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FreeStuff2Do Has The Answers You Need To Protect Your Investment Through Maintenance, Improvements and Remodeling
Home improvement...know what you are getting yourself into before you begin Have you been thinking about making improvements to your home or property? freestuff2do.com has free online support to provide you with answers to all your questions regarding home improvement. Sponsored by Chevalier Homes it is backed up with over 50 years of experience in both residential and commercial construction and is100% free. It is being made available by email and if necessary telephone service will be made available as well, to provide you with full support that will guide you throughout your entire project. Submit your request for support and you will begin receiving support within 24 hours. Please provide our support team with a brief overview of your project and any additional relevant information (Include photos if possible) as well as all contact information. In most cases you will receive a response within 24 hours. Submit your request to "Danny The Builder" through the following email: dannythebuilder@freestuff2do.com
TIPS ON SELECTING A PROFESSIONAL REMODELING CONTRACTOR
Start your home improvement project by selecting a professional, reliable remodeling contractor. By following these basic guidelines, you will not only make the selection process easier, but you will also be better prepared to make an informed decision that best suits your needs. ▲ Employ a contractor with an established business in your area. Local firms can be checked through past customers. ▲ Look for a local member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). The NARI logo is the mark of a professional. ▲ Check the remodeling contractor with the government Consumers Affairs Office and the Better Business Bureau to ensure there is no adverse file on record. ▲ Ask to see a copy of the contractor's certificate of insurance. Most states require a contractor to carry worker's compensation, property damage and personal liability insurance. ▲ If you elect to solicit bids from several different contractors, be sure they are bidding on the same scope and quality of work. Discuss variables in bids and beware on any bid that is substantially lower than the others. ▲ Ask for references and ask specific questions as: "Did the contractor begin on time?" "Was the job site kept neat?" "Did the contractor stay in touch throughout the project?" "Would you use this contractor again without hesitation?"
CERTIFIED REMODELERS...COMPETENT, PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL The NARI Certification Program establishes professional standards for the remodeling industry. Certification is credibility. It is a testimonial of a contractor's commitment to the industry and his or her profession. To obtain the Certified Remodeler (CR) designation, remodeling contractors study for several months before completing a grueling, eight hour exam. The exam focuses on both construction and business practices. The CR designation is a mark to dedication to the industry and a contractor's continuing quest for knowledge. The CR designation is assurance that the consumer is choosing a professional with years of experience, dedication to ongoing training and a commitment to ethical conduct.
Contact the National Association of the NARI
National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Toll Free: 800-611-NARI (6274) Email: info@nari.org | Tip of the day Keeping your existing guttering system properly maintained can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Improperly installed and maintained guttering can lead to exterior structural damage and even interior damage to your ceilings and walls, not to mention the costly foundation repairs that often arise. If leaves and other organic matter are an issue where you live we highly recommend installing a leaf guard to your existing guttering system. If you choose to call in a professional it's best to do this in the late fall so you will end up getting a free cleaning in the process. Also in most cases you will get a gutter tune-up as well. If you choose to do your own tune-up here are a few things to keep in mind: ▲ Clean and reseal all leaky joints. ▲ Check for proper drainage of gutter and downspout. ▲ Make sure your gutter is tight against the fascia board and behind the roof flashing; Tighten/Add fasteners as needed. Work Safely!!! ©2008 freestuff2do.com®
For Quality Painting And Competitive Rates In The Greater Kansas City Area FreeStuff2Do.Com Highly Recommends Wrights Painting rickwright2009@hotmail.com |
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!
Find a Qualified Home Addition Building Contractor in Your Area
Get Free Quotes. Easy, Quick and No Obligations!
For the home improvement or home remodeling project that is too big for you, check out our partner NeedContractor. They are a national resource for finding pre-screened, insured, and licensed home improvement and remodeling contractors in your local area.
Find Local, Pre-Screened Contractor for Building a Home Addition
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.
Hiring A Professional Painter
Professional painting is more costly than doing it yourself, but it's an easy way to save you the aggravation, sore muscles and to get the job done right. To hire a top-quality painter you should:
- Determine the areas in your home that you want painted.
- What prep work do you want to do before painting? For example does trim need to be replaced. How about the carpets. Do any holes need to be patched? What about texture on the walls or popcorn on the ceiling.
- Decide what colors you want to go with. All paint stores have paint charts and swatches that you can use to take to your home and examine in your lighting. Don't expect the color to look the same on your walls as it does in the paint store. Once you make an initial decision, purchase the small sample colors and actually put some paint on the walls (or have your painter do this) before committing to the colors. A small swatch can look completely different than a larger painted area.
- Contact several painters and get pricing estimates.
- Have the painter inspect the site and get a written quote. Make sure that all the contractors are bidding on the same terms. Apples to apples. Anyone that makes a phone quote is probably going to have surprises for you in the end. You simply can't see all the work required over the phone.
- Ask for references and check them. Was the previous customers happy with the work, did the job complete on time and on budget? Where there any surprises.
- Get and execute a contract. The contract should contain: work to be done, total cost, payment schedule, time line, etc...
- Remove all furniture and other movable items before the painter is scheduled to begin. Anything not removed should be placed in the center of the room and covered with drop cloths.
- Give referrals for work well done!
How to Find Free Woodworking Plans Online
- Things You'll Need:
- Internet and basic woodworking tools.
- Step 1
Try Black & Decker's website. From a basic shed to closet organizers, there's plenty of plans for the beginners and advanced woodworkers.
- Step 2
Check out Popular Woodworking for how-to plans for kids such as vintage model airplanes or tabletop soccer. There's also plans for a nice country tool & toy chest, a mitered CD/DVD rack, and a simple side chair.
- Step 3
At The Woodcrafter.net, there are tons of retro designs available for download. Lots of original Delta blueprints from the 1930s through the 1950s, for chairs, toys, tables, and more. Perhaps you'll be adventurous and try making the Colonial Spinning Wheel Table!
- Step 4
Check out even more plans at Minwax's site or Lee's Wood Projects. You can find plans to make an entire collection of bedroom furniture, including an elegant cheval mirror
Tips On Organizing Clutter
Organizing all the items in our house is a sure way of keeping our house from clutter buildup. Organizing in the least amount of time possible, and doing it efficiently is really what we need when it comes to clearing clutter. There's no need to break our backs over trying to get organized every time we go about cleaning our house. Hopefully these clutter tips will help you to get better organized when it comes to organizing clutter.
Loose papers ranks amongst the highest of household items that contribute to excessive clutter buildup. Whether it's newspapers, work forms, kid's school work, mail, or bills there are effective ways to organizing yourself to avoid these items cluttering your home. For instance, having a recycle bin by the garbage to hold old newspapers in is a very good idea. You will then be able to take out your garbage and recycle your newspapers at the same time.
Work related papers and forms should be filed away immediately and placed in an area that will be easily accessible for you instead of laying them around somewhere that can easily be forgotten. This has been the case for me most often. And what really drove me to organize myself a bit better, was the constant misplacement of important documents and spending 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes hours just looking for them! All this was eventually eliminated along with the stress when I began to utilize a filing cabinet and commit myself to organization.
When it comes to school, parents are well aware of the amount of school papers that come home with their children every day. Parents often times want to keep everything their children make yet at the same time wish to cut down on clutter. What I have done that allows me to keep what my children create at school, was to buy a plastic bin that I set near their backpacks, in which I place in that bin what I am going to keep and discard everything else that isn't needed. This allows me to keep and store all of my children's precious creations so that they may one day be able to go through it themselves.
If it's the mail that is taking too much counter or desk space, take the time to go through it and discard the junk mail immediately when you get it. To increase the productiveness of this task set a small trash can by the door so junk mail doesn't have a chance to enter the house. Place bills that need to be paid closest to the area where they are taken care of. Do you like to pay bills by phone, computer, or envelope? Hang your bills on a wall next to either one of these, or set your bills near envelopes and stamps to increase organizational productivity. It may seem simple, but when put into practice it's really helpful.
When it comes to other types of clutter, you should always ask yourself; Is this an item that I am going to use again? If you're like me, then you like to hold on to everything you have and throwing away something is not easy. But for the sake of your home and yourself, if you haven't used it for quite some time you most likely have no intention of using it again. A good way to get rid of items you no longer use or want is to sell them or give them away to a charity if they are still in working condition. I've had great success selling items I no longer needed and even made a few hundred dollars on the side.
Another effective way to organize clutter is to purchase large storage bins to hold any items that you still want, and will still use but are currently taking up to much space. These containers can easily be stored in an attic, basement or a garage. Also keep in mind that if anything you own is damaged or broken and you have no intention of fixing it, toss it. It's better to free up as much space as you can than holding on to things that can no longer work for you.
