Home Renovation List

Home renovation should be divided into two separate categories, want and needs. So before you consult a home improvement contractor sit down and make a set of lists. One list of what type of renovations you want done on the house and a list of home improvements this old house needs the most. There's no since in doing a kitchen renovation if the roof above it leaks. You don't want to do a wiring upgrade if you can't afford to upgrade the electrical service. You shouldn't tile the bathroom floor if the joist and subfloor needs replaced. Sure I want to renovate the kitchen, but I need to put the much needed roof over it. Will my home improvement budget allow both? This is true with the wiring need and the bathroom floor need.

After you get a list made and find out what funds you have available. Consult a renovation contractor. He will go over your list and of wants and needs and most likely do his own inspection of the areas that you want renovated and give you suggestions in the areas that should be renovated first. Your home improvement contractor will make a bid most likely on each item on the list and bundle it with a total renovation cost. When you get this bid take your time and decide which items that should be done first incase the funds run short. With a bid from a license contractor your bank may loan you the extra you need to complete your home renovation needs. There is actual grants through the state if you qualify you could receive a low interest loan. Some of these loans are like one percent. Most likely the County Treasures office can tell you where you can get a grant application.

If you are doing a major home renovation on an old house that requires replacement doors and window replacement. And maybe the roof should be replaced and the old house could really use some siding. This amount of work will catch the eye of any home improvement contractor. Most contractors will give you low bottom price bids just to get all of this work as a bundle. By bundling you have one renovation contractor to deal with instead of two or three. And most likely your home renovation could be more than half way done before you even have to cut a check.

Sometimes there is thing that's been needing attention for a long time. Like an interior door that might need a little attention or tweaking. Sometimes builders will trade small adjustment jobs they have the tools and skill for. Say for something like, you cleaning up the area around the house after they strip off the old shingles, stuff like that. Or you might paint or stain the trim on the new windows or doors if they would fix some minor things that needed fixing. Of course this would be labor for labor. Which is still a win-win for you, because it would probably cost a lot more to have a home improvement contractor come in to fix a couple minor things.

Floor Lamp Lighting Tips

Floor lamps can act in a variety of different ways within a room, as they are very functional lighting applications. Recently floor lamps are being lumped into the "task lighting" category because these lamps are often used for a particular function, which inevitably leads to a reduction in the overall lighting demands within a household. With that being said, a floor lamp is an excellent way to reduce energy costs within a house. By turning off overhead lights and turning on the floor lamp, energy usage is decreased and the house becomes just a little more "green".

Majority of floor lamps are the traditional 3-way socket and need a 3-way light bulb as well. There are also models that will use incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs or halogen bulbs as well depending on what part of the house the light will be used in. With the idea of task lighting and “going green” in mind, a low-voltage light bulb is often used. With the use of these low-voltage light bulbs there can be up to a 40 percent saving in light energy used within the house.

The standard floor lamp is composed of two parts, excluding the light bulb of choice. The lamp base and the lampshade are the two main parts of a floor lamp and these are held together by a harp and finial. The style of the base will often come in a number of different styles depending on where in the house the lamp is to be incorporated. In order to choose the right floor lamp for a particular room it is important to first analyze the carpet color, wall color or color of other furniture already found in the room. The floor lamp base can sometimes be adjustable in height, which may also affect where it can be placed within the room as well.

The lampshade is the other functional piece of the floor lamp that needs to be taken into consideration when incorporating a floor lamp into the home décor. Like the base, it comes in a variety of different styles, shapes, colors, sizes and is composed of a number of different materials. Again, like the base, the type of shade should depend on the décor of the room in which the lamp will be placed. Unlike the base, there are some functional considerations as well. This has to do mostly with the amount of light the shade is going to let through. Is the lampshade going to shade eyes completely from the light bulb, is it going to let through and illuminate the room upward, or is the floor lamp going to be used as a reading lamp and illuminate the room downward for optimal reading? For things such as task lighting where the floor lamp will be used for only reading, it may be advised to have the shade point the light downward instead of lighting the entire room by pointing upward. With this task in mind, the translucency of the shade is not as important as if the light was going to be used to light the entire room.

Choosing the right floor lamp is dependent on a number of factors. Most importantly, it needs to be determined the main function of the lamp before the lamp is picked out. Task lighting is something that has recently come about and floor lamps are some of the best tools that can be used to reduce energy costs in this regard. A floor lamp can act in a variety of ways and is always a positive addition to a room, whether it is for reading or just to add a new flare to an old room.

Why Additional Services Are What Set Apart Good Maternity Hospitals

When most people are looking for maternity hospitals in Chennai, their focus is usually on the main maternity service that these hospitals provide. There is little to no focus on whether there are any additional services that will ensure that the service provided to the consumer is excellent. These additional services are what differentiate the best maternity hospitals from the many maternity hospitals in the area. The focus of the person when selecting good maternity hospitals in Chennai should not just focus on whether the hospitals are well known.

Additional services that finest maternity hospitals provide

The best doctor in Chennai is one who has the right combination of skills and experience required to ensure that he/she provides his/her clients with the best service possible. This needs to be facilitated with the right working environment and set of tools to ensure that the person is well able to perform their duties in a timely and reasonable manner. This being a medical facility, there must be the necessary medical equipment that a maternity facility needs. An example of equipment which, while not common, is crucial is incubators. These allow babies that are delivered prematurely to have a better chance at survival.

A second aspect that the best doctor in Chennai will insist on is that knowledge is power. In line with this logic, it must be understood that a decent maternity facility is one that not only provides health services but also educates its clients. The education that the clients are provided with is usually in the form of prenatal and postnatal education for the pregnant women. This is meant to ensure that the mothers get the best care possible for their babies. Antenatal care will focus on how the mother should handle the pregnancy, especially in terms of her health and nutrition. Postnatal education focuses on what the mother should do to ensure that the baby is well taken care of after it is born.

A third aspect that will make a great maternity hospital is the level of personal care that pregnant women are accorded. Pregnancy and childbirth are a stressful time and the maternity facility should do all in its ability to make its patients comfortable. This will reduce the amount of stress that the woman is under and lead to an easier delivery. Furthermore, it will also ensure that the baby born is healthy. Make sure to rate your hospitals of choice on these criteria and explore well before you decide the ambience around which your new family member will arrive.

A Home Buyer's Guide on What to Ask a Home Inspector

Home inspection is a very important part of buying a home. Many people who forgo this end up buying homes that turn out to be lemons. They end up paying more for repairing hidden issues in the house than they expected. In other cases, the hidden issues of a house renders the house uninsurable. For example, people who don't know that the house they bought had a mold problem would probably get a hard time getting approved for a home hazard insurance. Not only is this a risk on you and your family's safety, it's also going to dramatically pull down the resale value of your house.

Getting the services of a house inspector will ensure that you have a professional looking over things that you're not familiar with. Finding somebody with sufficient professional training will help you spot things that you won't be able to spot on your own. However, there are home inspectors who may not exactly fit the bill of a competent house inspector. To make sure that you hire somebody competent, it's best to keep a few things in mind, especially during a home interview.

Does the inspector seem like he knows what he is talking about?
A great way to go about this is to look around on the internet for articles about home improvement. Find out what things home inspectors usually inspect and ask relevant questions about them. If a person is truly a professional, you'll get an impression that he's talking sense and that he knows what he is talking about. Ask about specifics that every home buyer should ask inspectors in order to gauge whether or not this person can truly deliver as promised.

How long does it take for the inspector to finish the job?
Be wary of big promises. It's understandable that you want the inspection to be done in a timely manner because you want the home buying process to move along. However, home inspections usually take around 3 to 4 hours. Unless your home inspector brings along a team of professionals, having one promise that the inspection would be done in an hour or less could be an indication that you need to look for other inspectors who will do a more thorough job.

Ask whether the inspector has insurance.
There's something called an "errors and omissions insurance". It would be strange if an inspector doesn't have this because in some states, having this kind of coverage is mandatory. If you live in a state where it's not mandatory, it's still a better idea to go with an inspector who carries this type of insurance.

Ask whether the inspector is comfortable if you tag along the inspection.
You should be able to see how a person inspects your future property. If the inspector is very hesitant about having you around, maybe you should rethink the choice and look into other services.

Ask what kind of report you'll get.
Ask for a sample hard copy of a report that the inspector will produce after the inspection. This will give you an idea about what kind of report to expect. You should also ask the inspector if he can adjust the report to accommodate your preference, like adding a narrative along with a checklist of things that he checked in the house.

How Shutters Will Help You Accentuate Your House

Shutters can give a certain element of charm to a room by evoking images of basic, homey splendor. Similar to the decoration seen on the exterior of houses on both sides of a window, the internal sort of the shutter resembles blinds. Shutters can be changed to allow more or less light in a room, can influence temperature, and add ambiance. Shutters are generally fabricated from wood and can add a certain relaxed old world panache.

Different from blinds, these particular window treatments are slightly more complex to fit into a window, but once installed are extremely durable-and their longevity is a part of their old world draw. Due to their hardiness shutters may last for decades if they are looked after, and never truly go out of vogue. However, because of its specific composition each shutter will need to be individually fitted to a certain window in your home. Fortunately just about any shape or size of window can be suited for shutters, be it square, circular, irregular or not.

Rather than having veins such as blinds, shutters have louvers. Louvers may be custom-designed to supply your house whatever style you like. Using a small amount of wider louvers lends an open, brighter air while narrow ones in larger numbers will diffuse and soften light. Many of these lovely window treatments are even hinged on one side to enable them to fully swing away from the window providing a clear and unhindered view. Some products are even motorized for high or tricky to reach places, meaning that you can always have as much or as little light as you wish.

Most often made from basswood for its durability, a shutter can also be crafted from other real hardwoods like teak. Other faux wood components are also available as a cheaper option, plus polymer material window treatments are perfect for humid and wet surroundings such as bathrooms. These materials act to avoid warping from the extra humidity in the air that these rooms create. The materials shutters are manufactured from ensure that they are very simple to keep clean. Usually only a dusting with a dry rag is needed.

If you are concerned with the higher price in comparison to blinds or shades, don’t worry, they have substantial perks. They are extremely sturdy. Most often made of sturdy wood, they can endure more mistreatment than flimsier cloth shades or slender aluminum blinds. They tend to stay stylish. You will not have to concern yourself with having a dated, out of style look and will not have to contemplate making improvements year in and year out. Also, they can save a little money with your energy charges. As insulators, they prevent hot sun rays from heating up a room in hot climates, and keep internal warmth from getting out in colder climates. They will also be great at room darkening. A quality, well-made shutter will let hardly any light in-which is wonderful for media entertainment rooms, or sleepers who love the dark.

For a room with zest and charm, shutters are an ideal option in window treatment. They lend a classic, simple look that requires no embellishment or extra decorating from draperies, valences, or the like. They are a marvelous investment in a home because of their style, sturdiness, and timeless charm.

Auto And Home Security System, A Sure Way To Peace

It is a known fact, that there are crazy people on the loose, disturbing and stealing away the peace of families, and their homes. This crazy people come in form of intruders, thieves, rapists, vandals, drug addicts, serial killers, assassins and other psychopaths. These are problems to us and the society at large.

For these reasons, there is need to protect our cars, homes and families from these kinds of people.

Apart from these, there are cases of fire incidents in our homes, gas leakages, lightning attacks, electric surge damages and other threat that tends to disturb our peaceful existence. We need also to protect the home, as not to suffer great loss, and incur financial burdens.

Home and auto security is a proactive and preventive measure to your family peace. It helps stop the intruder before he struck. It deters the thief from taking away what belongs to you. It detects and prevents the fire from gulping our hard earned properties and so many other useful purposes.

In the security market, there are several companies seeking to capture your attention. This, you must be careful not to fall into the hands of incompetent providers. So one good step is to discuss with a competent and reliable provider with a proven track record of system stability, reliability and superior service. Some of these are recognized by security agents and work hand in hand with the police.

Few of these service providers, do everything from manufacturing the system to packaging and installation. So they understand the nitty-gritty of all round, and maximum protection. These are companies you should look out for. Not just people reselling other peoples products. There is much different from a reseller and a manufacturer. Both won't offer the same service and the same cost. Consider this.

You must also know that there are over 12,000 products and solutions designed for your safety. And all serving specific and diverse purposes to providing all round home, auto, office and family safety. Your choice should be guided by a professional in the field. Don't form a habit of just buying anything in the market. There are smart criminals who can beat any device if not properly and professionally installed.

Therefore anytime you go shopping for your security system, settle for functionality, reliability and excellent service. You get this from few. Go for that few and be happy.

Ways to Finance Your Home Improvement Project

Tips On Financing Your Home Improvement Project

Any renovation of your home can run into a substantial cost. Most homeowners either don't have that amount of money laying around or prefer to finance the project from the equity in their home.  Loans are often used as a means of financing the upgrades.

In general the best home improvement projects are those that increase the value of your property through repairs or upgrades. Pretty much any action taken to increase the expected sales value of a home would fall into that classification.

These are the typical ways that a homeowner will raise money.

First Mortgage

• Depending upon the size of the renovation and the equity in the home, a lot of people raise the funds by refinancing their first mortgage. Some new homeowners will wrap the money for renovation of their new home to the actual first mortgage. This type of loan will often be designed to allow the homeowner to draw against a pre-specified amount to pay for the repairs or upgrades as the work progresses.

Second Mortgage

• Many times a home owner will not want to refinance their first because of beneficial terms or conditions. In that case many people can use a second mortgage to obtain the desired funds if there is adequate equity in their home.

Unsecured Loans

• Unsecured loans from family, friends or by using a home improvement credit card are other avenues often used by many homeowners. Most times when a credit card is used it is for a DIY home renovation and is used to strictly pay for materials. Most Home Building Supply companies issue this type of card.

Before you can decide on the best type of financing for your project you need to create a detailed plan for the improvements including a calculation of the actual costs for both material and any hired labor.

Make sure that you include a fudge factor. This is an extra amount to cover unexpected expenses that will crop up in any renovation. It will also be handy to have an estimate of how the improvement will increase the value of your home. To be successful in getting the required funds you should start by asking yourself several questions.

• Are the improvement going to increase the value of your home more than the loan amount?
• What are the estimated monthly payments and are they affordable?
• Are there going to be tax consequences?

Finally, make sure that you use some type of method to track the expenses so that you stay on budget. It is extremely easy to have a little extra here and there suddenly become a whole lot of red.

Interior Design And Home Decorating Lighting Tips

For bathroom lighting tips, you actually will be in a position to test out different home improvement magazines and web sites. You can purchase many interesting and creative concepts with many lighting tips. Home design stores may provide you really lighting pointers, which is able to be really useful particularly when you really are also planning to make a bathroom makeover.

A ceiling fixture that lights the whole room is a must. You also need task lighting over your kitchen sink and in your major figure area. If your table is in the kitchen, a dropped fixture over the table is appropriate. Employ a dimmer switch on that fixture hence that you really is in a position to regulate the mood. Trace lighting that will be able to be directed at a butcher block island or a breakfast bar is handy.

Much of the lighting during a space is really contributed by light reflected from a surface. Footamberts (fL) measure the amount of light reflected from a surface. If you really want to purchase very technical, (fL= fc x % reflectance). As an example, if 100fc reach a wall or table that is painted with a 40% reflective surface, then 40fL may reflect from that surface.

The kitchen is a place where brilliant, functional lighting is a necessity. Under cabinet lights are also a good option to provide good visibility for food preparation; poor lighting during this area can even increase the danger of injury while cutting food. Consider installing up lights above the cabinets to supply gentle illumination for the ceiling area - this is also a good way to highlight artwork or detail pieces love contrasting ceiling and wall paint colors, or crown molding. An excellent overhead chandelier or ceiling light fixture is going to give for the room's general lighting wishes. If you suffer a kitchen office or PC area, include a functional desk lamp.

Task lighting can be as simple because a desk lamp or end table lamp. This sort of lighting is most regularly used for reading, but is as well useful for other projects that require the ability to determine detail. It is very recommended that each seating position during a room have its own task lighting, but this isn't always possible. Place lamps on bedside tables and finish tables; you can also place sofa table behind the couch and place a lamp there because well. Floor lamps are an alternative choice, and can figure well behind chairs that are angled into a corner. Finally, recessed lighting is able to give further light where other options are also unavailable.

The author highly recommends now a Interior Design Products for your lighting wants. To view additional info on this subject, try Trend Funnel's Home Decoration Pointers Newsletter.