Floor plan

A functional floor plan is crucial if you want to sell your home at some point. The floor plan should be comfortable and accessible for everyone in the family. For example, many floor plans have kitchens and dining rooms that are joined, so you can easily transport food and dishes back and forth. A floor plan that placed the kitchen on one side of the house and the dining room on the other would not be very functional. At the same time, consider things like placement of bathrooms and laundry rooms; you wouldn’t want to put a guest bathroom off of a kitchen or family room - it should go in a more private place.

Master bedroom

In the market today, homes with master bedroom suites sell very well. Often, a master bedroom suite has large closet space and even his and her closets, large private bathrooms with soaker tubs, jetted tubs, large walk-in showers and dual sinks. These suites generally increase the value of the home and make the house more marketable. Your floor plan should include a master bedroom suite.

Style

The overall style of your home is also important as well. While it is your home and you should build something you want, you will need to consider resale value as well. For example, your home should probably mirror the style of other homes in the neighborhood - a Victorian home in the middle of a neighborhood of traditional homes, for example, wouldn’t sell as quickly as a traditional home.

Extra rooms

Homes with high resale values often have added rooms and spaces, such as laundry rooms, playrooms, and walk-in pantries. If you have a floor plan that has extra rooms, make sure they make sense (going back to functionality). Laundry rooms on the second floor, for example, can be noisy downstairs and must have adequate drainage.

Number of floors

The number of floors you want can also have an effect on the resale value of your home. For example, if you live in a community or area that is comprised mostly of senior citizens, a single-level floor plan will be a more attractive option. For growing families in family communities, however, a two or more story home plan will probably have a higher resale value.

Kitchen

Kitchens are a major selling factor, so a home plan that has a large kitchen and amenities such as an island and a pantry will be attractive to potential buyers. Other factors, such as whether or not there is a breakfast nook, will add resale value to your home as well.

When choosing your homebuilding plans, you want something that you will be happy with, but you also want to choose plans that will give you the highest resale value of your home. The above factors should all be taken into consideration when deciding on homebuilding plans.

HomeBuildingRemodeling.com is your source for top quality homebuildingremodeling.com/ home building, homebuildingremodeling.com/preparing_to_build_or_remodel/ remodeling and home decorating information. For free articles delivered daily by email, visit HomeBuildingRemodeling.com HomeBuildingRemodeling.com and enter your name and email under the Free Home Building and Remodeling Updates section.

You are probably reading this and thinking, “Of course I know how to vacuum.” After all, how hard is vacuuming. You turn your vacuum on and move it around the room. Simple, right? Well if you want to vacuum efficiently, it isn’t quite that easy. This article will tell you how to vacuum your carpet properly so that you remove the maximum amount of soil.

Improper Vacuuming
Before I tell you how to vacuum, I will tell you how not to vacuum. Most people vacuum in a W pattern. They move the vacuum forward and then back at an angle. The problem with this is that your vacuum does not vacuum well on the forward pass. It is much more efficient on the backwards stroke. So the typical W pattern of vacuuming only exposes about half of the carpet to the more effective backwards stroke.

Another common vacuuming mistake is rushing through it. When you go too quickly over your carpet, you are missing much of the soil that could be removed. Slow down and get the job done right.

Proper Vacuuming
To vacuum correctly, first take your vacuum out and examine it. Check to make sure that belts are tight, that hoses are not plugged and that your vacuum bag is not full. Replace your vacuums bag when it becomes half full. After your bag becomes half full, it starts rapidly losing suction power. Always keep spare bags on hand.

Now, plug your vacuum in and set the height adjustment. If you set it too low, the brush will not turn correctly and if you set it too high, the brush will do nothing. Set the height so that the vacuums brush just barely touches the top of your carpet fibers.

Finally, you are ready to vacuum. Turn your vacuum on and push the vacuum forward into position and then pull the vacuum straight back. Repeat this process over the entire room. The forward stroke is not used to vacuum, it is used only to position your vacuum. You want to expose all of the carpet to the much more effective backwards cleaning stroke. Also remember this is not a race. Go slowly so that you give the vacuum time to suck up debris and soil.

Vacuuming is the single most important thing you can do to protect your carpeting and to improve the indoor air quality of your home. By taking your time and by doing it correctly, you will greatly extend the life of your carpet and will probably find that you do not need to vacuum as often.

For more cleaning advice, visit the bestmaidservices.net House Cleaner Directory.

When planning to build a custom home it is critical that you hire the right building contractor. If you hire the wrong one, you may end up with a poor quality built home that took many more months and dollars to complete than you budgeted for.

To ensure you hire the right building contractor for your custom home project you should look for several key attributes in your prospective building contractor.

First, a building contractor should have a proven track record of building quality homes. Make sure the building contractor has been in business for several years and can provide you with a list of completed homes. The list of completed homes should include a number of references that you can call and/or visit. Make sure the reference lists includes projects that were done recently as well as ones that were done several years earlier. Call and visit some of the references. While visiting the reference properties examine the quality of construction and ask for feedback on the homeowner’s experience with the prospective building contractor.

Second, make sure the prospective building contractor has actually built a home similar to your plans. You do not want to hire a building contractor that has only built basic spec homes if you are planning to build a unique custom home. Custom homes typically have complicated floor layouts, complex roofs, and use higher end materials that frequently necessitate training and expertise for proper installation.

Third, look for a building contractor who demonstrates good project management skills and is methodical with his planning and construction. Building a custom home is an expensive endeavor and you want to be absolutely sure that the building contractor can be trusted with your money to build your custom home correctly. If you sense the building contractor is “winging” it during the proposal/bidding phase, steer away from him. Formal bids on a custom home building project should be well documented. Documents should include a bid proposal with accompanying architectural drawings of the home to be constructed. The bid proposal should clearly state all project costs, as well as a detailed timeline for work to be started and completed. Payment terms and schedules should also be included. The bid should also specify all material types and subcontractors who the building contractor will use.

Finally, make sure the building contractor is financially stable and has the track record and backing of a bank to support your custom home building project. The last thing you want to have happen is to hire a building contractor that goes bankrupt halfway through the building of your home. If the building contractor is planning to use a construction loan, insist on the name of the bank that he is getting the loan from. Check with the bank to make sure the builder is truly planning on using the bank. If the bank is providing him with a construction loan, then you should be reasonably comfortable that the bank has also done a background check on the building contractor.

To learn more about hiring the right building contractor for your custom home building project see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s homeadditionplus.com/Home Addition Bid Sheets.htm Home Construction Bid Sheets.

Over the past 20 years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and home additions. For more homeadditionplus.com DIY home improvement information visit HomeAdditionPlus.com and his homeaddition.blogspot.com DIY Home Remodeling Weblog

One of the simplest ways to start planning your bathroom remodeling is to tour other bathrooms to get bathroom remodeling ideas. Pay attention to what you like and don’t like. Scoop out friends’ bathrooms when you visit, tour houses for sale, check out design magazines, and cruise the Internet for inspiration. Ask yourself questions to generate your own bathroom remodeling ideas.

Do you want a soothing bathroom for relaxation or a practical, functional bathroom for busy mornings? If relaxation is your goal, try separating the space into areas to pamper you. Have soft lighting near your tub, a cozy dressing area with plenty of space to try on outfits, and a bench in between two vanities so you can sit while getting ready. If you want a more utilitarian space, use different types of storage to keep everything in its place and at arm’s reach. Use simple, elegant containers to group your supplies. Keep hair care tools in one area, shower supplies in another. Pay attention to how you get ready in the morning and design your bathroom remodeling about how you operate. For a clean look, line the storage containers flush with the wall.

If you share the bathroom in the mornings, add special features to help control the space. If you put your makeup on over the bathroom sink, add a separate sink and mirror for you to put on your make-up while your partner brushes his or her teeth at the other sink with no bumping into each other.

Also avoid recessed lights. These lights may set the right mood, but they will put your mirror in shadows. You want clear, bright light for applying makeup or shaving.

Put the shower and toilet in a separate area so one person can groom while the other bathes. Alternatively, move the prep center into the bathroom. It will free bathroom space and cost a fraction of a bathroom remodel.

If space is at a premium, then storage is your answer. Build up with cabinets — even kitchen cabinets — or shelves. Put the things you use all the time at eyelevel, and the extra towels above. Put your things in their place with different, stylish storage containers either on shelves or on the ground. In a small room, make sure to keep only the things you actually need. Useless clutter will make the bathroom seem smaller.

Mount cabinets to the wall so that they open up floor space. Use a sliding pocket door to tuck your bathroom door away. Keeping your color scheme neutral will quiet the space. Use different shades of the same color all over the bathroom, and use brighter colors and accents. Also use different textures like wooden baskets, smooth tile, and soft towels to add interest, and mirrors to stretch the space.

If the bathroom is dark, don’t be afraid to add windows or skylights to brighten the space. But don’t block the windows with fancy curtains. Keep the windows simple to keep a small bathroom neat and bright.

Don’t limit yourself to only fixtures in the bathroom section. Check out cabinets, faucets, and tiles for the kitchen or outdoors. You never know what bathroom remodeling ideas will inspire you.

e-bathroomremodeling.com Bathroom Remodeling Info provides detailed information on bathroom remodeling ideas, costs, plans, and checklists. Bathroom Remodeling Info is the sister site of e-kitchenremodeling.com Kitchen Remodeling Web.

With an over abundance of decorating shows, magazines and online tools available to us our design options are endless! We can Stage or home for a sale, Decorate for the first time in a new home or Redecorate, otherwise know as Redesign. Spend less by working with a Redesign Specialist instead of an Interior Decorator, get a room makeover in a day and keep your pocket book in tact. Here’s how…

There is a new wave of decorating known as Interior Redesign, you may have heard it before but what does it really mean? How is it different from traditional Interior Design and Decorating? Is this similar to home staging? The answers are all here to help you make the best decision as you plan to change the face of your space.

Interior designers have been trained in terms of the structural layout of the home and are qualified to make such changes as knock down walls to open up a space and create new spaces or additions. They also of course focus on a color scheme, overall feel of the room as well as any theme and really shine in the area of custom window treatments and recommending special fabrics. Interior decorators do not have the certification to make structural changes but do focus on the overall décor of the home including flooring, window treatments and accessories as well as furniture placement.

Redesigners on the other hand can do just that but many are home stagers that have several clients achieve a quick sale with the right layout, color scheme, furniture placement and accessory arrangement and also offer their services to clients that are staying in the home that they reside however want a change to a particular room, several rooms or the whole home. Redesign is the process is of using what you already have to make the room more suited to your taste where accessories and new finishes can be incorporated to achieve the look you desire.

Often, an Interior Redesigner can see a poor furniture arrangement that is not conversation or does not make the most of a view or a focal point. We can take a space and give it new life using a lot of what you already have. We can also recommend the appropriate colors for the scheme of your room as well as updated flooring, window treatments, and can bring in special new accessories to complete the look. Redesigners are less expensive than an actual Interior Decorator or Designer and we focus on using a lot of what you already own. We use materials from local shops and fabric that is easily accessed and does not command the pricing of custom pieces.

For example, Florida Home Staging & Redesign offers Central Florida homeowners a detailed consultation starting at $150 which might be just the jumping off point you need to start the project yourself. Maybe you don’t know where to hang all of your art or how to position your furniture? After meeting for a consultation a full day room makeover can begin at $450 depending on the size of the space. With your budget for accessories we can do the shopping with you or for you to create your special room, as we know inexpensive shops that will allow us to achieve your goals on a budget.

Learn more about our Redesign services by visiting our website and viewing our service marked Redesign - One-Day Room Makeover. Karla would be happy to answer any questions that you might have if you are planning for a Room Makeover in the Central Florida area. Learn how we can work with you to achieve the look and feel you desire. Make the most of your space!

Karla Davis is the President of Florida Home Staging & Redesign. She is a Home Stager, Professional Organizer, Interior Re-designer, as well as Public Speaker. She specializes in Staging and Organizing homes, office spaces and has over 10 years of experience and success within inside/outside Sales and Marketing. Karla is also the wife of Author, Paul Davis and is currently writing two books of her own. Karla’s life mission is to positively transform the homes and lives of everyone she meets.

Please contact Karla for your Home Staging, Interior Redesign, or Professional Organizing needs at:

Karla Davis
Florida Home Staging & Redesign
Professional Home Stager
P.O. Box 684
Goldenrod, FL 32733
Tel: (407) 284-1705
mailto:Karla@FloridaHomeStager.com Karla@FloridaHomeStager.com
FloridaHomeStager.com FloridaHomeStager.com

Home Staging for the Serious Seller!

activerain.com/floridahomestager activerain.com/floridahomestager

Point of use water purification systems (known as POUs) refer to units that attach directly to the faucet or shower and produce H20 on an as-needed basis as opposed to whole house units which connect directly to the water main and treat everything that flows in from that pipe. There are benefits and drawbacks to both types of units.

Point of use filters typically are less expensive than whole house systems; a shower unit may cost 70$ while a whole house unit may cost 700$. Whole house units usually require professional installation while POUs don’t, plus the whole house units can require more maintenance.

There is also some wisdom to using point of use water purification units as opposed to whole house units because POU-treated H20 is used instantly. In a whole house system, the incoming H20 is treated, then stored in a tank and piped throughout the house. It is possible for it to pick up microbes and contaminants along the way from tank to glass. If your plumbing is older, point of use water purification systems are generally a better option.

However, there are drawbacks to point of use filters. If you want to attach one to all your faucets, this will mean more cost for purchasing and maintaining the products. Reverse osmosis or distillation point of use water purification units also have a tendency to work slowly and may not process enough H20 to suit your needs.

These drawbacks can usually be overcome by purchasing the right type of product. Point of use water purification systems that are carbon-based are the most efficient type of units. Carbon is better than ceramic, reverse osmosis, or distillation because it blocks contaminants the most efficiently but does not remove important minerals from H20. Carbon units also work more quickly and can process greater volumes of H20 than other types of systems.

However, be aware that the best carbon units exist in multi-step forms. While many homes and offices have inexpensive carbon pitcher-style units, these products only contain one strainer. Point of use filters become clogged over time, and if there is only one strainer, it is easy for contaminants to slip past.

The best units contain more than one carbon-based filtration system so that the H20 is run through a multi-step process, ensuring that all pathogens and other unwanted elements are removed.

Generally, most people think of treating just the H20 they use for drinking and cooking, so a point of use water purification unit is most likely to be found in the kitchen. However, it is a good idea to install one in your shower. The chlorine that H20 contains dries out hair and skin and can accelerate the aging process. Additionally, point of use water purification systems in your bathroom make it easier for you to wash away soap and keep mineral build-up from accumulating.

Ideally it is wise to treat all the H20 that enters your house, but once water has left a whole house purifying unit, it may pick up some contaminants on its way to your faucets. Point of use filters give you access to clean, safe H20 whenever you need it – the second it leaves the unit, it is in your glass. water-filtration-guide.com/drinking-water-treatment.html Point of use water purification systems are one of the the best ways you can provide your household with safe, clean H20.

Martin Spencer is a health researcher who has been studying water filtration for over 25 years. He is a regular contributor to water-filtration-guide.com Water Filtration Guide, a site dedicated to various methods of treating and purifying water. Learn about the water-filtration-guide.com/drinking-water-treatment.html best point of use filters on our site, as well as whole-house water filtration systems.

Antique wood stoves provide decoration and can still be used for heating and cooking. Stoves from as long ago as the 1870’s are available for purchase in antique stores and over the Internet. Antique wood stoves are collector’s items that are very valuable to some people. They are also great additions to restored homes, hotels, or museums.

There are many different types of antique wood stoves available. Some of the most popular types are Victorian models and pot bellied stoves.

Victorian wood stoves are made of cast iron and feature a wood-burning oven. They were often used for cooking and were usually kept in the kitchen. They are often large and rectangular; some have shelves and ledges above the oven that are used for storage. Victorian wood stoves are often elaborately decorated, with silver and gold inlays complimenting the iron body.

Pot belly wood stoves are shorter, squatter and smaller, and can be distinguished by their barrel-shaped body. Pot belly stoves have a round oven in the center of the body. These stoves are usually less elaborate than Victorian stoves, but they are still decorated with engravings and designs.

Many antique wood stoves are still in working order. People often use these stoves to cook food or heat their homes. The basic designs of most types of wood stoves have not been changed much over the last century, so people who use antique wood stoves are not giving up any type of modern convenience.

Antique wood stoves look great in hotels with a historic décor. Many tourist attractions such as museums and old restored homes have antique wood stoves on display.

Antique wood stoves are valuable for several reasons. They are rare, making them collector’s items. Most of them are still functional and they can add authenticity to historically themed hotels and tourist spots.

e-woodstoves.com Wood Stoves Info provides detailed information about outdoor and antique wood stoves, wood-pellet stoves, and wood cook stoves, as well as wood stove inserts, installation, and manufacturers. Wood Stoves Info is affiliated with growthink.com Business Plans by Growthink.

A room divider in a theme that compliments your décor can add a unique look to the corner of your room while doubling as a screen to hide a messy area or provide extra storage in the back. A decent room divider can be quite costly, but if you consider yourself to be handy with tools, then you might be able to save a bundle while making a nice custom accent piece for your room.

When deciding on making a room divider, you must first pick out which kind you want to make. There’s 3 basic types of dividers – the folding screen, the flat panel and the hanging curtain.

The folding screen style of room divider typically has 3 or 4 panels, but you can build it with as many as you want. It stands on it’s own when the panels are set at slight angles. To build this type of room divider, you simply make panel frames out of wood – you can build them to any size that suits. Then add the inside panels – insides can be glass, fabric, stained wood, painted wood or anything else that suits your fancy! Finally, assemble each panel to the other with hinges so that each piece folds against the other.

The room divider that is one panel and has feet that hold it up is the easiest to build. Just build the panel frame from wood and put whatever material you want in the middle. Then add some feet on the bottom to hold it up. You may be able to get pre-made feet for it or you can simply build them yourself. Make sure the feet are long enough so that the divider is sturdy when standing.

If you want to build a fabric or beaded divider, you will have to use something to suspend it from the ceiling. A track is nice because then you can slide the divider back if you want to expose the sections of the room. Something like a curtain rod could work, if you can rig something up that doesn’t look strange. Then simply add the curtain or bead panel. You can even use a store bought curtain or make one yourself.

Lee Dobbins writes for decorating and pet related web sites. Visit room-divider-decor.com RoomDividerDecor.com to find out how you can add a room divider to your décor.

To remove a screen door lift up and simultaneously pull out the bottom. If it sticks you can take a putty knife, or a regular pocket knife, and on your knees, find where the two little wheels at the bottom of the screen door are. Slip the putty knife under each one and lift them off of their track. While you’re putting the putty knife under the wheels lift up a little on the screen door. Once you have them free you can lift the door out.

With windows there should be, but aren’t always, two little tabs at the bottom, side, or the top of the screen frame. If they’re at the bottom pull up on the tabs and free the screen frame. Sometimes these tabs break off or pull out if the screens are ancient, so you may have to push up and down on the screen frame to get it free.

Once you have the door or window out lay it down on the carpet, or wherever you’re working, and find the end of the rubber gasket which is called a spline that is holding the screen in. This gasket/spline is rubber and embedded in a canal on one side of the door or window. You’re going to find the end of this rubber spline and pull it out. It will come out fairly easy. Once you have pulled all of it out the screen will fall out.

Now, if you’re working on a screen door you’ll have to unscrew the handle and lock assembly, which is no big deal. Just remember how yours goes back together. Sometimes you only have to remove the plastic piece that is on the side where the spline is, but each door is a little different so it’s difficult to say if the whole piece has to be removed. I’ve had it go both ways.

With the door or window laying on the ground roll your new screening over the top of it. You can get the screening mesh at your hardware store in different types of fabric and you can have it cut to order or buy a whole roll for future use. I prefer working with the soft dark plastic like mesh rather than the old stiffer metal like fabric.

Lay your screen material over the door or window frame. Now, there’s a little tool you need. It has two wheels on either end of it. One of the wheels has an indentation in it, and the other wheel does not. They are called a screen rolling tool, or a splining tool. You can get them at your local hardware store.

Now, here’s the tricky part. You want to push the new spline down into the canal with the new screen underneath it. Make sure your screen is laid out nice and even before you begin and continue to smooth it as you work. Push the end of the spline down into the canal, then with the rolling tool, using the wheel with an indentation, begin working the spline into the canal. As you work pull on your spline a little to stretch it out so that it goes into the groove a little easier, but not too much. The trick here is not to cut into the screen, and this takes a delicate balance and patience. If you cut into your new screen you have to start all over again.

If you’re right handed start with the left hand side of the window or door; that way you can work with your right hand, or if you’re left handed start with the right hand side of the window. You’ll see what I mean once you get started.

So, you’re working your way down the groove and everything is going okay and you come to a corner. Now, if you like you can snip off the spline, imbed it in the groove right up to the end, or you can round the corner, not cut the spline and work it in with your fingers, or sometimes I use the dull rounded tip of a pair of scissors, or straight slot screwdriver to push it in around corners, but be careful not to cut into your new screening material.

Keep stretching, pulling, and imbedding your spline while at the same time smoothing your screen so that it doesn’t have any wrinkles or creases in it. When you’re finished cut off your excess spline and screen and you’re done.

You can use the other wheel on the rolling tool to push the spline deeper down into the groove, but I rarely if ever do.

Don’t forget to put your lock assembly back into place.

To reinstall the screen door place the top section into its track first and then once again getting down on your knees hold the spring loaded wheels up with your putty knife and try and settle the wheels, which have grooves in them, on to the rail they rest on. This can be maddening because they will slip from one side to the other of the railing, and if they’re not setting right on the track, then the door won’t open or close smoothly. The wheels fit on the railing just like train wheels fit on a train track.

The screen should roll smoothly and effortlessly. If not you’ll find some screw adjustments at the top and bottom of the screen door frame. Loosen the screws on one end or the other and adjust the screen frame so it fits comfortably.

Another thing that helps screen doors move smoothly is to first clean the tracks, sweep out any debris around them, and then spray the area with WD40. Often this has saved me the trouble of making any adjustments to the door.

When reinstalling the screen window find a side of it that will fit back into the window frame. It may be the top, or one of the sides or the bottom. Rock the screen back and forth until you maneuver it back into the window frame.

Some of these old window screens are warped and bent out of shape so you’ll have one side that is bowed and won’t fit in the window frame properly. If you find yours intolerable, you can go to your hardware store and purchase a new window frame kit, cut it to size, install a new screen in it, and install it in the window frame.

That’s it.

Here are the steps in review:

1. Remove screen door or window.

2. Pull old spline out of canal.

3. Remove handle in screen door.

4. Roll screening over door or window frame.

5. Push new spline into canal over new screen.

6. Reattach handle on screen door.

7. Reinstall screen door or window.

If you are considering new flooring options, you might want to add Quick Step laminate flooring to your list of floor coverings to explore. Quick-Step laminate flooring’s first layer is a picture of tiles or real wood that is then printed on a piece of paper. It is then permeated with melamine resin. On top of the first layer is a very durable translucent layer for added protection.

When you decide to install Quick Step laminate flooring in your home, you should keep in mind that this flooring is resistant to scratches, but it is not scratch proof. If sharp objects are dropped or dragged across your Quick-Step laminate flooring, it will leave a mark. You will also need to take care that sand and grit that become embedded in shoes doesn’t damage Quick-Step laminate flooring, so be sure that anyone entering your home wipes their feet well on a mat you have provided.

The maintenance of Quick Step flooring is fairly simple. The only thing you need to be diligent about is loose dirt and this can be swept with a dry broom daily. You may want to run a damp mop over your Quick-Step laminate flooring occasionally to be sure you have removed any dirt that may have stuck to the floor.

You can keep your Quick Step laminate flooring looking its best when you purchase Quick-Step Fix. With this product you can fill in any gaps in the flooring you might find. You can find the exact color to match your floor so any repairs will not be visible to a casual observer. If you have damage that goes beyond a small gap, you can always purchase new tiles to replace the damaged ones, and installing replacement tiles is a snap.

There are many outlets where you can find Quick-Step laminate flooring. You can find it in your local home improvement store or you can search for Quick-Step laminate flooring online. When you search online for Quick-Step laminate flooring, you will be able to find many colors and styles to fit your home décor. When you shop on the internet you may find bargains and sales that are not available anywhere else. Before you make any final decisions about your new flooring, take the time to check out what Quick-Step laminate flooring can offer you.

For more information about aboutflooring.net/Laminate-Flooring.html Quick Step Laminate Flooring ?, feel free to visit us at: aboutflooring.net/Laminate-Flooring.html aboutflooring.net/Laminate-Flooring.html