Thursday
Checking a Contractor's References
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Wine Storage and Cellars
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Remodel Your Kitchen - Save Your Sanity
Two friends of mine, one an editor over at the Kitchen & Bath Design News, wrote a really informative and very entertaining (re: funny) book on how to keep your cool while going through a kitchen remodel.It's called "Everything and the Kitchen Sink: Remodel Your Kitchen Without Losing Your Mind."
If you get a chance, check it out. Here's a sample:
"If you're still looking for a way to justify your new kitchen, here is our list of the top ten reasons to remodel:
You Are What You Eat.
Are you beginning to worry that the guy Burger King knows your kids by name? When you try out a new hair color, does the Chinese food delivery guy notice before your spouse does? A new kitchen might just inspire you to spend less time driving through or eating out. Even better, the latest appliances speed up cooking times, while offering all kinds of extras to help you make better-tasting, healthier foods.
You Support Energy Conservation.
Many older appliances consume enough energy to power a small third world country. Your parents taught you to clean your plate because kids are starving in Africa. Shouldn't you be equally conscientious about saving energy?
College is Over.
Just because you made it through four years of higher education with only a hot plate and a toaster oven doesn't mean you should cook that way for the rest of your life. You've got a grown-up job and a mortgage now. It's time to live like an adult.
Remodelers Need your Money more than Doctors do.
Cracked surfaces are havens for dirt and bacteria that can be dangerous to you and your family. Wouldn't you prefer the short-term inconvenience of a renovation (where you at least end up with a brand new kitchen) to a long hospital stay for food poisoning (where your doctor ends up with a BMW, and all you get is green Jell-O)?"
If you'd like to order the book, here's a link to the Amazon.com page: Everything and the Kitchen Sink
To find a quality kitchen renovation contractor, submit your request to ConstructionDeal.com. It's fast and easy - you'll get 4 quotes in the same day - usually within minutes.
Simply tell us your request and we'll match you with kitchen contractors. There's no cost and no obligation to hire any one.
RELATED POSTS:
Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas
The Jumbled Kitchen
Wednesday
Exterior Care: Acid Stained Concrete
In our continuing coverage of the latest trend in re-surfacing, we've got more information from Joe Welch, at Stained By Design. This time, Joe's got some information about maintaining your exterior acid stained concrete floor covering:"Your Exterior surface should be sealed with multiple coats of a high-solids, UV-inhibiting, penetrating solvent-based sealer. This sealer will repel dirt, dust and other substances that can get a foot-hold on concrete surfaces and promote the growth of mold and mildew. Basic care is as shown below:
1. If you notice a powdery white or splotchy appearance; especially after a rain, the sealer is doing its job. This is the dirt/dust mentioned above. A rinse with a garden hose followed by a squeegee pull or leaf blower blow-dry will remove the excess water and dust.
2. Pressure washing is generally not needed. A rinse or a blow dry will remove most things on the surface.
3. If there was a spill of a soft drink or something you didn’t see right away, use a mild soap like Ivory liquid in some warm water to loosen the material. Rinse and blow and you are back to a clean surface.
4. Plastic glides or Magic Movers should be affixed to heavy furnishings or those which will move frequently.
5. Potted plants should have a dish placed under them to catch excess water; this is especially true if you use a lot of fertilizer on the plants. White powdery spots are caused by fertilizer run-ff and can be remove with CLR cleaning solution.
6. The surface should be resealed from time-to-time. The manufacturers of the sealant usually recommends resealing every 1 to 2 years. How often your surface needs to be resealed depends on the amount of rain and sunlight it receives plus how much abuse is place on the surface by people or pet animals. When you start to notice that water doesn't bead up on or seems to absorb into the surface, it is time to reseal."
If you're in Louisiana, contact Joe about getting your driveway, patio, or interior floors resurfaced with decorative concrete overlays at (337) 316-4505 or you can email him.If you'd like to talk to a decorative concrete or acid stained concrete specialist in your area, consider ConstructionDeal.com.
We have a network of concrete companies ready to help with your project. We'll match you to one in your neighborhood - at no cost.
It's the smart way to find a concrete contractor. Simply submit a request or a project and get 4 quotes - sometimes in a matter of minutes. There's no obligation and there's no charge.
RELATED POSTS:
Decorative Concrete Overlay Process
Acid Stained Concrete: Preparing the Slab
More on Acid Stained Concrete Floors
Acid Stained Concrete Flooring 101
Tuesday
Do-It-Yourself Concerns
This post has been permanently moved to http://contractorequotes.com/improvements/diy-concerns/
Saving Money with Solar Power
One of my neighbors has a solar power system on his roof. I've talked about the installation process because I've been considering it for my house here in Los Angeles.It's not just the "green" incentive either... well, money is green, I guess. And you can save a lot of it switching to solar power.
My neighbor had it installed a few years ago and he told me it was in the ten thousand dollar range (plus installation) to have the panels put up. It should cost more now, but I haven't looked into it. He said that the solar panel company that installed it helped to arrange a loan and the electric company provided incentives along with multiple tax credits. His house faces west, so he had to put them on the front of the house which doesn't look great, but... he said he rarely pays an electric bill anymore.
A typical 2 kilowatt (kw) residential rooftop PV system produces about 3,600 kw hours per year. This is about half the electricity usage for an average LA home. By substituting sun power for fossil fuels, this system avoids the need to make electricity by burning 3.7 tons of coal. In turn, approximately 10,000 lbs. of global warming greenhouse gases do not enter the atmosphere. Which is good.
You stay a part of "the grid." When the sun shines, you should be able to generate more power than your home consumes and your electric meter will spin backwards generating a credit. At night you'll draw on utility company power, essentially using the electrical grid as a giant battery.
But the incentives are nice, too. For a quick example, LA is offering a $2000 tax credit. There are incentives that provide "buydown" assistance to cover up to half of the installation costs. And the payback period (the time it takes to pay back the investment) is usually only a few years.
Check and see if you city or state has any solar power programs.
To find solar energy system installers, go to ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast and easy way to find solar contractors. Submit a project and get 4 quotes in a matter of hours. At no cost.
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