3.) Backup Generator: The potential return on these puppies is just over 50%. If you purchase this one, accept the fact that that you are doing so strictly for personal usage. Do not make the purchase with much expectancy of potential future profit.
I don’t know about you, but I think that Office Max is one of the greatest places on earth. I love the way it smells; I love the the layout; I love the customer service; I love the fact that they sell gummy bears by the bucket. But most importantly, I love the overall mission of the store “to help [their] customers do the best work.”
Next time you’re gearing up for a home remodeling project, hit up your neighborhood Office Max. Plan to spend twice the money you’d like to spend (it’s just more fun that way), and buy yourself a basket-full of supplies to assist you in organizing the three phases of your upcoming project: 1) The bid process 2) The project itself 3) Project completion.
These items should be on your must-have list:
Phase 1 of your binder will house all ideas and planning resources. Collect paint samples, brochures, magazine clippings, and store them in your binder. You should also include all pre-project estimate information. Ask your potential contractors lots of questions and make lots of notes. Remember, the lowest bid is not always the best option and it may not offer the best quality materials. Don’t shop on price point.
Phase 2 of your binder will contain all contracts, receipts and change orders. Keep all receipts in some sort of orderly fashion. This will help you when dealing with returns, but it will also come in handy when you decide to sell the property.
Phase 3 of your project binder will wrap the project up. It will display before and after photos. Note: When shooting before and after photos, stand in the same spot for both sets. This will make your side-by-side comparison just that much more fun to look at.
OFFICE MAX: Elf Yourself
Our Fearless Leader, Pat Strand
Been getting a lot of questions surrounding the eligibility guidelines for the recently passed Economic Stimulus Package / ARRA 2009. Many folks were initially left with the understanding that they would be able to take advantage of this opportunity, so long as they had purchased “Energy Star” rated products. We soon found out that this was not the case. Additional, stricter guidelines had been placed into effect which did not allow all Energy Star products to remain qualified.
Let me loosely translate some of the energy tax credit mumbo jumbo for you – I have pulled my facts off of the Marvin.com website.
My five bullet points are quite concise. The Marvin website offers additional elaboration – but any Q&A should be able to be handled by a window supply company.
As a replacement window shopper, you’re expected to be somewhat of an expert in the field in order to make a qualified, appropriate decision. But I happen to think this expectation is just a little unfair.
Have you ever talked to a salesman who promoted his product by telling you that his product was the best (fill in the blank) ever. And although you were pleased to find out that you were learning about an awesomely (fill in the blank) product, you had no clue what relevance that (fill in the blank) rating/fact/measurement really meant?
U-Factor, for example. This is one of those items that tends to confuse and clutter the decision making process for most consumers.
The U-Factor measures how well a window prevents heat from escaping. It is the inverse of the R-Value (1/R Value). U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20.
The lower the U-Factor, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value will be.
In terms of energy efficiency, the U-Factor is included in the energy performance rating offered by the NFRC.
In short, the lower the U-Factor, the better.
Evidently we are in the midst of “National Work At Home Moms Week.” Did you have any idea that such a holiday existed? Well you do now!
WAHM’s (Work at home moms) spend the majority of both their professional and personal lives at their home. From a professional standpoint, these women often operate as business owners, freelancers and subcontractors. And from a personal standpoint, they practice a masterful balance between family and work. This, ladies and gentleman, is multi-tasking at its finest.
In an effort to help my WAHM’s out just a little, I’d like to provide the web link to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry below. This link can act as an excellent tool when trying to find assistance with your next home remodel project (You just can’t always do it yourself, right?). Using a NARI certified contractor will provide guaranteed Quality, Professional & Accredited Work.
This is a great starting point.
(And yes, that is my Pat Strand near the bottom of the list–Too bad they won’t let me submit a photo for their site. I’ve got a few good ones!)
An average, well-insulated house, contains cracks and gaps between building materials that if added together, would be the equivalent of a 14” square hole. During winter months, this problem will make the home drafty and chilly. But during the summer months, this problem will not only waste energy (i.e. money), but it can also lead to water damage and provide an entrance for insects and/or rodents.
While caulking and weather– stripping can help, in many cases, far more work needs to be done in order to maintain a home’s well-being and efficiency.
1. When evaluating a home’s condition, the first step is to make sure that it is well sealed to prevent water infiltration.
2. If Rot is present on a home, but goes unchecked, it can lead to structural problems. Therefore, Rot is a living organism consisting of fungal spores, and living off of wet wood.
3. If Rot goes untreated, it will damage windows and cause them to leak. (And in severe cases, it can cause a house to sag and/or fall down as it attacks the structural integrity).
4. Weather deterioration can be present on the ends of roofs. Causing leaks and damage.
5. Exterior siding can become damaged , resulting in missing pieces, holes, gaps and loose pieces. This leads to seepage and Rot.
Getting a free evaluation at an early-on stage is smart and economically efficient. Spring or Summer is an excellent time to attack these issues.
Winter kind of sucked this year, right? Without a doubt, we’ve seen nothing short of a nasty, long winter this past season. As a result, many of us will emerge into the beautiful Spring season only to find that Old Man Winter has, once again, taken taken his toll on our beautiful homes and gardens. Some of us will battle Roofing issues, others will discover Concrete or Stampcrete problems. But most commonly, folks will encounter a rash of Wood Rot issues.
Wood Rot occurs—in most cases—as the result of poor materials and/or improperly installed materials, combined with harsh moisture elements like rain, snow & humidity.
Once moisture earns an opportunity to permeate the wood, decomposition begins. While the most obvious effect of wood rot is that of those ugly, eaten-away-looking spots, the real damage occurs beyond what the naked eye can see.
Once wood rot has infected an area, it is sure to spread. The spreading will occur in such a way that unless properly and quickly addressed, structural damage will take place. Additional problems will arise, including:
Wood rot is not unlike a rash or a disease that infects a particular area of the human body, and then quickly spreads throughout, if left untreated.
Wood rot problems are typically first noticed around the base of window sills and siding. Fortunately, if a homeowner catches these signs and symptoms early enough, minor repairs can be made—usually in the neighborhood of $100 per window, for example.
Here are some fun-filled photos that I found online of what rot can do if left untreated:
(Oh, and I went ahead and posted the last photo, even though it almost made me throw up in my mouth, because I thought it might make things a little more visible. The title of this photo by the original poster was. “Genome Analysis of the Dry Rot Fungus.” Glad this typically grows INSIDE the wood, not outside).
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