ALL ABOUT HOME BUILDING SUPPLY

My Lawn Needs Some Real Attention

2009-08-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

As it's getting on to summer here I'm looking at getting the lawn sorted out. After a harsh winter the weeds are taking over. I also haven't cut the grass for a while so the sunshine over the last weeks has resulted in a massive growth spurt.

I don't see myself pushing a mower through this jungle so I thought that ride on lawn mowers might be an idea. Apart from the comfort level, I've also just had a heart attack so I think that I can convince my wife that a suitable motorised lawn mower is just the ticket to getting the garden in shape.

So it's off to the hardware this weekend to see what the prices are like and maybe I'll have one of those beauties out for a spin to see how she can level my lawn and the weeds ;-)

Installing A Furnace Can Leave You Hot And Bothered

2009-07-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

We where looking various options to heat our home this winter and came across a resource that you have got to try.

Let me tell you, installing a furnace is not for the faint hearted, there's a lot you need to know. Apart from deciding on the aesthetics of the installation there are myriad of ways you can get things wrong. So your first choice would be to hire a contractor to do the job for you. Buy therein lies your problem and ours. We're not experts when it comes to furnace installation.

Luckily my wife was on the ball as usual and researched everything before we made a big mistake. And I'm sure that you will benefit too from the information and advice found inthis little gem -

The Ultimate Furnace Installation Guide from http://www.furnacebook.com/.

So my advice is, don't even think of installing a furnace unless you've had a look at what you don't know, it will open your eyes, just like it did mine. Oh, and it can save you quite a bundle of cash too.

METAL ROOFING PRICES - COST EFFECTIVE?

2007-08-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

Okay I found an article on Metal Roofing and Metal Roofing Prices, the article is written by Wade Tobins. It helps with both the positive and negative aspects of metal roofing. But at this point we don't have much choice, it's metal roofing for us, because of the affordability of metal roofing prices!

METAL ROOFING ARTICLE

In the past metal roofing was considered the luxury that could
not be availed by all the home owners. Only the ones could this
who could afford to hire a professional contractor to install
the roof. But nowadays more and more people are attracted
towards doing their home's roofing themselves. Metal roofing has
proved to be the ideal choice for the low pitched roofs. In the
low pitched roofs, metal sheets are sealed together and placed
on the roof. Of course there are some positive as well as
negative aspects of having the metal roofs but not if you chose
the better metal roofing solution for you according to your
needs and environmental conditions.

Metal Roofing Ideal for Low Pitched Roofs

Metal roofing is considered ideal for the low-pitched roofs because it comes
with many benefits like metal roofing can fairly cope with the
extreme weather, it has less weight and is exceptionally durable
and it is non-combustible. These things add more value to the
beauty and the good look of the metal roofing.

Metal roofing is also considered to be ideal for the low pitched
houses because it comes in a variety of metals like aluminum,
zinc, copper and stainless steel. The metal is selected
according to the environment and weather. These metals can be
colored to any shade according to the needs of the building and
desire of the owner. Also these metals can be repainted too.

Metal roofing is extremely durable and is corrosion resistant.
They are light weight therefore they do not inflict any damage
to the inner materials of the roof. Once installed, the metal roofing
does not need to be changed for more than 50
years and they are covered by warranties that long. Metal
roofing solution is cost effective as it does not need much
maintenance. Also this keeps you free of any worries about your
roof anymore. Metal roofs are also pest-resistant. Low pitched
roofs are mostly flat or they have lower slopes therefore they
should have the way for water to sweep down. This is also made
easy by the metal roofing as they are completely safe in all the
weathers like rain, snow, hail and heat.

Installation of the Low Pitched Metal Roof

Home owners should consult the professional contractors to get the metal
roof installed for their low-pitched roof to avoid any future
complications like drainage problems and other installation
issues which can rise if you attempt to install the roof on your
own.

About the author:
You can also find more info on
http://www.homeroofinghelp.com/Cost_Of_Metal_Roofing/"
Homeroofinghelp.com is a comprehensive
resource to known about metal roofing.

Well I found this article informative, especially about the life span of a metal roof! The author recommends that a roofing contractor be called in to fit the roof, which might be a good idea, but my husband and I fitted our own roof on a previous house and never had a problem... So if you feel up to a bit of DIY, you could save yourself a bundle of cash! We have also found some great kitchen lighting ideas which we will post later on when we redo our kitchen electrics.

Susan

METAL ROOFING PRICES

2007-08-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Our plans are submitted, being the layout of the house. Now the finer details. Which roof do we use? Metal roofing prices seem to be the most reasonable. But then again which metal roofing prices? Their is plain old corrugated iron, the IBR and copper roofing material.

Now corrugated metal roofing prices seem to be the cheapest initially, but then I hear they rust and you'll end up having to replace them. Now the IBR Metal Roofing Prices are slightly higher initially, but they come ready coloured, so no cost of paint. They also age much better. As I've said before on this Blog... we're on a shoe string budget, but I do think the slightly higher IBR metal roofing prices are definitely worth it in the long run.

I'm now going to try and find an expert or an article or something to see what they have to say about various roofing options as so far I only have the word of various sales people. I'm looking for an unbiased person, who can give good advice about metal roofing, as this will help us decide whether its worth paying slightly higher metal roofing prices!

Let's see what we find this afternoon!
Susan

GREEN BUILDING

2007-08-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

As we begin planning our new home, one of the avenues we've been exploring is Green Building. Now this means different things to different people. To us Green building means, taking as little from the environment as possible, using our own resources and doing no harm. A tall order!

We are considering a number of different above ground pools as well and the intex pool seems to be one of the better ones around. As we haven't yet decided on which pool to order we've decided to go with an inflatable pool this summer. There are quite a few things to keep in mind when considering which above ground swimming pools are best. Every year that I've had to look after a pool I've never known which swimming pool chemicals to use. I'm told that pool covers make a big difference and as our evergreen trees tend to shed their leaves throughout the year we've been looking at which swimming pool covers will best suite our pool.

But before we get into that let's get back to green building.

When we mention green building, you can do as little green building or as much green building as you like. We'll be exploring many avenues shortly, from solar power to water conservation, but in the meantime I've found an article by Gregg Hicks, which I thought might give you all an overview of Green Building. Have a look and see what you think...

Green building almost seems like a fad these days. With all of the emphasis on helping the environment, it seems like being as environmentally conscious as you can is the popular thing to do. But when it comes to green building, there are a lot of ways to change your current living or work environment into something more energy efficient. Here are three ways that you can add green building to your life as well as to your home.

Water conservation is the first step in green building. Because the heating and cooling of water is something that takes up a lot of energy, you need to find new ways to perform these tasks. There are a number of 'green' solutions for this problem. Some homes install systems that are solar powered in order to heat and cool water in this way. You can also choose to recycle your water through your home in order to limit the use of water each day. This kind of system will take the water from your daily showers, clean it, and then put it back into use in the home for washing dishes, for example. You can also create a system that catches water from the environment to help you get more water.

Green Building

Next in green building is to create energy efficient electricity. Though everyone would like to install solar panels on their home, it's not always cost effective for home owners. Solar panels are expensive and installing them to provide constant energy to your home is not always the best option when you don't live in a sunny environment. Talk with local solar energy providers to see if this is an option for you. If not, or if you're just not ready for solar power, you should look into changing your light bulbs to halogen bulbs and buy energy efficient appliances. These appliances will have energy efficiency stickers on them.

Another great way to add green building to your life is to consider the waste that you create each day. Instead of simply throwing out everything, you will want to create a recycling setup that collects recyclable items. You will also want to find a compost container that will allow your food waste and paper products to be turned into rich fertilizers.

This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.

We'll be bringing you more green building techniques as our blog progresses!

Enjoy your green building....

Susan

Why Buy Stock House Plans Vs Custom?

2007-08-01T02:04:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone

We've reached the finally house plan stage with our new house we're building, and needed to make a decision, do we hire an architect and draw up Custom House Plans or do we go online and buy Stock House Plans. I've never done this before so my first stop was to find out the advantages and disadvantages of both Custom House Plans and Stock House Plans. I found this article by Kevin Carden. This helped me decide, I hope you find it useful!

Why Buy Stock House Plans Vs Custom?

When a person begins the process of building a new house, there are many different aspects that need to be addressed including: where to build, what size home to build, what features to include, what items are the most important to have in the home, what costs should be included in the budget, what are the design - build timeframes, who will build the home, and a host of other issues.

After these initial questions have been successfully answered, the next item that must be addressed is that of house plans. There are two basic types of house plans that can be purchased, custom or stock, with each having distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Custom Houseplans

Custom house plans are just as the name implies. The house plans are custom drawn to meet you family's specific needs. The plans are normally drawn by a licensed building designer or, in some cases, a licensed architect in a geographic location close to where the 1.) owners live, or 2.) home will be built. The process is, normally, much more involved and time-consuming since the owner's specific requests will need to be integrated into the overall design of the home. Many times these type "special" requests can present significant challenges to the designer of the home, which as a result, may take additional time to resolve.

Since the home is being custom designed, specifically to meet the needs of that one person/family, the costs associated with the development of the house plans tend to be significantly larger than those for a similar set of stock house plans. However, in some cases, the custom house plan may be the only viable option based on the client's needs, home location, special building considerations, etc.

Advantages:

- Homeowner can get exactly what they want in home design
- Special needs can be addressed in the design (i.e. extra large garage for boat, larger than normal master bath, handicapped access, etc.)

Disadvantages:

- Significantly more costly than stock houseplans
- Longer, more arduous process to develop
- Significantly more time consuming to produce (i.e. many meetings necessary with designer over several month period)

Stock House Plans are, by contrast, home designs which have been developed to fit the needs of a particular group of the general populace. They are not custom designed for a particular person, but rather, standardized for the needs of a larger group.

Stock homeplans normally include the "most requested" features including square footage, room dimensions, floorplan layout, amenities, and other like features. These house plans provide an excellent value when compared to the corresponding price of a set of fully custom house plans which may exceed several thousand dollars.

When you buy a stock house plan, you're not paying for the countless hours spent drawing up a plan, re-working the plan, and finalizing drafts. You're paying a reduced fee for a single re-use of that plan.

Advantages:

- Significantly less expensive
- Minor plan modifications can usually be made by the original designer or a local designer for a minimal charge.
- Very simple and quick purchase process
- Can submit the plans for a building permit the day after receiving

Disadvantages:

-Not as extensively customizable

In conclusion, I would recommend trying to find a stock house plan, first, at a reputable online house plan broker website such as House Plan Central.com. There are thousands of stock house plans available online, and House Plan Central.com offers a huge selection of unique house plans in many different architectural styles.

More likely than not, you'll be able to find what you're looking for by doing a simple search. With so many plans available to choose from, it's a safe bet that you won't see your house plan replicated in your area. And if you find a plan you like, but want to make a few modifications - no problem! Most of the plans available at House Plan Central.com can be modified to your specifications.

Determining whether your particular needs merit custom or stock house plans is, ultimately, a personal choice based on your particular situation. Both types will provide you with the information that you need to successfully build your dream home.

Kevin Carden is a publisher of several stock house plan websites and informational resources, the most famous being http://www.HousePlanCentral.com . House Plan Central has a large collection of home plans and unique house plans in different architectural styles, from the nation's top house designers.

If you're in the planning stage have fun and dream, dream about what you would love in your house, and make it happen!

After all that I bought a software program and designed my home myself, and then got it signed off and all the engineering stuff done by an architect, it turned out to be the cheapest option, and I got EXACTLY what I wanted.

Happy House Planning.

Susan

WHOLESALE BUILDING SUPPLY, YEAH RIGHT!

2007-07-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Just a short post today. As we continue our hunt from building supply store to building supply store, we soon discovered the lie about wholesale building supply.

I went to the first wholesale building supply store, to get a quote on roof trusses, they're the triangular wooden bits that hold the roof up, and at times the building together! I learnt most of that today!

The quote from the wholesale building supply store, with their own sawmill no less, was R19 000. Okay, then I went to their competition, another wholesale building supply store, with their own sawmill, and the price dropped to R16 000.00.

This still seemed excessive to me and I got quotes from local building supply stores in our area, and the price continued to drop steadily. I then went to the local building supply store in a small town close to us. It's been my favourite so far as they are so helpful and stock just about anything!

They asked me why I didn't just build them myself.....

They gave me the name of a good local carpenter, with references which check out. And guess what?

All our rafters including wood, are costing us R4 000.

So there you have it, my motto today! Trust no-one!

Wholesale building supply store, my eye!

It's worth the time spent getting quotes, quotes and more quotes. And Never underestimate your local building supply store.

Chances are they'll provide you with the best service.

Happy building supply hunting.
Susan

Oh, by the way. While we're looking at everything we need for the new house, the state of our pool leaves a lot to be desired. You really do need to make sure that your pool care schedule is regular to avoid the hassle of getting rid of green water every few weeks. So we are looking at taking a little more positive action with our pool maintenance from now on.

LOOKING FOR WHOLESALE BUILDING SUPPLY?

2007-07-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Our plans and my price comparisons for our new home are growing nicely and I want to share some vital info with you.....

So you're about to start building. Your plans are approved and you're excited to get going! Stop, wait and save money! You'll often be told that Wholesale building supply is the way to go, but is it?

It doesn't matter whether it's a brand new home or an add on. The cheapest discount building supply will be to buy Wholesale Building Supply. Now there are so many companies that have "Wholesale Building Supply" as part of their marketing or branding, that's it's difficult to choose the right one. And the honest one! We where quite surprised at the differences we found in price when sourcing wooden garage doors.

First I think we need to look at the meaning of Wholesale Building Supply. Wholesale building suppliers sell large quantities of building supply to building supply stores to then be retailed to you. That's according to the meaning of the word wholesale (Oxford Dictionary).

Now unless you're building a brand new house that uses a large quantity of building supply, you may not be buying from a Wholesale Building Supplier. Even though you think you are.

Often these Wholesale Building Supply companies are really just retailers. There price is no better then your local Building Supply Store.

So don't take their word for it. Compare prices, and always, always, always, ask for a discounted Building Supply price. Even if you only get a 2% discount. On a large project the discount received will be large enough to pay for things like, an extra kitchen cupboard or one rooms' carpets.

When looking for true Wholesale building supply, I've learned to forget the advertising of various Building Supply Stores. I feel it's best to go to the source!

If it's Log Home Building Supply or Stock Home Building Supply. Go to the manufacturer of the product you need.

If your building a log home, then make sure whoever you're buying your timber from has their own saw mill. That way you know, you're getting your Log Home Building Supply from the manufacturer of the wood. You're not buying from a Wholesale Building Supply Store, that has bought the wood from the manufacturer. This way you're guaranteed of getting the best price.

If your looking for Stock Home Building Supply, and you're wanting to buy bricks, don't go to the Wholesale Building Supply store. Go straight to the brick yard, where the bricks are made. This way you're guaranteed of getting the best price.

As we begin to plan the building of our own home, and we compare prices and quality of products, we're finding it is definitely a tricky business. Just because the Building Supply Store promises Wholesale Building Supply, doesn't necessarily mean that they do have Wholesale Building Supply prices.

My husband is quite keen to have us install a hot tub, but one of my concerns is what hot tub chemicals we'll have to buy. With the family all pushing to get a portable hot tub, I think that I'm all out of excuses not to get one.

No matter what you're building from a small wooden picket fence to a mansion of a home, do your research, compare the prices offered by Wholesale Building Supply stores,
to the prices offered by the manufacturer. And always remember to ask for that discounted building supply price. No matter how reasonable the price seems, ask for a discount anyway. You'll be surprised at the amount of money you'll save.

Happy Building Supply hunting.

Susan

PS. I almost forgot! Always ask them for the delivery charge that you're going to have to pay to get your Building Supply to your site. This charge may be the difference between using one Building Supply Store or another! You'll be shocked at the prices they sometimes charge!

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR HOME BUILDER

2007-07-23T02:31:00.000-07:00

Hi Again,

I've just found a fantastic article written by, Shawn Linfoot. He gives good advice! Not only is it important to choose the right Building Supply, whether it's Home Building Supply or Log Home Building Supply. If you're not building your home yourself or not doing your add-ons yourself, then read his article ,

Before you read this though, my friend Scott from Waukesha County, is a carpenter of note and a roofing specialist. His company, Liberty Home Improvement is a sure fire winner when it comes to providing outstanding service and quality finish. They can replace your roof in one day folks! That's pretty awesome if you ask me, so don;t hesitate to visit his website.

Now back to Shawn...

"Questions to Ask Your Home Builder."

Of course if you're getting Building Supply from a Building Supply Store like Kents Building Supply or Lowe Building Supply, then you'll get a lot of helpful advice so that you are not dependant on you Home Builder's word.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR HOME BUILDER

On average, Americans spend 65 percent of their time in their homes. If you're going to be spending that much time in one place, you want to make sure it's safe, comfortable, and going to stand the test of time. Relying on somebody else to build your dream home is a scary thing, but it must be done. Here are a few questions to ask your home builder to ensure that you're getting somebody who's ethical, customer-oriented and will do a good job.

Q. Are they an HBA member?

Find out what organizations your home builder is a part of. Many associations, like the Home Builders Association, have very strict policies for members. If your builder is a member, then you know they're held to a higher standard.

Q. What is their policy on Energy Star homes?

Not only do Energy Star homes lower greenhouse emissions and help the environment, but they also save their owners a lot of money on energy bills. In 2005, Energy Star homeowners saved $12 billion on their utility bills. Some builders build 100 percent Energy Star homes; others don't. Find out what your builder will do.

Q. What kinds of insurance does the builder carry?

It is very important that your builder carry at least three types of insurance: personal liability, worker's compensation and property damage. If your builder doesn't carry these types of insurance, you may be held liable for injuries or damage that occur on the job. Be sure to ask!

Q. Do they offer a guarantee?

There are a hundred things that can change your ability to purchase a home. If you lose your job, or are unable to sell your old home, or if there are problems with the builder, you might want to back out. Ask your builder if they have a money-back guarantee, so that you're not left holding the bill for a product you're not happy with. For example, PMC Homes of Tulsa offers a 100 percent money-back guarantee if their customers are not satisfied.

Q. How long have they been in business?

Not that it's bad to go with a relatively young company, but if you go for a builder who's been in business for 15 or 20 years, you know you're with somebody who has the quality to stick around that long.

Q. What have their previous clients said about the builder?

Any builder should be proud to show off their previous homes and happy clients. See if you can talk to a few and find out how they felt about the home-building process.

Building a home can seem a daunting process, but it doesn't have to be scary. Don't be afraid to ask your builder questions, and if you're not satisfied with the answers, go look elsewhere. In the end, it's your home they're building.

PMC Homes is Tulsa's premier new home builder and has been building home owners' dreams for 20 years. They are known for quality construction, service and warranties as well as many home design innovations. They pride themselves on excellent craftsmanship and close attention to the needs and desires of their customers. For more information on building your dream home from a builder with 20 years of experience, visitwww.pmchomes.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shawn_Linfoot http://EzineArticles.com/?Questions-to-Ask-Your-Home-Builder&id=629604

Hope this articles helps you decide, not only who to get to build your home, but also who are reliable Home Building Supply Stores.

Happy Building Supply Hunting
Susan

FINDING BUILDING SUPPLY

2007-07-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for visiting blog. This Blog came into being, when our family decided to leave the city and go and live in a quiet Rural Area. To do this we decided to build our own home.

Once we were busy with the Planning and the Inevitable costings, OUCH! Only then did we realise how difficult it can be to find Building Supply, whether it's Home Building Supply for a brick house or for Log Home Building Supply. It's not easy!

We've found quite a bit of Wholesale Building Supply as we're on a tight budget .

In the next short while I'll be adding pages on the following Home Building Supply resources:

Building stock supply
Kents Building Supply
Lowes Building Supply
Specific Building Supply Stores
Home Building Supply
Wholesale Building Material Supply
Ontario Building Supply
Log Home Building Supply

These are just a few helpful home building supply resources. With many more to follow.

I've never been one to hire people to look after my pool as I enjoy the DIY pool care myself. Now it looks like we are going to have to do all the maintenance ourselves as there are no pool suppliers for 25 miles.

Good Luck in your search for Home Building Supply!
Susan