Choosing a Home Construction or Remodeling Contractor

Choosing the right Contractor is the most important aspect of any home construction project. You must take your time and do your research to find a good qualified contractor if you want excellent quality at a fair price. When we built our new home we spent many hours finding the best contractors for each aspect of building our new home. We developed a method that served us well and it is as follows:

Determine exactly what you want done and write it down. This may sound a little basic at first blush, but it is so important. Remember what is not well defined is easily manipulated. If it is not in writing, it can be disputed. You do two things when you define your project in detail, and in writing. You find any missing aspects that you may have overlooked and you have good definition and expectations for your contractor.

Get three (3) bids for each trade that you will hire. Never rely on one bid, and always meet the contractor face to face at the site where the work is to be done. If you are uncomfortable with the contractor when they are bidding the job how is it going to be when the two of you have to work out the details of your project. Remember cheaper is not always better!

Ask each contractor for references and make sure they are bonded and insured. Check their references and call the BBB (Better Business Bureau) in your area to see if they have any outstanding complaints.

Make sure they don''t sub the work out to a contractor that is not insured or bonded. It is very common for a contract company to sub out work to contractors that are not insured and bonded. Another danger of the contractor subbing work out is if they don''t pay their sub, the sub can put a mechanics lien on your house and you will have to pay even if you have already paid the contractor.

Set a definite timeframe for the work to begin and for completion and get it in writing. Nothing is worse than to have a project drag on not knowing when they are going to show up and finish.

Never, ever pay for the entire project in advance. If you do the contractor has no incentive to finish or even start. When you no longer have the money you are no longer in control! It is customary with most contractors that you pay a portion up front. On a large project hold back as much money as you can until the end. The incentive to finish must be motivated by the cash at the end of the project.

For more information on finding and qualifying contractors visit www.Build-YourOwn-Home.com

George Stevens is the popular author of the Website http://www.Build-YourOwn-Home.com teaching you how to build your own home.', 160, 'Choosing a Home Construction or Remodeling Contractor, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Choosing a Home Construction or Remodeling Contractor plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Building Your Own Home

Most people think building their own home involves vast knowledge of all aspects of the home building process. The impression of most people is they don''t really know enough to build their own home. Let''s face it, most of us know a little about the process. Some of us may know a lot about one aspect or the other involved in building a home. You may know how to paint or do carpentry work or lay tile, but you probably don''t know everything about home building.

What is so different about building a home than the rest of major tasks that we take on in our everyday lives? Right now I am typing on my laptop over a wireless connection that is networked to the Internet. Do I know how all this works? Nope, I just knew how to put it all together and eureka, I can do it! Well we all know it is not that simple sometimes with computers, but my point is you don''t need to know everything about something to do it.

In this age of the Internet with it''s endless sources of information and connection to other people that have the knowledge you need, almost anything is possible. So why is building your own home any different? It isn''t really, let me tell you why. First a little background about the building process.

Most of us buy a home that is built by a builder, or general contractor. The General Contractors hire Sub-Contractors to do the work, or essentially build the homes. The Subs put up the framing, roofing, siding, flooring etc? Normally the General contractors employ building supervisors to watch over the building process. They are the managers that have day-to-day contact with the subs. This process is not really complicated.

So what is so mysterious about building your own home? What do the builders have access to that you don''t? Nothing, this is the fact that not to many people know. I built my own home. Am I some kind of rocket scientist, not hardly? The fact is you can save thousands of dollars and have the home of your dreams. We saved 40% and have a beautiful home that is exactly what we wanted.

You have access to the Building Contractors, House Plans, land, materials and financing. You just don''t know it! You see the General Contractors just put it all together and present it to the masses, at a hefty markup of course!

Building your own home is very similar to all the other important tasks that you have mastered in your life. You study the information follow a process and commit to the task. Is it easy no, is it worth it, yes.

For more information about Building Your Own Home visit http://www.build-yourown-home.com/.

George Stevens is the popular author of the Website http://www.build-yourown-home.com/ teaching you how to build your own home.', 160, 'Building Your Own Home, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Building Your Own Home plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Laminate Flooring Is Attractive And Long Lasting

Laminate flooring is perfect for people who want to install a floor covering that is easy to install and combines the rich look of hardwood with the easy care of a laminate counter top. Laminate floors that have been constantly gaining popularity since their creation a few years ago. Laminate flooring can be properly installed on sheet vinyl flooring, concrete slab, plywood, hardwood flooring, or essentially any other flat hard surface. Laminate wood flooring has a special composite of layers that makes up its construction.

Most of the flooring plank is a thick and water resistant core material that is designed for uniformity. The top level of laminate wood flooring is the finished flooring material, which is usually decorative and waterproofed to protect against common household spills. Because of flooring harmonics laminate''s design, most laminate flooring will last longer than other types of flooring.

Choosing the right Laminate Flooring

If you are interested in buying laminate flooring but worry about the price and availability of certain colors and patterns, there is no need to fret. Flooring harmonics laminate is actually cheaper than most other kinds of flooring. Also, laminate wood flooring comes in many different patterns and colors, so you will be sure to find exactly the right type of laminate flooring that you are looking for. If you are relatively inexperienced with common household installation projects, you might want to consider hiring a contractor to install the laminate flooring. However, laminate flooring manufacturers have made it fairly simple to install, so it should not be beyond the grasp of people who have at least a little experience in common household installations.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/', 160, 'Laminate Flooring Is Attractive And Long Lasting, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Laminate Flooring Is Attractive And Long Lasting plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Pergo Flooring Is Perfect For The Home or Office

Pergo flooring was invented more than 75 years ago, and has since become the leader in the laminate flooring industry. Pergo has been the leader in both design and laminate technology. Also, Pergo has become the leading seller of flooring in the world, so you know it is trusted worldwide. No matter what room you need flooring for, Pergo will just the perfect floor for you. If you still aren''t sold on the superiority of Pergo flooring, just compare Pergo flooring to any other type of flooring. With Pergo''s combination of exceptional engineering, quality materials, worry-free performance and any-room versatility, Pergo exceeds them all. Also, Pergo laminate flooring has more design patterns than any other type of flooring. No other brand of laminate flooring can match the variety of looks you''re able to achieve with Pergo.

Pergo flooring is available almost any way you want it!

Pergo flooring is available in whatever variety of wood, stone, tile or unique designs that you could possible want. Pergo wood flooring is also unique in that it is a floating floor, as it is not attached to the sub-floor. This creates a floor that is durable, attractive, and easy to clean. Pergo laminate flooring is the perfect choice for a household with small children, as it will clean very easily. If you are looking for a floor that sets the standard with its quality, then Pergo flooring is just what you are looking for.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/', 160, 'Pergo Flooring Is Perfect For The Home or Office, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Pergo Flooring Is Perfect For The Home or Office plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Wholesale Vinyl Flooring Is Perfect For Wherever You Need It

Wholesale vinyl flooring is the perfect solution for people who are looking for flooring that is inexpensive, good looking, and made with high quality. Wholesale vinyl flooring is designed specifically for use in commercial, general and civil aviation applications and facilities, and it contains a hidden Tuff-Seal® interlock system and is backed by a five-year warranty. No carpet will be able to match that performance.

For almost all uses, no adhesive, installation expertise, or uncommon tools are needed. Wholesale vinyl flooring can be used in virtually any aviation building or application, including kit aircraft builders, hangers and terminals, workshops, safety and security areas, basements and below-grade areas baggage claim, concourses, ground support and maintenance, passenger bridges, emergency, repair and overhaul areas.

Wholesale vinyl flooring will stay in place and does not shift even under heavy point loads. It can be used for wayfinding and to brighten cold and uninviting hangers and other areas, such as those used by visitors, customers and employees. Vinyl flooring''s cushioned feel has been shown to improve productivity and comfort, while reducing noise and dust.

Wholesale Vinyl Flooring is easily installed

Unlike other forms of flooring, wholesale vinyl flooring is easily installed over any level, clean, structurally sound surface, including tainted, moisture-problem or uncured concrete subfloors. With proper instruction, the tiles can be quickly and easily removed and re-laid in other areas as needed or moved to other sites in the case of rental facilities. Tested and resistant to most fluids, all wholesale vinyl flooring tiles are impact, fire, chemical and stain-resistant.

Most wholesale vinyl flooring meets ADA slip-resistance recommendations and ASTM specifications for F-1700 solid vinyl tile, is 100% recyclable, easy to maintain and helps meet LEED criteria. Since CenturyAVX tiles are generally not adhered to the subfloor, their cost may be fully deductible in the first year.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/', 160, 'Wholesale Vinyl Flooring Is Perfect For Wherever You Need It, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Wholesale Vinyl Flooring Is Perfect For Wherever You Need It plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

How to Troubleshoot Video Problems

Few things can be as frustrating as picture problems. You get your system all ready to go, flip the switch, and WHAM! One or more channels look terrible. The good news is that the majority of video problems can be traced to just a few causes. Most problems are comprised of the following:

Snow

Horizontal bars rolling though the picture

Vertical bars rolling through the picture

Ghosting

Herringbone pattern (diagonal lines through picture)

Lower channels look fine, upper channels are not

These six are the main symptoms you''ll find when seeing video problems. Thankfully, most are fairly easy to fix.

Snow -

Snow is caused by inadequate signal strength at the tuner. It''s usually caused by:

1 Splitting the signal too many times.

2 A weak signal from the antenna or cable company

3 A very long cable run

If the signal is snowy at all your TVs, especially if you have more than 4 TVs, you probably need an RF amplifier. Check the strength at the demark (service entrance). If it is fine there, add an amplifier before the splitter. Make sure to use a quality unit with good bandwidth (out to at least 1000MHz). If you have digital cable or a cable modem, get an amplifier with a bidirectional return path to allow for communication back to the cable company. If the picture looks bad at the demark, contact the cable company.

If it is bad at only one TV, you may have a bad cable between the splitter and the TV or a very long run of cable. You can amplify just that run.

Horizontal Rolling Bars ? Horizontal rolling bars are caused by DC power getting into the cable system. To fix it, disconnect the TV from all other components in the system. If the bars disappear, add the other components back in until the bars return. When you find the offending component, use a DC blocker to eliminate the DC power path to the system.

Vertical Rolling Bars ?

Vertical rolling bars are caused by AC power getting on the cable line. The best fix for this is to use a ground breaker. A ground breaker eliminates the electrical connection between the TV and the cable system. A ground breaker is also the main fix for a hum on your audio system''s speakers.

Ghosting ?

Ghosting is caused by the tuner receiving identical signals at slightly different times. It can be caused by your TV receiving a local station broadcasting over the air and via the cable system at the same time. Make sure you are using good quality RG-6 coax cable and good compression fittings. Replace any low quality cable splitters or combiners with high quality units. Make sure they are tight also. This will also cure another cause of ghosting, signal reflection inside a poor cable.

Ghosting can also be caused by multi-path interference on an antenna system. This is especially true in an urban environment with lots of hills and tall buildings. To combat this, use a very directional antenna aimed directly at the desired station.

Herringbone Pattern ?

A herringbone pattern is caused by radio frequency interference from other stations transmitting on the same channel or adjacent channels, powerful radio signals, computers, etc. Another common cause is being equidistant from two transmitters operating on the same channel.

In short, this can be caused by just about any sort of RF radiation at the correct frequency. Really great shielding found on high quality cables helps to combat this. If you are getting this interference while modulating an A/V source on a certain channel, try switching to a different channel.

Poor Upper Channel Reception ?

Poor Upper Channel Reception is caused by poor signal strength on the upper channels. Use an amplifier with a tilt compensator that allows adjustment of the upper channels relative to the lower channels. This will prevent overdriving the lower channels while providing the upper channels with enough gain. Also, check to see if all components in the RF system are rated to at least 1GHz and RG-6 or RG-6Quad shield cable is being used throughout.

Bio: Steve Faber has almost 15 years in the custom installation industry. He is a CEDIA certified designer and Installer 2 with certifications from both the ISF and THX. His experience spans many facets of the industry, from the trenches as an installer and control systems programmer, and system designer, to a business unit director for a specialty importer of high end audio video equipment, a sales rep for a large, regional consumer electronics distributor, and principal of a $1.5M+ custom installation firm. He currently is senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design in Redmond, WA. He is on the web at http://www.1touchmovie.com.', 160, 'How to Troubleshoot Video Problems, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'How to Troubleshoot Video Problems plus articles and information on Home-Improvement