Leaky Roof Restoration Tips

If you’re having a problem with a leaky roof you can be sure that you are far from alone, and the really good news is that it doesn’t always have to cost a lot of time or money to get the problem fixed.

How to spot the signs of a leaky roof

Sometimes a leak isn’t obvious at all. It’s one thing when there is actually water dripping onto your floor and you’ve got a bucket in place while you look up a roofer online, but many leaks stay within the structure of your home.

In these cases, they deal slow damage to your ceiling, walls, and even your floors, so by the time you notice them you might already have thousands of dollars in repairs to catch up on.

What to look for:

• Curled Shingles: This indicates that your shingles are dried out and damaged from the sun, and may have to be replaced
• Missing Shingles: This might mean your tar strip has worn out, in which case your roof may have to be restored.
• Cracked Shingles: Any number of things can cause this, but cracks can lead to leaks or further damage, so it’s best to keep on top of things.
• Excessive Moss: A little moss means you need a cleaning, while a lot of moss has probably damaged your roof, causing cracks and separation.
• Dark Spots on your Ceiling: This is a strong indicator of a leak, which could be caused by any of the above problems.

Should I Repair Leaks Myself?

I probably don’t have to tell you this, but working on a roof can be pretty dangerous, so you want to be sure you take all necessary precautions. If you are at all hesitant or the idea makes you nervous, it’s best to call a professional.

Things to be aware of:

• Weather: Bright and sunny days are by far the best time to work on a roof. Even if it isn’t very cold or raining, your roof will be slightly damp and have less traction when it’s overcast.
• Safety Equipment: You might need a ladder to get up there, and a safety rope may be necessary if your roof is high or steep. Generally, rubber-soled shoes will give you the best grip on your roof.
• Other Dangers: Be aware of the location of power lines running near your roof. This is an absolutely vital thing to educate yourself on, because exposed power lines can spell grave injury, or even death.

Hiring a Professional

This is usually the better option, unless you are absolutely certain that you can get the job done right on your own. It is almost always worth it to spend a little money here to ensure a job well done.

Which to choose aluminium or wicker for your outdoor furniture?

Enjoy The Style And Durability Of Aluminum Patio Furniture
 
Aluminum is a relatively soft material in comparison to other metals, allowing designers to craft amazing forms and shapes out of it.

Having outdoor aluminum furniture is a stylish way to express your taste in your own backyard! Never rusting aluminum makes perfect patio furniture that resist sun shine, rain and snow. With minimum maintenance you can enjoy your aluminum sets for years and years to come!



Add the classic style of wicker patio furniture to your patio

Wicker is loved by many for its simple elegance and style. Wicker is also a great material for outdoor patio furniture due to the fact that it stands up well to the damaging effects of sun, rain, and seaside salt air. The only suggestion that I have is to keep your wicker furniture inside during the winter as the process of freezing can have slight damaging effects to wicker.

Wicker is a great furniture because it blends well with your existing peices. You can mix it with upholstered peices, polished wood peices, practically whatever you want and it will fit.

Wicker orginally became very popular in the Victorian era because it was thought to be more sanitary than cloth furniture.

Protect Your Furniture with Patio Furniture Covers

Covers will help protect your furniture from the damaging effects of rain, sun, and snow. Covers are a great way of keeping your patio furniture like new.

Rain and snow can warp and discolor your furniture. The sun will dry and crack making your furniture age very fast, much faster than normal.

Make Your Furniture More Comfortable With Patio Furniture Cushions

Add color and comfort to your beautiful chairs, couches and benches. Each cushion is well designed for a snug fit.

 

The covers are very durable yet soft and comfortable. Most importantly your cushions will stand up to the damaging effects of the sun and rain.

No matter the style of your furniture you'll find cushions to meet your needs. Most cushions are available in a variety of solid colors and some patterns.

Roof restoration can greatly increase the life of a building

Roof restoration can greatly increase the life of a building's roof, while saving money for the property owner. As its name implies, roof restoration is about improving the existing structure of the roof in order to prolong its usefulness. Unless the roof has been irreparably neglected or damaged, the framework of the roof is most likely to still be sound. Thus, it does not need to be completely replaced. By making certain upgrades and replacing beams and other components that have out lived their use, the property owner can use what is still good about the current structure.

Besides saving money by using what is still good, roof restoration has many other cost-saving advantages. Since restoration is a maintenance expense, the cost can be immediately attributed to the business as an expense. Further, it is advantageous to extend the life of a roof through restoration since the government allows the depreciation of the roof to extend over a 39 year period. Both of these factors can have benefits during tax time.

Further, roof restoration allows one to take advantage of special promotions and discounts. For instance, many states and municipalities offer tax credits and rebates for businesses and homes that upgrade their roofs. Also, insurance companies often lower a structure’s premiums if the restoration reduces the risk of fire.

The good news about roof restoration is that there are a lot of options from which to choose. Thus, there are solutions for everything from asphalt and gravel hybrids to metal roofing applications. Also, many property owners choose to take advantage of new high-tech coating processes, which can greatly save on a building’s energy costs and prolong the life of the roof itself.

In order to be a candidate for a roof restoration, it is imperative that the roof have a complete and thorough inspection no more than 6 months before the project is to begin. Since the success of the restoration depends upon the overall soundness of the roof, it is necessary to examine the beams and supports of the roof, as well as it insulation. Further, the roof must be checked for water damage and penetration using an infrared scanner. If the roof is found to be structurally sound, then the roof restoration may proceed.

A roof restoration is a great option for property owners looking to extend the life of their buildings, while at the same time saving money.

Perfect Bathroom Mirror Ideas

To check whether your appearance is already okay or not is really important for most people, and it can be done using a mirror, and when you have just taken a bath or showered, the first thing you need must be mirroring. So, mirror is regarded as an important item in any bathroom because when you only cleanse your face you will also need a mirror to check whether your face is cleansed well or not, or when you make-up your face and comb your hair in your bathroom. If you have almost finished in remodel your bathroom, it is your time for thinking the good bathroom mirror ideas to be applied.


Design

There are many bathroom mirror ideas for the style and the mirror can be adjusted with your bathroom theme, like if your bathroom is the contemporary one, two or three small round mirrors above the sink can be used so that the modern look can be achieved with your wall mirrors. It will be different if your bathroom theme is traditional, a wood framed mirror or mirror with a decorative frame can be featured in your traditional bathroom. However, the wood colors should be chosen because the dark wood stains in bathrooms with a traditional style are included in the décor of the room that should be fitted with the wood colors.


False plants can also be added as the other creative bathroom mirror ideas that can be done by yourself so that a busier and more elaborate look can be created in your bathroom and it can be more attractive to see. Hot glue can be prepared and used in attaching the false plants or they can simply be wedged behind the mirror’s frame. For instance, you can place the silk flowers at the corners of your bathroom mirror or hang ivy up around the frame which is included in the creative examples in decorating your bathroom mirror.


Mirror

Cup hooks secured to the corners of your bathroom mirror can also be used so that the swags of fabric can be hung up and the fabric matching the bathroom décor can be chosen and they can be hung up in softening the edges of an unframed mirror. You can get an elaborate look, but the swags of fabric should be gathered using bows and ribbons and if you want a simple look, a single solid color of the fabric can be chosen so that the towels and tiles colors can be complemented. If you do not want something troublesome, the fabric that can be easy to wash should be chosen, and these are the other of the bathroom mirror ideas that you can do.


Shipping

Two mirrors placed in a bathroom will be fine, but one of them is smaller mirror and the other one is the main mirror which can be placed in opposite direction. Moreover, the enamel paint can be used as well so that a border of flowers or curvy shapes in the mirror can be created. A design freehand can be painted or the stencils purchased from the craft store can also be used and a sharp clear image will be got and made well on your bathroom mirror. Well, good luck in trying to make these bathroom mirror ideas come true.

Build a footing course!

 When the hole is dug square and level it is time to build the footing course. This is the base of your basement wall and the foundation of your new home. They are usually 18 inches or 460 mm wide and 6 inches or 150 mm deep. If you have a good operator, he will make your job a lot easier.

A laser level is a good tool to have when the excavator operator gets near to grade. Check the grade often so the operator doesn’t dig to deep. If he digs to deep you will have to put material back in and compact it so you have a solid base. There is nothing any more solid than original ground! The operator can use the bottom of his bucket to smooth the area where the form will sit. Keep in mind that the area inside of the form does not have to be dug down to the same level. The basement floor is poured on top of the footing course, therefore the ground should be exactly the same height.

It is best to be on grade but if you are not, it is better to be a little deeper than too high. The ready mix concrete will make up the difference and give you a better base. When you order your ready mix concrete make sure you order a little extra to make up for the low spots in the footing course. You definitely do not want to run out of ready mix on this project. If you want to, you can lay a couple of runs of rebar in the form for extra strength; it is a matter of choice.

When you have the earth down to grade you can begin the form. I would use nice straight 2X6 for the form and I will tell you why! You could use a 1X6 board but you would need more stakes to hold the footing in place and keep the board straight. It is really not important to have a perfect footing course because it will be covered up. But if you are the fussy type I would use a 2X6, you can build the form anywhere and set it in the hole after. The only thing that really matters is that it is square and perfectly level. The top needs to be smooth so that the basement wall forms sit level with no obstructions.

Cut some 1X3 about 21 inches or 530 mm long, these pieces will be used for cross braces for the top of the footing course. Stand the 2X6 on their edge and nail a cross brace to one 2X6. Measure a width of 18 inches or 460 mm between the 2X6 and nail the other end of the cross brace to the second 2X6. I would use a cross brace about every 4 to 6 feet or 1200 to 1800 mm. Set your forms in place exactly where they will sit permanently; check the form for square ness. Cut yourself some 2X4 stakes and sharpen one end. Drive the stakes along the outside and inside of the form being careful not to move the form. Drive a stake about every 6 feet and always on a joint. Pack fill on both sides of the footing form, the fill will hold the form in place and will keep the ready mix concrete from coming out under the form.

When you are ready to level your form you will need your laser level again. Set the laser measuring stick on top of the form and raise the form to the desired height. If this height is a good height for all the way around the footing then nail the 2X6 to the stake. Do the rest of the stakes exactly the same way and the same height. Double check your work and if everything is good you are ready to pour the ready mix.

The ready mix will be fairly thick so that it sets up quickly. This pour will not take long at all; three people will work just fine. You will need one person to swing the chute and another to rough grade the ready mix with his shovel. The third person will come along with a trowel and smooth the top of the footing course. Make sure you crowd the ready mix under the cross braces and smooth a long the edge of every brace. Clean all unwanted ready mix away from the forms before it hardens. The next day you can strip the footing course of its forms and clean the 2X6 up so they can be used for something else.

Some people put a keyway on top of the footing course before it hardens, this is really not necessary. Keep your stakes and 2X6 because you will need them when you pour the basement wall. That is it for the footing course. I should add that it is a good idea to check around for the best price on ready mix. Who ever you buy from will supply you ready mix for your footing course, your basement wall and your basement floor. Besides your new home you may also build a car garage and that will be more concrete. Let the ready mix people know how much you will be buying because they should give you a discount for quantity.

Borrowing for Home improvements

As the credit crunch has taken its toll more and more of us are turning to home improvements instead of moving home with mortgages harder to get in the last 3 years many of us are either building extensions to cope with the size of the family or turning to attic conversions for the same reason.

Doing an attic conversion or home extension can be expensive if you cannot do it by yourself and more of us are looking at ways in which to finance these projects with many not going down the traditional route and adding it to our mortgage.

How much do you need?

Here is a guide to help you consider the amount you need to borrow and where to borrow the money from. Get 3 estimates for the work required and always try to get these from recommendations from people who have used the builder in the past as this is always the best way to get the job done correctly as you can see their previous work.

• Never always think cheapest is always the best quote as this can often lead to disaster as we often hear about horror stories in the press.
  
• Always ask to see the builders insurance policies before you accept their quotes
• Get a definite time frame for work as the last thing you want is your extension or home exposed to the elements of the weather any longer than they need to.

When you are considering the amount of money you need to borrow take these factors into account Always add 10% o to the quote for unforeseen circumstances and always add the furnishings and décor to the amount you want to borrow so shop around for what you like and add this to the figure you want to borrow as the last thing you want is to have a finished extension and not have the finances to furnish it.

Where you get the fund?

Many people are fortunate to have the money already by either saving it up, inheriting it or by simply having been missold ppi and having enough compensation awarded to allow them to complete the work.

If you need to borrow the money then firstly always approach your mortgage lender as this will be the cheapest way to finance the improvements, if this fails you can either look at a secured loan or personal loan through your bank or other provider but always use comparison sites to see what the best rates are available to you as this could save you thousands over the term of the loan.

Finally as a last resort you can add it to credit cards but it is advisable not to do this as the interest you will pay will be far greater than that of a loan. Good luck with your home improvements and as a reminder always take photos of before and after so you can reflect on the change in years to come.

Where you situate your basement wall determines the out come of your new home!

The basement of a home needs to be carefully situated on the lot to avoid water problems. If you are a new home builder, I have many hints that will help you make critical decisions regarding your new home. Don't be in a hurry, think everything through first. When the basement contractor stands the walls and pours them full of concrete, you won't be able to say, can you move it here or turn it that way. When the concrete forms come off, you are on your way to building a new home.

You should know where the sun will rise and set around your new home. You may want to sit on your deck in the afternoon and sun yourself. Or you may want the sun shining in your kitchen window at 7 am. It is nice to sit on your deck in the evening and watch the sun set. Take a few minutes to decide where to place the basement wall. This will allow you to get the full benefits of the sun.


If you are going to have flower beds around the new home it is important to know if the sun will be shining directly on them and at what time of the day. Some plants don’t need a lot of sun and some do. You may want to work on your flower beds without too much sun shining down on you. You also have to consider how your driveway will approach the new home. Will the angle of the house allow you easy access to the car garage from the road?

Think about what you may want in the future for your new home. Will you want a swimming pool, tennis court, garage? If your building lot is small, you will have to position the basement wall so that the lot can accomidate the other things I mentioned. Remember this, there are strict bylaws that come into play when building to close to your neighbours property line.

In most cases it is not permissable to drain your water onto your neighbours lawn or property. If you don’t prepare the basement properly you will have water problems. Digging a basement too deep will cause you problems and not deep enough will cause problems.

Your new home will hopefully last a life time so take the time to read the information through the links below. Believe me, not all contractors think about all the things that can go wrong. By reading this information you will have first hand knowledge to question your contractor with.

All about Bamboo Kitchen Cabinets

When you remodel your kitchen, perhaps the first thing you think of is the cabinets that will suit your kitchen theme and also the cabinets that cannot only give a good look but also environmentally-friendly and always give the positive atmosphere during your activities in the kitchen. Bamboo kitchen cabinets are recommended because a uniquely exotic look will be brought to your finished kitchen, and there is not only about the look, the strength of this cabinet cannot be doubted anymore because the exceptional dimensional stability is contained by this cabinet. Therefore, many people can say that the bamboo cabinet for kitchen is a perfect choice to make your kitchen look beautiful and has high-durability.


The perfect choice of bamboo kitchen cabinets is also supported by the fact that bamboo is a natural plant material and itself can be renewed completely within five years which is different from the hardwood that can take decades to recover, so it has been proved that it has a good durability. The bamboo cabinet for kitchen will also be free of structural weakness and finish beautifully which is produced by the bamboo’s grain that is absolutely knot free and straight. Actually, in Asia, people often use bamboo to build their house since a long time ago because bamboo plant symbolizes long life and health which is regarded as a prayer for the homeowners.


Kitchen

It is a smart choice when you choose bamboo kitchen cabinets for your kitchen finishing because a sleek, warm, traditional, and clean look will be added by the cabinets to your kitchen’s appearance and they can easily be installed because of their light weights. Additionally, bamboo cabinets for kitchen are also offered by many stores or companies as stand-alone units in a wide option of striking colors and styles. A shade variety of the natural bamboo like grey, black, green, or yellow shade are offered to you, and pale yellow and deeper honey color is what have often been chosen by most homeowners.


Cabinets

However, you cannot only choose any styles or colors you like, but the sanding and the finish of the cabinets should also be taken a look at because it is included in a very sturdy grass plants and it can splinter easier than standard woods. When you are choosing the cabinets in the home improvement stores, your fingers can be run over the surface so that whether the finishing job of the bamboo kitchen cabinets have been done properly or not can be made sure well. Perhaps the simplest way in choosing the cabinets is via online but remember that you will not be able to check whether the cabinet is a good one or not.


Ideas

Making sure that the bamboo kitchen cabinets you have chosen is the ones which are free from the harmful chemicals is also the most important thing in improving your home and especially your kitchen and the fact that not all bamboo grow in a sustainable manner may help you in choosing them. Moreover, a welcoming look will be given to your kitchen by the warm richness of their carbonized honey tones or lighter yellow “blond” hues. Well, in the end of the day, have a good choice for your kitchen then!

Digging for the Basement Wall

Every new home should set on a basement wall! When the lot is cleared and the brush and stumps are buried or hauled away it is time to decide where to situate your new home on the lot. When you have decided which way you want your new home facing on the lot you can begin the basement.

By now you will know which residential general contractor will build your new home. He/she will float an excavator in to dig the basement hole. The hole has to be about 6 feet bigger than the actual size of the wall, this should give the contractor about 3 feet of working space all the way around the basement wall. Contractors will have a specific size they are comfortable with and will usually tell the excavator operator what they want. The hole needs to be bigger in case the banks fall in. The mud is difficult to dig out once the concrete forms are in place. The banks could also cave in and destroy the forms.

Never dig the basement hole unless you have the concrete form contractors there to set the footing course up. If it rains before the form contractors get there you can expect a muddy mess to work in. You will possibly need to bring the excavator back to dig it out again. Keep children away from the open hole and out of the hole. The bank could cave in on them and bury them alive or cause serious injury.

The basement wall area should be marked out with orange paint or stakes. It is most important that your excavator operator knows exactly where to dig. You have to decide where the fill from the hole will go that you dig out. Some lots need extra fill and some lots don’t need any. You may have to have dump trucks there to haul the fill away to another location. It is possible for you to sell your fill to a neighbor that has a low spot to fill in. These things need to be lined up in advance so the dump truck drivers know exactly where to go when they are loaded.

Fill is worth a lot of money these days so don’t give it away. Selling your fill will help pay for the excavator that is doing the digging. You can also work a deal with your neighbor where you pay for the excavator and he pays for the trucks. Be careful not too haul too much away and end up having to haul some back in again.

Your next step is to set the concrete forms up, it is extremely important that you have the top of the basement wall a certain height. If your lot is level with the main road you want the top of the concrete wall at least a foot higher than the road. Your driveway needs to run up hill to the new home so the water runs away from it. Your concrete wall needs to be at a level where water runs away all the way around the house.

If your lot is lower than the road you can dig the basement hole and pile the fill around the hole to build it up. The excavator operator should be familiar with the different ways of digging a basement. He should also know that he needs to build a road around the basement hole for concrete trucks.

Every setting is different so you have to weigh out all of your options and make the best decision for the new home and the lot. Once the basement wall is poured and the forms are off you can pour the basement floor.

Water drainage is so important for keeping a dry basement. Redirect water from around the new home and let it run to an open ditch. You also need to have a drain that leads to an open ditch. A builder’s level comes in handy when doing this kind of work. You need to know the grade of the closest ditch so the bottom of the basement wall is at a grade that is high enough to let water flow to the ditch. The drainage work and a couple of other things need to be done before you backfill.

Kitchen Bedroom and Office Furniture Suppliers & Installers

Kitchen Bedroom and Office Furniture Suppliers & iKBBI Approved Installers.

We have a great new range of made to measure bespoke kitchen units and doors, sliding wardrobes, bedroom furniture and a great range of office furniture available at low prices. 18mm Rigid Units with Blum motion soft close draws and doors plus a choice of over 50 cabinet & door colors.

Our range of doors are available in 20 gloss and 32 matt & textured finishes. plus many real wood, shaker, slab, framed, traditional, contemporary and curved doors available. Previously only available from top end independent kitchen and bedroom showrooms and dealers. If you already have a kitchen design then let us re-quote it for you.

We believe we can beat any supply and fit price from any high street store local to Bedfordshire Milton Keynes and Northampton with a better product and installation service from start to finish. Part p & gas safe compliance, carpentry & plastering, tiling & decorating services available – Professional iKBBI approved installation team Interior Installers.

Please contact us at interiorinstallers@gmail.com with your drawing so we can quote you your best price. For supply only we can deliver to most of England. Fitting service is for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas ONLY I can personally visit you with my kitchen display pack to demonstrate the quality of our cabinets and doors and see the colours and styles available.


Manufacturing lead time is 2 weeks from the time of confirmation but this also depends on the door supplier who ever you buy your kitchen from, please get your fitter to survey it before you purchase from your plan to make sure all units fit. All our cabinet furniture comes with a 5 yrs guarantee plus the door guarantee from the manufacture.  

Our Store Information:

Please feel free to call or text Ian on 07729 182737 or email your requirements to interiorinstallers@gmail.com and thanks for looking. Interested in buying a new kitchen add me to your favorites and come back I really can save you money with a much better product, service and price!