Top Tips on Giving a Garden Makeover By:Vincent Norman

Gardens need makeovers, too, for many reasons. These include changes in the soil conditions, change in seasons, change in lifestyle preferences and even just a change of mind! Whatever the reason, these top tips on giving a garden makeover will help you get the job complete to a high standard and in no time at all.

Plan Before Buying

Plants can be expensive and doubly so when they wither and die unexpectedly, in which case you would have to replace them. Therefore, it is always best to plan your garden according to your preferences such as; colours, seasonality and plant quality before purchasing from the nursery.

Even when you can ask from your family and friends for the plants themselves, you still will have to spend out on containers and fertilisers, not to mention investing your time. Therefore it is advised that you plan and research before planting and growing.

Think in Containers

Often, you only need to transfer existing garden plants to new containers to see them in a different light. Think fun, fashionable and fabulous containers to dress up an otherwise common-looking plant. You can think of this garden makeover activity as changing the look of an outfit with the right accessories.

You can also rearrange the plants in unusual designs, at least in terms of your previous preferences. For example, instead of the usual Shakespeare-themed garden, you can have a Japanese-themed garden makeover.

Speaking of accessories, the right statues, chairs and tables, ornaments, jars and even garden umbrellas can change an entire look and feel to a garden. Find inspiration from the houses architecture itself since you want to complement it with the gardens structure, not clash with it.

Go for Annuals and Perennials

Although some gardeners will not mix the two plant types, when it comes to garden makeovers, you will be surprised at the difference it makes. You can fill your garden with perennials like lilies, daisies and black-eyed Susan's and then add splashes of colour with annuals like petunias and pansies.

Look into garden design books to find ideas on how to mix and match these plant types to suit your gardening tastes and skills. You will discover new trends as well as classic arrangements that ought to withstand the test of time, or at least until the next garden makeover comes along.

Create Illusions

Gardens are meant to be fantasies come to life, so think of them as your own Garden of Eden that you can play with.

For example, create an illusion of a larger space with flower-adorned ornaments bordering a small flower patch, or an illusion of fairyland with twinkling lights in the trees. Your imagination is the only limit in your garden makeover.

Patronise Local Plants

When you want to save money on a garden makeover, one of the best ways to do so is to purchase from your local nursery. They ought to have more competitive prices and fresher stocks, which will be to your benefit.

Also, try to look for native plants. Not only will you be able to inject local touches into the garden but you will also be saving on cost because these plants are adapted to the environment. More adaptation, less care and less costs.

Indeed, garden makeovers can be easier than you first thought! Now, dig into the dirt and plant.

The 7 Stages of Rehabbing Houses By:Stephen R Teta

The most important thing to do in any rehabbing business is breaking the rehab process down into stages. This will ultimately allow you to systemize the entire process in order to remove any guess work as well as allowing you to continuously duplicate the process.

It is important to first educate yourself by learning the prices of labor and materials as well as finding, prescreening, hiring and managing ?mature?, ?grown-up? contractors in your area. This is the foundation of a successful rehabbing business. Knowing the prices of labor and materials, terminology, & required tools will allow you to better communicate and gain the respect of all contractors.

Step 1: Initial walkthrough

The initial walkthrough is where you will do the majority of the legwork for the rehab. There are certain things you will need to bring with you to the walkthrough of the property:

- A digital camera ? taking pictures will allow you to reference the property when creating your scope of work. Pictures will also be necessary down the line if you?re going to sell the property retail to an end-buyer using conventional financing. You will be able to provide your before photos and scope of work to the lender as evidence as to why you?re re-selling the property for a large profit in a short period of time.

- Property inspection form & graph paper ? This is where you?re going to spend most of your time during the initial walkthrough. At this point you?ve already done an initial walkthrough and you?ve presumably done a property inspection form. When going through the property inspection form you need to detail the improvements that ?need? to be done and you?ll also want to look for potential extra improvements that can be done to increase the salability of the property when re-selling it to a retail buyer. You can use the graph paper to sketch a layout for referring to during the scope of work.

- A lock box with keys ? Putting a lock box with a key in it on the property will help to save time and will allow contractors access as needed. This will help everyone work more efficiently and will save you from unnecessary headaches during the rehab process.

- Advertising materials ? You should always bring advertising materials to leave at the property during the rehab process. This of course will help to promote your business. You may want to put a sign on the front lawn, a box with flyers about the property and project in it, or even a banner outside the property.

- A Flashlight ? It?s always a good idea to bring a flashlight with you in case the power hasn?t been turned on or doesn?t work. You don?t want to waste a trip and not be able to complete the walkthrough. www.stswholesaledeals.com

Step 2: Scope of work

The scope of work itemizes exactly what needs to be done throughout the entire rehab process. When someone is done reading the scope of work they should have a clear vision of what the finished property will look like. You will reference the scope of work during every step of the rehab process. It will list all of the exact materials, paint, carpet, siding, etc that will be used. All the materials need to be listed along with their cost. This will not only save you an incredible amount of time it will also eliminate any discrepancies with contractors and other workers and provides accountability.

Step 3: Contractors & Job Bidding

When it?s time to start getting contractor bids you will want to make sure to bring in multiple contractors and get multiple bids. You should provide a nice professional looking scope of work. If you provide a standardized quote itemization form and leave them at the property for the contractors bidding the job they can fill-out their material and labor charges for every component of the job and send it to you. Also with these bid sheets you?ll also gain the knowledge of pricing as you read over these multiple bids from contractors. Plus, you will know exactly what contractors are charging you for every single component of the house rather than just giving you a flat price for the entire job. Therefore if you have a particular aspect of the job that was priced significantly lower by another contractor (i.e. roof) you can plug another contractor into that specific element of the job and save money. Hiring the right contractors in by far the most important element of any successful rehab project.

Step 4: Contracts & Documents

Now that you have all of your contractor bids and have evaluated and made your decision it?s time to sign the appropriate contracts and documents. The liability of getting all the necessary documentation signed is something you always need to adhere to. Don?t even think of doing a rehab and working with contractors without all the documentation property filled out and signed. Once you?ve selected the right contractor for the job you will want to sit down and have your initial meeting. This is where you will discuss the scope of work and make it clear that you will be watching every move they make. You need to explain what your expectations are and lay out the parameters of which they are to work within. You are the boss. They work for you. You will also want to use your own paperwork and contracts only. Just explain to them that it?s the way you do business if they want the job. There are six essential documents; independent contractor agreement, scope of work, payment schedule, contractor insurance indemnification form, W9 tax form, and final unconditional waiver of lien. You will find that a quality contractor will be excited and appreciative because they are working with a professional, there is clear communication and they have the scope of work and know exactly what the expectations are.

Step 5: The Rehab Process

This is where you get into the actual rehab itself. The key component is having been prepared for this stage of the process prior to actually starting any work, which is why the steps leading up to this are so important. Doing all your due diligence is key to a successful project. Before starting any type of work it?s time to pull permits and get inspections coordinated. You will want to have one last meeting with the general contractor (GC), tradesmen, carpenters, etc in order to go over the project and to make sure everything is in order. All the tradesman, carpenters, etc. need to know that the GC is in charge and that they need to refer to him for any construction questions. The GC answers to you. There are five major milestones for the permits and rehab process in general. The milestones are clean-out, frame-out, rough out, insulation and finishing. You begin by cleaning or gutting the property, as needed depending on your scope of work. Then you will proceed by framing out all the rooms and marking every aspect of the layout such as tubs, sinks, toilets, stove, phones, etc. so that the plumbers and electricians know exactly where to ?rough in?. Next the electrician will come in and hardwire with new wire, cable smoke detectors, etc. The plumber will do the plumbing in kitchen and baths, the heating (HVAC) specialists will rough out the heating/cooling system ? duct work, baseboards, etc. When the rough inspection is complete then all the insulation is put in and then that is also inspected. Once the insulation inspection has passed you can now sheetrock, tape, sand and get ready for trimming out the property. Once trim is done it?s time to paint. Once the paint is done the electrician and plumbers come back to trim out or drop fixtures. The last thing to always do is flooring and carpet. Once that?s all done it?s time to get your final Certificate of Occupancy (CO?s). Your last round of inspections to obtain your CO follows the same order of the rough inspections. First all of the subcontractors must get their final inspections okayed before the final building inspector comes to give a CO.

Step 6: Contract Closeout

Once the job is complete it?s time to do a walkthrough with a final punch list. There will be things that the contractor missed or need to be touched up or re-addressed. Make notes on the punch list of everything that needs to be finished up before they receive their final payment. Once they?ve complete that final punch list and you?ve approved the final product they will sign the unconditional waiver of lien and they get their final payment. Getting the lien waiver signed, a copy of the final CO and completing the punch list is crucial. Make sure not to give the contractor their final payment until those items are taken care of.

Step7: Final Touches

Now it?s time to critique the house as if you were a potential buyer. The first thing to do is get the house cleaned. You need to make sure that the house is not dirty when buyers come to look at it. The second thing to do is stage the house. Since the house is vacant you want to stage it to visually optimize the space and highlight each room. Staging a house should not cost you more than $500. It will easily pay for itself by getting the investment back ten fold, so don?t underestimate what staging can do. After the property is cleaned and staged go back with your camera and take after pictures. It will act as a documented copy for your files. Adding these to your portfolio will help to add instant credibility for future jobs. Finally you?ll need to change the lock box code in order to prevent against theft. This is an important step.

The value from breaking the rehab into stages allows you to manage the process through a series of systems and checklists. It will help to not only insure a smooth and efficient process but also will add value to your projects and save you time and added risk. Most importantly it will help to guarantee larger profits.

Shelves Of Modern Interior Decoration By:Gena Martin

We know that the interior of a room depends on the style and decor. Today the style has become fashionable to Hi-Tech. The apartments and office space are widely used for this kind of furniture like metal shelves. They have not only an attractive appearance, but distinguished by their functionality. Shelves furniture - it is easy hardware for your home.

This furniture, which is due to the numerous compartments and shelves, allowing accommodate a wide variety of items that can not fit in the cupboard. Where to buy racks of various kinds? First, it is public furniture and interior. It can be purchased at any furniture store. Large selection of various racks at affordable prices can be found in London. UK factories produce shelves. Secondly, there are special Internet shops where you can select and order furniture, but also, if you bring it in your own time.

First of all, the furniture in the room to fulfill its functional purpose. It should be compact and does not occupy the entire space of the room. To be attractive, and to emphasize the space and not clutter it. What are the main advantages of metal furniture such as shelves? Clearly, the benefits from this too much furniture, but the main advantage, in our opinion, is durability. Quality metal furniture, including metal shelving, can have long-term operation. Among other things, they do not require special care. Many prefer to install in the house, modular shelves and even a corner.

Shelves are often used as furniture in the stores where it is necessary to show the goods. Also used as office furniture. Each office will become more solid, the interior is easy to emphasize the many kinds of shelving. Metal furniture such as safes, racks - the symbol of longevity and quality. Even in the motor is widely used, this furniture: metal shelves, workbench.

There are: Pallet, shelf, cantilever, mezzanine racks, and shelving on mobile fundamentals, and many others. The most common use of the universal racks. This is convenient for the construction of warehouses, stores, archives and other facilities. Often in stores you can see the advertising rack or shelving. Maximum load - 50 kg. Shelves are different in height, width, depth, quantity and weight of the shelves. What is harder to rack, the more high-quality and sturdy construction. Also, this shows the ability to withstand as much load. By the shelves attach additional equipment, among which are: racks, adapters, galvanized fasteners, limiter, side and rear walls, neckerchief, corners and shelves. Shelves have a different color, often gray. For resilience to the structure to cause a special coating and produce a special treatment.

Thus, the shelves today - is not just a fat rugged construction capable of withstanding large loads. This, above all, a modern interior decor. Stylish appearance of this metal furniture favorably underline your room, make it unique and attractive.

Laying Laminate Flooring Guides By:Early Yana

Regardless your plan to laying your laminate floor using professional service or by yourself, I bet you will find these guides valuable for you. Laying laminate flooring can become your most memorable experience when you do-it-yourself. Just remember to consider every steps carefully and make sure you did your homework by reading the installation manual and practicing several planks to get the right click on the real laminate planks to be installed.

First thing to check: make sure your underlayment floor is level. This is the key for perfect installation. High-end product of laminate floor won?t have precise installation if the underlayment floor is not level. When your plank can not interlocking perfectly does not hammering your plank, better re check the underlayment for level or debris. Beside, pounding the planks too hard may damage the plank?s tongue or groove.

When you find the tongue or groove of the planks damages, please do not install them. It will ruin the whole floating system, than of course wasting you time. Plank?s tongues and grooves might damage during installation, or because of mishandling during delivery. Remember, cheaper laminate floor tile is tent to have softer core and tongue and groove.

For quick step laminate installation, check the flatness of every plank you bought. Bowed plank will make the locking between planks difficult to fit. This bowed plank may occur because of improper storage in the warehouse of the shop or manufacturer, also because of exposure to moisture or improper acclimatization process. Proper acclimatization required all planks to be sitting in the room where it will be installed for at least 48 hours. This process will help the planks to blend better with room humidity and moisture level. The ideal moisture level for laminate flooring differ from one brand to another, the range is 6% to 12%. After acclimatization process, moisture level of the plank ideally less than 2% different from the room moisture level.

The fact is thicker plank do have better quality on acoustic and less tapping echo when walk on. To reduce tapping sound of your laminate floor, you can lay acoustical padding recommended by laminate floor manufacturer. One of the best materials for this acoustic problem is cork under layer. The resilient quality of cork does working best in reducing the echo effect of your laminate floor.

If you decide to install your laminate flooring, please remember this fact; what professional installer can do in 1 day might cost you 3 days of sweat and tears. Do your homework by reading the manual carefully, but don?t even think to read manual from one brand but installing product of different brands. If you consider yourself an eye person, do yourself a favor by watching Youtube videos about laminate flooring installations. Believe me it will help. The last thing is exercise few square feet to get the feeling and better understanding the real materials.

For quick step laminate flooring installation, I recommend you using professional installer. This will save you times, sweat, and tears in laying laminate flooring by yourself. Usually the store or the manufacturer can recommend professional installer near your area. But do not take them for granted, check their background by interviewing them yourself. Visit their previous laminate floor installation projects would be wise move. Then ask them to breakdown every step to accomplish the installation task. Ask every question you want to ask, even for something that just pop up in your head during interview. Then do not forget to write down every verbal deal into contract paper. (by Early Yana)

How You Can Easily Install Glass Dog Doors By:Naomi West

Pet doors are good to have because they provide your dog or cat admittance to the world outside. It is there they are able to explore new things and work off that unnecessary energy without being in your way.

Anyone who lives in a house with sliding glass doors believe that they do not have the power to set up a pet door - but they are mistaken. It is right that numerous pet doors might be put in into homes that have wood doors. These types of doors are established by cutting a perfect shaped hole in the door where it can set inside perfectly.

This may be really time consuming and quite challenging if you are trying to do it all by yourself. If you do not trim the hole just right you will have too little or too much space. Too much space means that your pet will not have a secure opening and it has the ability to bring in hot and cold air. This can increase your energy bill.

Establishing a sliding glass pet door is really better then most people realize. There are lots of different kinds that you can pick out. Each one has their own unique features that you may or may not wish for. Think carefully and then pick out the one better for your home.

Installing one of the doors into your home is as easy as 1-2-3. If you bought one that has the ability to be removed then you only need to fit it easily into the door frame. Make sure that the locking mechanism is in place and the you have adjusted it to the correct height. After you have fastened it, close the sliding door and lock it.

If you have bought a sliding glass pet door that needs to be screwed in then you are not planning on taking it with you when you move. These need to be established into the door frame and adjusted to the correct height. The screws will assist to secure it into place.

Franchisees Become Their Own Boss At The Grout Medic By:Michele Brandt

Even in trying economic times, would be entrepreneurs continue to find autonomy and financial freedom by taking advantage of franchise business opportunities in a number of vibrant industries. At The Grout Medic, we offer just such an amazing small business opportunity. As a leader in the grout restoration industry, we've established ourselves as the premier national brand for aftermarket grout services. In the process, we've helped many first-time business owners achieve their financial dreams by joining The Grout Medic Family.

Our organization continues to expand with new locations opening each month throughout the United States. Did you know that the grout and tile cleaning and repair industry is one of the only industries that offer no "aftercare" market? As such the door is wide open for you to walk through and begin providing much needed aftercare services with the experience and reputation of a leading national brand behind you. And the best news of all is that you don't have to be a grout or tile expert to become a franchisee.

The Grout Medic provides extensive office and technical training to each of our franchisees based on easy to learn methods that can be picked up no matter your previous work experience. We offer:

* marketing materials and training
* low cost/easy start-up
* complete business model and assistance with business plan
* payroll training and resources
* regional and national marketing

By becoming a member of The Grout Medic franchise family you can succeed in business with the help of an organization whose own success is reliant on your success, and whose business model is designed to see your franchise grow and profit. The potential for the aftercare market is truly unlimited. As such, the sky is the limit in terms of the potential of your franchise.

The Grout Medic relies on the latest in grout and tile restoration technology to bring even the most dull and lifeless tile and grout back to life. Our proprietary restoration procedures including our Advanced Steam Vapor Technology have set a standard for results in our industry and made us a leading name in grout and tile aftercare services.

We are currently expanding our franchise territories to communities across the country, including one near you. So don't wait another minute to set course on a path to financial freedom as your own boss in an industry with unlimited growth potential. Open your window of opportunity at The Grout Medic!

Establishing Your First Woodworking Shop By:Eugene Colon Jr

First thing you should bear in mind is where you will be constructing your projects.?Just about everyone that starts in woodworking sets up shop in their garage or basement. Its okay; just remember that you will require space to handle materials like plywood and long boards as well as the completed woodcrafts. You will need a work area that is comfortable to work around in and that you'll be able to keep organized.

Whenever you are utilizing power tools, you will require easily accessible electrical outlets.?Power tools can be rather noisy, therefore take into consideration the solace of your family and your neighbors.

And so let's start with our work bench which does not need to be complicated.?It?s an area for you to work on and keep your designs out in the open.?

You could purchase ready constructed workbenches at almost all Lowe's and home depot stores.?While selecting a workbench, consider one with a hard wood top, or some other smooth, non-marking top, so that the surface does not scuff the wood you use for your projects. Storage space under the work bench is swell if your budget permits for a model with integral drawers and cabinets.

Select a workbench that fits comfortably in your shop area and that corresponds with the types of wood projects you know you'll be working on. A modest workbench will suffice for constructing toys and picture frames, however for building bookcases and other furniture you will require a larger surface area.

Since you are starting out with woodworking as a spare-time activity.?So why not construct your own bench??This will afford you useful experience and will become among the most used item in your workshop!?There are lots of free simple workbench plans on the internet.?Find the one that fits your needs and kickoff your shop with a project you built yourself!

It's a good idea to have a binder or two where you can store all your tools operating manuals.?This way, you won?t lose them and they?ll be easily accessible.

I also recommend a good toolbox that you can also construct to store your tools and some empty coffee cans or jars to store nails, screws, etc. in.

When working on your projects, the more organized you are, the more efficient you'll be.Saving yourself a great deal of stress in knowing you're able to locate what you need every time.

Some woodworkers like to have a peg board over their bench to hang their tools.?This is a good idea in addition to acquiring a clipboard in order to be able to hang your plans and patterns for your current project.

Finally, you will want effective lighting.?You can obtain shop lights cheaply at home supply stores like Lowe's or Home Depot.

Energy Saving Home Improvements That Pay Back Quickly By:David Nelmes

The concept of saving money by making energy efficient improvements to your home or business is nothing new, but what is new is the magnitude of money you can save, now that energy prices have spiraled upwards. Combine this increased capacity for energy savings with an increase in tax credits and grants provided by federal and state governments that can be applied to many energy saving home improvements and you have the perfect storm to motivate almost anyone to make energy efficient improvements.

WHERE DO YOU START?

Any plan for saving energy should always start with the simplest and most basic improvements. This is necessary to ensure your money is spent in the most productive way since the whole point is to save money and not to throw it away by spending more money than necessary for any energy saving home improvement.

For example, if you have it in mind to add solar panels to make power for your home, but have done little or nothing to first reduce your homes electrical needs, you will require a much larger solar power system and will spends an excessive amount of money to compensate for not having taken care of the little things first.

START WITH LOW COST METHODS TO STOP WASTING ENERGY

Duh, but hey, this first step is often missed, and is generally the least expensive and most rewarding step as compared to obtaining the highest ROI (Return on Investment) or how much you spend versus how much you save and how quickly you recover your costs.

Before I list any energy saving ideas, let's put things into perspective and create a clear motivation as to why the small steps are so important and can be so rewarding.

Let's say you were sizing a solar power system and wanted to know how large the system should be for your home. You need to take many things into account, but for this example, let's say we just wanted to look at your lighting needs.

Taking a quick walk through the home reveals there are 60 light bulbs in your home. In most cases only a portion of the lights are being used at any time, but to get the best example of your energy needs, we'll calculate that one-third or twenty bulbs would be used in all your rooms on a typical afternoon, for a total power requirement of 1600 watts.

Since the average solar panel has an output level of 170 watts, you would need nine panels to provide 100% coverage for your lighting. At a cost of about $450 per solar panel, your total cost would be $4050 -- not including installation.

Now, if you first reduce your power needs by updating your lights from incandescent bulbs to CFL's (compact fluorescent lights), you will reduce the power needs of these twenty bulbs to one-third their previous level at a cost of $3 per bulb or a total of $60 dollars. Now that your lighting load has been reduced from 1600 watts to only 500 watts, you can now get by with three solar panels at $450 each for a total cost of $1350 plus installation.

As you can see, by spending $60 on simple CFL's, you will have saved over $2700 on your solar power system... and that's just one item, so let's take a bold and fresh look at why we should be motivated and thankful to experience the benefits of saving energy by not wasting energy.

As you read the list of energy saving ideas below, look past any initial expense or labor involved and see only that the benefits will always exceed the initial cost and effort. When looking at these improvements in that light, the expenses and tasks can become enjoyable, plus you can always remind yourself that in the process of saving energy, you are being very green by helping to improve the planets environment.

Also, if you wanted even more information on the rewards of making energy saving improvements, search for my book, The Rewards of Making Energy Efficient Choices and you'll obtain an even clearer idea of how to best go about saving energy in the most practical way.

- Replace all incandescent bulbs with CFL's or LED's

- Replace conventional dryer vent with a dryer vent seal

- Replace bathroom exhaust wall switches with 30 to 60 minute timer switches

- Clean the coils in your refrigerators and freezers twice a year

- Install water saving shower heads

- Don't run your clothes dryer on very cold nights or on extremely hot and humid afternoons

- Replace computer power strips with Energy Saving Smart Power Strips

- Replace weather stripping on older doors and windows

- Caulk any cracks around windows, doors, siding, etc.

- Wrap your water heater and/or boiler with an insulation blanket

- Install programmable thermostats with winter settings no greater than 68 degrees and summer settings no less than 74 degrees

- Insulate hot water and heating pipes in your basement or any unconditioned space

- Replace filters twice annually in your forced air heating and air conditioning systems

- Turn off televisions when not being viewed

- Seal off unused windows and wall cavities in basements and attics

- In hotter climates, install curtains or shades on southern and western facing windows and close them during the afternoon until the sun sets

- In cooler climates, be sure to open southern and western facing shades or curtains during the day to allow the suns free energy in. Close them once the sun sets.

Most of these improvements cost less than $100 each to perform and yet they can provide significant savings throughout the year. Some of the suggestions cost absolutely nothing and simply require a change in habit. Overall, you can significantly reduce your energy use, significantly reduce your carbon footprint and enjoy a greener home and lifestyle by making these low cost energy saving changes.

If you don't know where to get your products or aren't sure exactly what to look for, simply search online for the 'best energy saving products' and start there, but do start. Don't put it off a moment longer and just make it so. As i already demonstrated, you'll be happy you did.

After you have taken care of all the minor energy saving improvements, you can opt to move onto more aggressive and more expensive items such as increasing your homes level of insulation, replacing doors and windows, upgrading your heating and cooling system and more. Since these items can take much longer to recover their costs, it would be best to have an experienced weatherization inspection performed by a Weatherize America representative so that you can determine your best options.