job site.

I built a modular home about two years ago and went through the same process. I had a difficult time finding ballpark figures for many things when trying to budget my project. Below is a list of things to keep in mind when putting together your budget:

1. Utility hooks ups and your distance from existing utilities (electric, natural gas, propane, water)
2. Excavation for foundation/basement
3. Foundation and basement
4. Driveway costs
5. Electrician to wire up basement
6. Plumber to do rough plumbing under basement floor prior to setting house
7. Concrete flatwork (basement floor)
8. Plumber to do finish plumbing (hook home to rough plumbing)
9. Electrician to hook house to utilities
10. Plumber and electrician for a septic tank (if needed)
11. Carpenters for a deck
12. Contractor for a patio

It is important to get multiple bids when costing your project. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should not necessarily choose your contractors because they are the cheapest. You must check with references, view previous work they have done, verify that they are insured and licensed to work in your city. I met with my foundation contractor at a job site he was working on and was so impressed that I chose him even though he was the highest of my three bidders. I could have saved a couple of thousand dollars with someone else but I doubt it would have been worth it.

If you do not feel that you have the time or expertise to manage the contractors involved, many modular home builders will act as your general contractor for a fee. This may be the route to choose if you do not have time to meet with all of your contractors at the job site.

Tim Montey is a modular home enthusiast who built his first modular home two years ago and detailed that experience, lessons learned and costs at http://www.modularhomechoice.com

Find more detailed information on the total cost of a modular home at the above link on the Financing page.

Painting Metal Siding

DIY Vertical Wind Generators - Are They Worth It?

With the ever increasing need for everybody to be more careful with the environment (and in today's climate their money) have you ever thought about building your own DIY Vertical Wind Generator? These units are much like the usual wind generators except the blades are positioned vertically rather than horizontally.

It is easy to build a DIY Vertical Wind Generator from plans for normal wind generators. All that is needed is to turn the blades vertical. All the components need to build a DIY Vertical Wind Generator can be found in your local DIY store for as little as $200.

So why build a DIY Vertical Wind Generator rather than a normal wind generator? Since the blades are positioned vertically rather than horizontally you have the option of putting more blade units on the generator since there is more space. It won't necessarily generate more energy but it will allow the blades to become more sensitive to wind, allowing for power to be generated even in slight breezes; something that is not always possible with the conventional wind units.

The units can also be built to be much more compact that the usual wind turbines. This makes them ideal for people who do not have a lot of outside or roof space and can even be set up to sit on apartment balconies or outside walls. You don't even need a stand that rotates with the wind as the blades are sensitive even in a fixed position. The electronic side of setting up the DIY vertical wind generator is not all that complicated either. There are plenty of electronic blueprints out there that will show you how to set this up.

If self-sufficiency is what you are after then you will probably need at lease three to four units. If you want to ensure that you will still have power during a power outage then you will need to fit batteries to the unit. This allows electricity to be stored and be readily available to use. The downside is that these batteries can increase the cost of building the units. My suggestion would be to have a few units with batteries and the other directly connected to the grid. This would allow essential energy to be provided in cases of power outages.

DIY Vertical Wind Generators are ideal for supplying your household energy needs for a fraction of the cost of commercial units. They are easy to build and don't cost the earth.

http://www.squidoo.com/DIY-Vertical-Wind-Generator

Building Safe Stairs

Take the Job Then Do it Right

If you have an older home there's a good chance you have one by six diagonal floor sheeting and some of the knots have fallen out by now. Some of these large knots can create safety hazards for your home. Performing major remodels or whole house renovations on older homes you can run into quite a few problems with these kinds of wood floors.

One of the first things I do is remove the carpeting and padding. This exposes the floor sheeting for further examination. By the time I am done with all the plumbing and electrical repairs underneath the subfloor it seems that some of the 1 x 6 has been damaged. Your first thought of course is just to replace the 1 x 6 that is damaged and be done with it.

This is one way to approach the problem, another is to repair the 1 x 6 that was damaged and install half inch plywood over the existing floor sheeting. Please make sure the floor is level and has no humps or dips in it before you start installing the new plywood over the existing floor sheeting.

I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. The bad part about this is when the homeowner chose to go with expensive wood flooring throughout his home. When you walked in to the front of his house you felt like you were going out to a small wheelchair ramp for about 10 feet and then of course it felt like you were going down for another 6 feet.

In order to repair this properly it would've taken the other contractor about 24 hours to repair the floor. In this case the homeowner would have been glad to pay for the repair after the fact. Sometimes when contractors mention a potential problem down the road and how much it will cost to repair that problem, most homeowners cannot see the value in the contractor's opinion at that time.

I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in Home Remodeling

Toilet Paper Under The Bathroom

Various Windows For Various Rooms

For your house to look beautiful and yet remain functional, it is important that you have the right type of glass in all the different windows of your house. An ideal window glass should offer privacy, security and also exclusivity.

While most window glasses are made up of plain glass, there are places where this glass would not be suitable such as bathrooms or kitchens. A bathroom window will need to protect the privacy of its users and hence transparent glass will not be suitable. In such a case, the glass will need to be opaque. If you have already fitted your bathroom with clear glass, then this can be achieved by either chemical treatment to the glass or by applying film to the window glass. Alternatively, you can also fit curtains on the inside of your bathroom windows although that will also block out the light in addition to requiring additional maintenance. If you are fitting new bathroom windows, then the job becomes very simple since you can directly fit opaque or translucent glass to your bathroom windows. Another exciting alternative is to fit leadlight window glass to these windows. You can call in designers who can convert your thoughts into virtual pieces of art. Thus, your bathroom window can sport pictures of ships, fishes or any such design that your mind desires.

Leadlight windows are also suitable for your kitchen windows. They can brighten up your kitchen and make it a cheerful place to cook in. Your kitchen door or window glass can carry images of fresh fruits or vegetables. This leadlight theme can be carried over to your main door or your children's windows too. If your home has a traditional look, then leadlight windows will impart that ancient cathedral or church look to it. However, if your home is built on modern lines, then clear, tinted or frosted glass will help to maintain that modern look. A modern theme will also require the window glass to be frameless or framed in powder-coated aluminum frames that are fitted with matching hinges, instead of wood, which is mainly for traditional framing. Thus, your glass windows should be sturdy, but should also match to the theme of your house and should be aesthetically pleasing to look at, from inside as well as outside. The right kind of glass will also lead to energy savings since you will be able to save on lighting and cooling or heating costs. Windows will definitely look better when your frame matches with the rest of the house and if you use the right material, color and texture of curtains to go with your window glass. If you live in areas where the weather is extreme, then you can also use blocks of double glazed glass for your outer windows for improved insulation.

Thus, the right glass and other accessories are very important in determining the ideal look for your window and your house. By taking the help of experienced experts, you can easily ensure that your window glass is functional and also enhances the looks of your house. The right type of glass will impart a clean yet warm look to your beloved house and will also be easy to clean in the future.

Rob Mainstone is the owner Perth glass company, West Perth Glass and provides residential and commercial glazing services for West Australian clients.

Concrete Patio Gofer Damage

Bathroom Decorating For A Zen Like Spa Look

Bathroom decorating can be fun and challenging but when it ends up giving you the relaxing feeling of a Zen like spa it is well worth the effort. Here are some tips on how you can get this relaxing feel in your bathroom

You should use soft colors and neutral tones colors for your Zen bathroom. Matching colors with your wall paint, towels and shower curtains is key so get paint cards that have your paint colors on them and bring them shopping with you when you buy your bathroom accessories - that way you will get a perfect match.

In the bathroom, consider accessorizing with artwork on the walls, as well as toiletry and toothbrush holders, towel racks, towels and decorative soaps. You want to end up with a minimalist look so don't put too much in. Consider sleek designs for the hamper and wastebasket.

If your bathroom is big enough it could include shoji screens, plants and furniture with simple lines as well as a table water fountain and some bamboo. Window treatments for the Zen bathroom decorating theme should be simple and plain. Try updating your windows with bamboo blinds. After you get the ideal look on your windows, you might realize the walls are drab by comparison. To overcome this, try hanging watercolors or oriental silks in frames around the room.

While you may not think about it much, flooring plays a vital role in your interior design style so putting in bath mats to compliment your Zen decorating theme can really improve it's style. The best type of flooring for the peaceful and serene style is organic woven mats which you will want to purchase in neutral tones.

For some decorative touches which will help tie together your Zen decor think about a lotus bowl with 1 flower, rice paper lamps, and Asian pottery to accent your room design. You could also add towels that match your wall colors rolled up and stacked in a bamboo basket just like you might find at the spa.

Your Zen bathroom decorating theme can be a snap if you take the time to plan it out adequately. Simply buy the pieces on your plan and put them in place - your room with have the feeling of a peaceful spa before you know it.

Visit http://bathroomdecoratingguide.com for more great tips on decorating your bathroom in a variety of popular bathroom decorating styles.

Electrical Outlet Problems

If All You Have is a Hammer Everything Starts to Look Like a Nail

We were watching the film Mulholland Drive yesterday and it suddenly hit us like a bolt of lightening. How many times we misdiagnose a situation. How many times we carry on a path not knowing that our assumption have taken us miles off course.

Its like playing golf and only knowing how to use three clubs and having to use them in every situation.

Its like looking through a camera zoom lens instead of a wide angle.

Its like blindly following anothers opinion.

The fact is that most of our lives are spent reusing the information collected in our formative years. Thus, when anything new enters our arena we immediately go to the past to try to make sense of it.

The outcome is: we each live an illusion. We each see our world through some really heavily tinted spectacles. We each act as though we are a hammer and everything that comes in front of us is a nail.

The problem is. IT DOESNT WORK.

We were amazed how easily we fell into the trap. How easily we interpreted what was happening before our eyes and made it logical. How easily we searched for closure.

To make us comfortable we wanted to put things into a comfortable category. We wanted to place happenings in a box in the same way a librarian codes books for easy access. Ah! That goes in the family box. That is rude behaviour. That is unacceptable in public. That shows he is uneducated etc etc etc

Yes, you could argue that this form of coding is important in life because it helps us get through life quickly.
BUT!!!
Why do we like to put ourselves and others into psychological boxes? What is it about us that we like to say we are this type of person or that? Why do we want to limit ourselves? Why do we want to sell ourselves short?

Its like being a carpenter who only has a hammer in his toolbox. We are restricting ourselves beyond belief. Just imagine how restricting it would be if you only had a hammer in your toolbox? How can you get passionate about anything if all you are capable of is knocking the brains out of any information that comes your way?

How do you find out what you were brought onto this planet to do if all you can do is respond in the same way to whatever is put in front of you.

How do you develop and grow your children if all they see is the same behaviour irrespective of the problem posed.

How do you rise to the challenges of our society if all you do is apply the same reasoning even though it doesnt fit?

As Howard Schatz. The famous New York dance photographer stated in one of his books:

I told each dancer that when it was easy, it had probably been done
before, probably many times. I explained that only when it was so hard
that it was nearly impossible were we perhaps close to getting something
unique and extraordinary.

Is this why we like to categorise situations and people? We actually dont like hard work.

Is it that we dont like the pressure of being our true selves? Because to do that we have to stand out?

Is it that we cant cope with being unique and extraordinary, so we just want to be similar and ordinary?

Is it that we are afraid of who we might be? Are we afraid that we can be successful? Afraid that if we admit to ourselves that we have talent we might have to do something with our lives?

Is it that we dont really want to find out who we really are and what we are capable of?

We dont know about you but we want to be unique, we want to find out and use our uniqueness. We want to be fulfilled. We want to find our energy source that is released when we are doing what we are intended to do. We want to be in the flow, as some writers describe it.

We have come to realise that what stops us from being in the flow all the time. What stops us from releasing our passion. What stops us from behaving naturally. What makes us waste energy.

FEAR.

Fear keeps us placing people and situations into categories.

Fear stops us from leading ourselves.

Fear stops us from letting go of the past.

Fear keeps our habitual patterns in place.

Being frightened and feeling second best stop us from finding our true selves.

Fear buries the natural me.

A musician must make music, and artists must paint,
a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.
What a man can be, he must be
(Maslow)

What about you?

Good Luck

Graham and Julie

www.desktop-meditation.com

To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to: http://www.desktop-meditation.com Its free.

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies