Fantastic Tips to Remodel Kitchen Cabinets

The most important things in your kitchen are probably your cabinets. Ok so they don't actually do anything, but without cabinets where on earth would you store all of your endless gadgets? They also look fantastic, they add to the style of your kitchen. They are used to store food and all the junk that you accumulate over the years.

Kitchen cabinets can also be used to make your kitchen appear more modern. This is why you should consider remodeling your kitchen cabinets.

DIY

Yes, believe it or not it is possible to do this project by yourself! But first you should consider what you want to do. You could remove the whole cabinets and replace them with new ones. Or you could simply refinish the doors. In this case decide on the color of stain or paint that you want to use. If you want to do this project by yourself then you should go to one of the many hardware stores to get help and supplies, these include Lowes, and Home Depot. The staff in these shops are extremely helpful and will help you to chose the right cabinet designs.2205

If you want to know more about these shops you can visit their websites at www.lowes.com and www.homedepot.com. The often list a selection of their special offers on this website which is a fantastic way to save money on your kitchen renovation project. You should be able to get a rough idea of cost by looking at these websites.

You can also repaint your kitchen cabinet doors so that they tie in with your kitchen theme. You should first decide the color of the paint that you want to use to paint your doors, this is especially important if you are intending to have this fit in with a certain theme. If the theme of your kitchen is cherry, then you could try painting all of the cabinets in your kitchen red. Similarly if you have an ocean theme then you could paint them in an ocean color. You get the idea! Whatever theme your kitchen is you will be able to find a great color to use at one of the home improvement stores.

To learn about which types of paint you should use, and how you should complete the project you should ask for help at one of the many home improvement stores in your area. A quick visit to Lowes or home depot can provide you with a lot of information to help get your kitchen cabinet project off the ground.

Being really interested in refacing, Linden Walhard is editing different short articles in this particular field. His work on granite kitchen countertops can be discovered on http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com and also different websites.

Split Level House Renovations

The most popular Split Level house renovations are projects to finish unfinished or partly finished areas, opening up the main floor, updating the kitchen, adding bathrooms to the main (formal living area) floor and to the upper level (bedrooms area).

Many people want to create more openness in the main floor of a split level, which usually consists of living room, dining room, kitchen and possibly a bedroom. Openness can certainly be achieved by removing some of the walls between rooms. You will need to be sure you know which walls are load-bearing walls. For example, you might want more openness between the kitchen and the dining room. Either removing the wall or replacing the wall with a counter will open up the area and feel more spacious. Removing the wall between the living room and dining room can also open up the area and make it more conducive to entertaining.

It is not uncommon for split level homes with four levels to have an unfinished bottom level. Finishing this area is really no different from finishing any basement. It will be important, however, to check on ceiling he2238ight early in the planning stages of the project. A number of split level homes have lower ceilings on the bottom floor.

The desire to add a bathroom to any home is quite common. Split levels often offer two important opportunities for bathroom additions. First, most split level homes were not built with a bathroom on the main (formal living area) floor. Many homeowners would like to add at least a half-bath or powder room on the main floor for the comfort and convenience of guests or for elderly or disabled family members. Determining the location of the new bathroom is a challenge in most split levels. Logic and cost-consciousness would suggest locating the new bathroom near (next to, above or below) existing plumbing. This allows you to use existing supply and removal pipes. Depending on the floor plan, however, this might not be workable. Location of pipes to a new bathroom on the main floor will also require some attention to the ceiling height of the floor below (if there is one). If the lower level has typically lower ceilings, placement of plumbing might depend upon where you can run pipes without making the lower level unusable. You can get a quick estimate of the cost to finish a split-level homes basement at www.remodelestimates.com

Adding a bathroom on the bedroom level is also a very popular renovation to a split level. Many split level homes have only a shared bathroom on this floor. Other designs include a very small master bathroom. Whether your remodeling plan involves adding a second bathroom or enlarging a master bathroom, it will be necessary to sacrifice space somewhere on that floor. Again, you will probably want to try to build the new bathroom close to existing plumbing, if possible to reduce the amount of work required and to control the cost of your renovation. Enlarging a master bathroom in a split level will almost certainly require taking space from the bedroom. One solution might be a bump out or add an addition that spans both the bathroom and the master bedroom. The key to success for remodeling projects is to be organized - try getting an organizer like the one at www.remodelingorganizer.com

Although split level home designs present some unique challenges to remodelers, with a creative eye to design, careful planning, and attention to detail, most of the changes you might want to make are possible.

Dan Fritschen, the remodel-or-move guru is President and Publisher at ABCD Publishing and operates three very popular websites including http://www.remodelormove.com which helps homeowners make this important decision on the basis of knowledge and reliable cost estimates, a He is the author of three books on home remodeling.

Kitchen Renovations For Newbies - No Seriously!

If you are considering revamping your kitchen then it can be a scary daunting task. To help you out we've written some very helpful tips that you must bear in mind. Your kitchen renovation should be carried out:

- In a kitchen, preferably your kitchen. That is unless of course you're a builder!
- During daylight hours
- Not while there is anything else that might take your mind of the task in hand. Especially floods and tornado's, oh and possibly fires too.

You should carefully plan every part of your kitchen revamp so that you don't get swamped with things that need doing. You can't just wing it and get stuck in, planning is absolutely imperative. This is a great excuse... oh sorry reason to go to the pub and plan. Just remember to tell your wife that you are going out to plan her perfect kitchen.

The pub is a great place to plan as not only will you be able to plan in peace but you will also be able to learn about other peoples mistakes.

If you are considering revamping your kitchen then you could consider installing matchless lighting systems, these mean that you will no longer have to use a match to light your cooker. There are many more kitchen renovation ideas that can be found on the Internet.

So what tools will I need?

Whatever task you are doing you need the right tools, you wouldn't go to the pub without a beer now would you? Well it's sort of the same thing with the tools that you need. The actual tools that you need are:

- in someone else's tool boxes
- a pair of pants that show off your butt crack
- cans of beer to give to the person you're borrowing the tools from
- beer to drink while 'working'
- some form of distraction, but nothing too distracting like crying babies!
- telephone in case you need to call for an ambulance
- at least 10 people to help you
- the number of at least 1 professional for when you mess things up.

You should start off my putting your plans on the table, putting your hands in your pockets and sighing. If your wife asks you a question then all answers should start with a sharp intake of breath, especially if you are discussing prices.

When is the best time to remodel your kitchen?

You should ideally remodel your kitchen straight after something really bad has happened and destroyed your kitchen. In other words, you shouldn't do it unless you really need to. Another reason the best time to redo your kitchen is after some form of disaster is because you will have the insurance money to pay for this.

If part of the house does get destroyed don't get too upset. This is especially the case if you wanted to revamp any of the rooms in your house anyway. A brand new kitchen is great for so many reasons, for a start you don't need to clean the cooker out for a very long time!

Hopefully this article has helped show you the light side of kitchen renovations.

Ray Walberg writes primarily for http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com, an online site on kitchen cabinet, furniture and other problems. Recording his experience in works on brand-new kitchen cabinets the columnist expressed his capability in the field.

Central Vacuum, Whole Home System

Central Vacuums have been around for years in more expensive homes and in commercial applications. Basically the central vacuum power unit is located away from the areas to be cleaned in a central location hence the name central vacuum. The central vacuum unit is usually located in the basement or garage and occasionally in a separate structure out side the house or building. Aluminum or reinforced plastic ducting is installed throughout the house providing strategically placed inlets in each main room. Installation of a central vacuum system is normally done during new house or building construction. Retrofitting a house or office with a central vacuum is normally cost prohibited. When it comes time to clean a centrally located switch is thrown and the remote unit creates a strong suction. A cleaning unit comprised of a hose, wand and power head is attached to the inlet. Usually there is an electrical outlet adjacent to the inlet providing electricity to the power roller or beater bar in the tool head. Cleaning then done in a similar manner to that of using a canister vacuum. When the room is clean then the process is completed in the next room until the whole house or office is cleaned. Then the central vacuum is turned off until needed again.

A major benefit of the central vacuum is that the unit dust, Mold, allergens and pathogens are not reintroduced to the room being cleaned. All vacuumed materials are transported to a central location where they are deposited. Many new central vacuum units exhaust directly to the outside which further removes the airborne contaminants from the building. Units that do not exhaust to the outside are also efficient in removing contaminants through the use of HEPA filters. One disadvantage to installing a central vacuum is comes in the form of duct maintenance. Ducts will need to be cleaned every couple of years depending on the level of use. Normally cleaning done using a brush on a snake that is run down each duct while the system is running. This assures that the suction remains strong throughout the house. In generally central vacuum systems are relatively quiet during operation. This is important if cleaning activities must be done in office spaces during work hours. Most people who have used or own central vacuum units feel they are the best way to clean.

James Kesel, MS is the publisher of the Vacuum Cleaner Information website. Providing information on all vacuum cleaners including Kirby, Dirt Devil, Romba, Dyson and Eureka Vacuum cleaners.

A Stair Lift Guide

There are three ways of providing access between floors for the handicapped or disabled; residential elevators, stair lifts and platform lifts. By far the most popular method of residential lift is the home chair stair lift.

The reasons why they are preferred by the majority is because of ease of installation and price. Residential elevators and platform lifts start at around 10k to 16k. The price of a home stair lift will depend on its type. A straight type will range in price from 2.5k - 4k, whereas a curved model is custom made and will cost anything between 5k to 20k. The complexity of the installation ultimately dictates the cost of installing a curved lift. The cost is impossible to know before the supplier carries out an onsite inspection.

Drive Type

There are four types of drive types. However, the vast majority of new stair lifts use the rack and pinion system.

Most cable drive systems use a strong steel cable - aircraft cable is the norm. The main disadvantage of this type of drive system is that the ride can be less than p5B4erfectly smooth. However, technology has moved on and those companies that still use this drive system say that the ride is as smooth as any other type. Summit and Ameriglide stair lifts both use this drive type.

Chain drive systems are used only for heavy duty models. They are loud and not really used in residential stair lifts.

The screw drive uses a lifting mechanism with a screw driven actuator. This is powered by a rechargeable battery. Again, this type is not used in home models.

The rack and pinion drive system is by far the most popular type for residential stair lifts. Rack and pinion systems - meaning gear and teeth - used to have to require regular cleaning and replacement of gear oil. However today's home units have sealed drive systems that require no maintenance at all.

The Track or Rail

This is the base along which the carriage travels. The track is always fitted to the stairs and never to the wall. This means that a track can be fitted to either side of the stairs. Tracks used in straight stair lifts are made of extruded aluminum whereas curved ones usually use a mixture of both steel and aluminum.

Power

With early designs the power source was AC mains. But today, most stair chair lifts are powered by DC 12 volt rechargeable batteries. Batteries are preferred because a trailing cable is used with AC mains powered stairlifts. The cable is reeled out and reeled back in each and eve5B4ry time the chair travels up and down the stairway, which causes wear and tear. Also, battery powered units can still be used during power outages. Some states prohibit the installation of any appliance unless it is installed by a qualified technician.

Swivel Seats

All makes of stair chair lifts offer this option. There are two types; 90 degree and 180 degree swivel seats. A 90 degree swivel seat is mounted on the upstairs side of the chassis and fold in one direction. A 180 degree swivel seat folds in both directions. One manufacturer, Stannah, makes a motorized swivel seat.

Self Diagnosing

Many brands like the Acorn Superglide and the Stannah stair lift have integrated circuit boards that can help diagnose problems with your lift and decrease maintenance costs.

Accessories

All manufacturers offer a mixture of accessories either as standard or optional. What you choose will affect the cost of the stair lift.

Perch stair lifts allow the passenger to remain standing. This is excellent for those who have problems bending at the knee. The Acorn Superglide Perch is one such example.

Just about all home units come with safety belts. Some brands come with retractable lap inertia belts, while others offer 3-point fixed shoulder belts.

Installation

Installation of today's straight models is quite easy. Many manufacturers and dealers encourage customers to self-install. However, a custo516mer should never self install and the Accessibility Equipment Manufacturer's Association strongly advises against it.

The installation of a residential lift really can allow someone to regain their home and independence. The chair stair lift that is best for a customer will depend on their requirements and budget.

Follow the links for more information on a stair chair lift, wheelchair stair lift and the handicap stair lift.

Kitchen Renovation Tips to Help You Save Money

Not that many people know how to use a power tool or even a paintbrush, even although some people pretend to know! The easiest tip when renovating your kitchen is to hire someone else to do the job for you! Even if you have experience doing DIY projects you may lack the time required to complete such a demanding project. If you do have enough time and knowledge then there are still some important tips you should consider in order to save time and money.

The very first tip for anyone planning to renovate your home is to plan how your kitchen will look. You should draw out a plan of your room and then plan where you want everything to go. If you're not much of a drawer then you can purchase a number of computer software that will allow you to prepare your kitchen. Computer programs are a great way to see how your kitchen will look when it's completed.

To discover some interesting ideas how to make your kitchen easier to use there are a number of sites on the internet that can offer advice. These websites offer lots of photos that show completed kitchen designs. These sites can provide a wealth of information to help you get your kitchen completed without the stress of not knowing what to do!

Don't Forget To Remodel The Details

You can apply some new paint in order to brighten your kitchen, but there are a few extra things that you should do in order to complete the look. If you are repainting your cabinets then you should defiantly replace the knobs and drawer handles. These are quite cheap and can give your kitchen a completely new look.

Few people bother to replace the electric sockets, but it really is a shame. Once you have repainted your wall old sockets will stand out like a sore thumb, you need to replace these in order to make everything look brand new. Electric sockets are available in a number of different colors, but I would avoid painting them where possible.

If you decide to paint the walls and ceiling of your kitchen then it's a good idea not to paint them both the same color. If you paint the ceiling the same color as the walls it can make your room feel very low and small. A good color for a ceiling is always white, however if you don't want to use white a slightly lighter shade of the color you're using on the walls should be fine.

Before you start doing any of your work and choosing which items you want to use you should first work out how much you can afford to spend on the complete project. Then work out an individual budget for each section. It's a good idea to set this budget in stone and don't deviate from it.

Linden Walhard's publications can be encountered on quite some online publications with information about home repair and decorating. You can come across his publications on how to install granite c285ountertops at http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com

Label the Electrical Panel

One of my pet peeves of contractors; more particularly, electricians has followed us in every single house we have lived in. Label the gosh darn on-off switches that are in the main electrical panel, will ya!

There is nothing more frustrating when one needs to turn the power off for a certain electrical outlet / light switch. You know what is going to happen, right?

The light switch you need to turn off the power will be the one that is the furthest away from the electrical panel. And, of course there is no label on any of the on-off switches which lead you to having to guess through trial and error, one switch box at a time, which one of them provides the power for the area of the house containing the light switch.

Why are the on-off switches in the electrical panel never labeled? Especially the one you want?

Are electricians lazy? Well, to be honest, that is very debatable. There are building codes and electrical codes and laws of physics which electricians need to adhere. But, none of those codes indicates that the wiring or rewiring16D0 job is not finished until the switch box is properly and accurately labeled. Or, do they?

So, today's waste of 1/2 an hour with a dozen trips up and down the stairs from one end of the house on the main floor to the electrical panel room at the opposite end of the house in the basement was not enjoyable. Of course, not all contractors, electricians and the like are plain lazy and do just enough to get paid and then leave. I am sure any electrical contractor you would use would never do that. It will always be your neighbor who encounters this situation, right? :-)

And, if you are the home owner, for gosh sakes, when you actually do find the on-off switch on the electrical panel that is the one you want, label it yourself! No, you will not remember the next time you need to find it again.

For more lessons learned from our own home renovation experiences, visit our blog, Daily Home Renovation Tips at the following resource link: http://DailyHomeRenoTips.com/

Environmentally Friendly Architecture Design

There once was a day where one someone was speaking about the word green, it was obvious they were referring to a color formed by mixing yellow and blue. That assumption is no longer true; with our society leaning toward a healthier environment and ways we can help save the earth, the term green now takes on a whole new meaning. One way to support an environmentally conscious lifestyle is with green architecture.

'Green Architecture' is a form of environmentally sensitive design and construction. Energy-saving, sustainable development and natural materials are all hallmarks of this form of construction. Green Architecture is also sensitive to the impact of the construction on the environment in the years and decades after the construction is complete. It explores a relationship between architecture and ecology.

One of the key points to green architecture is to create synchrony with the surrounding environment. Everything about a green building should easily transition from the natural landscape, including the building materials. The best material to use for green construction is materials that have been recycled or come from easily restored resources.

Advantages of Green Architecture:

1. Optimizes the use of resources, especially energy and water. At the design and construction stage, it incorporates resource recycling during construction, and later when the building is being used.

2. It causes minimal impact on the environment during the entire building life cycle of siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal.

3. Where possible, the natural topography is used to optimize energy usage.

4. It leads to reduced operating costs by optimizing resource usage. Green Architecture focuses on recycling resources - especially water. Wherever possible, it focuses on using building materials from the building site itself. Well-insulated doors, windows and walls reduce energy usage and loss.

5. Green Architecture promotes improved health of the occupants of the building, due to better natural air circulation and use of natural light.

6. Provides onsite facilities for recycling, thereby minimizing waste being sent to landfills.

Materials Commonly Used in Green Architecture

1. Recycled materials such as wood, tiles and bricks that are available at the building site or in/near the surrounding area.

2. Where new materials are used, the focus is on material that can be rapidly replenished, such as bamboo, which can be harvested for commercial use in just 6 years.

3. Insulation made from low volatile organic compounds that use materials such as recycled denim as opposed to fiberglass insulation - which has long-term adverse effects. Insulation may be treated with boric acid to retard insect damage. Organic or milk-based paints also afford protection.

4. Solar energy is an abundant resource that is used through passive solar, active solar and photovoltaic techniques.

5. Packed gravel in parking lots and driveways instead of concrete reduces rainwater run-off and replenishes ground water resources.

Many countries have developed their own standards of Green Architecture for energy-efficient and sustainable building. Given below are some common standards:

1. Code for Sustainable Homes - United Kingdom
2. EnerGuide for New Houses - Canada
3. House Energy Rating - Australia
4. Green Globes - USA, Canada and UK

Practitioners of Green Architecture and sustainable development seek to achieve ecological and aesthetic harmony between structures and their surrounding natural environments.

James Heimler, Architect Los Angeles California, owns one of the leading firms in green architecture and environmental sustainable design practices.