Homeowners Plan to Live in Homes Longer & Turn To Remodel Projects

Energy Efficient Home Remodeling Projects are Hot Projects This Year

By Mark J. Donovan

A recent Wells Fargo and Company survey suggests the average homeowner has increased their expected time to live in their home to 16 years. This fact is in no doubt due to the housing market collapse and the resultant high percentage of homes that are worth less than their mortgages.

Though homeowners are planning to increase their stay in their homes, this doesn’t mean they are letting their number one investments rot on the vine. As a matter of fact, more and more homeowners are turning to home remodeling projects, and in many cases do it yourself home remodeling projects.

Though kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects have traditionally been high on homeowners’ lists for remodeling projects, homeowners may be smarter to take advantage of current energy efficiency government tax incentives.

Case in point, homeowners may be eligible today for tax credits for energy efficient appliances and heating/cooling systems, replacement windows, insulation, and low water usage landscaping.

So before deciding on a home upgrade or remodeling project see what tax savings the government maybe offering. This might be the year to hold off on the bathroom remodel, and instead opt for the window replacements.

Could Rising Mortgage Delinquencies Trigger a Further Housing Market Decline

By Mark J. Donovan

The 4th quarter of 2009 saw a precipitous increase in mortgage delinquencies, rising to 14%. Much of the rise was associated with credit-worthy borrowers. Current and performing mortgages fell to 86.4%, down 0.9% from the previous quarter. This represents the 7th consecutive quarter of decline.

The news is not surprising with so many homes’ underwater, worth less than their outstanding bank mortgage. People are choosing to spend their limited funds on staple items and forgo the house payment as they view the house payment as wasted money. This way of thinking only exacerbates the problem as banks then begin the foreclose process.

Without a significant improvement in the unemployment rate, which stands today at 9.7% officially and around 17% unofficially, the trend in delinquent home mortgage payments is likely to continue. This could spell trouble for an anemic housing market that is believed to already be at or near a bottom.

Glimmers of Hope in the Housing Market?

By Mark J. Donovan

Though home prices have continued to slide over the past 4 months the slope of the slide is showing signs of flattening. In fact, some housing markets are actually anticipating a slight rise in home prices over the next year. See “Where Home Prices are Rising”.

About 75% of the nation’s homes are expected to fall another 5% or less over the next year. A far cry from the 30 to 50% declines the housing market has already racked up over the past few years. If indeed home prices have nearly bottomed out, it may be a wise move to take advantage of the federal tax credits and low interest rates while you still can. If there is one thing certain in life, its change. With a housing market that has been going down for the past few years, one thing is certain, there is pent up demand. There are homeowners who want to buy larger homes, employees looking to relocate for job prospects, and first time homebuyers awaiting signs for a bottom. Like most bull and bear markets, it’s hard to see them coming until after they have occurred, and it is nearly impossible to time bottom entries. The important things to remember is that markets change and to look at the big picture in aggregate. Home prices are at their lowest in a decade or more, interest rates are at all time lows, and the government is giving out free home buyer tax credits.

Christmas doesn’t come very often in the housing market so grab your gifts while you still can!

Best Home Design series of Modern Room Flooring at a Penthouse

Wood flooring is one of the best flooring design, here is the sample of the use of wood material on flooring, cabinetry, kitchen cabinet, and another storage system of this penthouse unit. This beautiful penthouse is located in Boston, Just enjoy and see these beautiful home furnishing and it's wooden flooring.

The MiniMe McMansion Trend

By Mark J. Donovan

With the housing market still in the tank, and housing sales still declining, major builders are opting for the MiniMe McMansion in a way to breathe life into a comatose patient. The question is - will it work. Is the American public, with its historic appetite for living large, opt for going backwards and living small. My bet is they won’t, but hey it’s better to try something than do nothing at all. If not the MiniMe McMansion, maybe it will be the “King’s Little Castle” or the “Square Shaped Box Home” that reignites the housing market. Whatever it Takes! Learn More.

Is a Double Dip Housing Recession Inevitable?

By Mark J. Donovan

New home sales declined for a fourth month in February. Down 2% from January and 13% from last February. So why the continued decline? Unemployment is officially at 9.7% (and unofficially more like 17%) and tighter bank lending policies (a good thing). But will the housing market do a double dip and get much worse?? Possibly, if the Fed shuts down the currency printing presses and people continue to not find jobs. Learn more.

Tiling Bathroom Floor

Tips on Installing Bathroom Floor Tile

By Mark J. Donovan

Last weekend I spent much of it tiling a bathroom floor. The weekend prior I prepared the subfloor by removing the old linoleum, rough sanding the subfloor, and installing additional screws into the subfloor. The subfloor was a ¼” Luan based material resting on ¾” tongue and groove plywood. Though I have heard complaints of installing ceramic tile on Luan, I have never experienced a problem with loosening tiles on a Luan base. I believe as long as the floor is solid and the Luan surface is roughed up sufficiently with sandpaper the ceramic tiles will adhere well.

This all said, when tiling a bathroom floor, or any floor, it is important that the base subfloor be extremely solid and have no perceivable deflections. In addition, when tiling a bathroom floor it is important to use a latex modified thinset mortar versus a mastic. The thinset mortar will not degrade with exposure to water whereas with mastic, water can break it down and cause the ceramic tiles to become loose. Also, I always install coarse thread decking or drywall screws on 6” centers across the entire subfloor surface. This helps to make sure the Luan is securely fastened to the subfloor plywood.

When tiling a bathroom floor it is always important to first layout the tiles in an X-Y direction to see where tiles will be cut. Also take into consideration joint spaces. I used 12”x12” ceramic floor tiles and used a ¼” spacing between tiles. Typically you want to locate cut tiles in less observed areas. Once you have figured out roughly where to start your tiles to minimize viewable cut tiles, draw straight and perpendicular center X-Y lines as reference points on the subfloor. You may want to draw additional parallel lines to these main X-Y center lines to help maintain straight lines when installing the tiles outwards from the center of the bathroom floor. In addition, you may want to purchase some tile spacers to ensure even joint lines.

After establishing your reference lines, mix up your latex modified thinset mortar and begin to install tiles. Make sure to not mix up too much thinset mortar at any one time, and do not continue to add water to the mortar if it begins to thicken up. Doing so will weaken the bonding agents in the mortar.

Start by installing tiles from the cross-hairs of your center line and working your way in one direction outwards to a wall. Make your cuts along the wall to complete the first part of the bathroom floor tiling.

Then continue to install ceramic bathroom floor tiles in the opposite direction from your reference lines to complete the tile installation.

Once you’ve completed tiling the bathroom floor, allow the thinset mortar to set up for 24 hours before grouting.

Cedar Outdoor Furniture

Spring is the perfect time to update your outdoor furniture. When choosing outdoor furniture, it's important to purchase quality furniture that is designed to withstand harsh weather and other outdoor elements. Western Red Cedar and Northern White Cedar are good choices for hardy, outdoor furniture because this type of wood is naturally resistant to insect damage and decay. It can be stained or left untreated to naturally weather to an attractive silver gray.

Here are some of the latest outdoor cedar products available at HomeTreasureCove. All of them can be conveniently ordered online and will be shipped right to your home. If you would like a shipping quote for any of these items, just send an email to support@hometreasurecove.com with your shipping address.

Park Style Picnic Table- This durable, attractive picnic table is perfect for the family who loves summer barbeques and outdoor dining.

Camel Back Settee-
An elegantly styled camel back settee is designed with an arched back and deep seating for a relaxed fit and maximum comfort. The sturdy cedar construction ensures beauty and years of carefree use.

Double Rocker- Get cozy with this carefully crafted curved rocking foot that ensures a smooth ride while the traditional-styled low-back vertical slats strike a classic pose. This elegant rocker is smooth-sanded and seats two comfortably.

Garden Teaset- Take “tea for two” in this lightweight, smooth-sanded side-by-side seating by Rustic Cedar. The clever built-in table is just the right size for holding drinks, food, candles, books, magazines or just holding hands on a warm summer night.

Lounge Chair- Catch some rays or an afternoon nap on this sleek lounge chair featuring an adjustable back for comfort and a clever slide-out tray to hold a book or beverage.

Planter Box- Pair two of these attractive planter boxes with a Planter Bench to create a unique garden bench for extra seating. Filled with your favorite flowers, they make a beautiful display.

Potting Bench- This handsomely detailed and durable cedar bench is a must-have for green thumbs. Equipped with a removable tilting soil box and sturdy shelves to hold gardening supplies and tools, it’s the perfect accessory for amateur and professional gardeners alike. Rugged and long lasting, this bench is a fabulous value.

New England Deluxe Arbor- These sturdy red cedar arbors make a beautiful addition to your garden, especially with English Ivy, Roses or Wisteria climbing through them. See my Patio and Lawn Furniture page for more arbor and outdoor furniture designs.

Cool Teen Bedroom Design for Boys and Girls by Hulsta

Boys and Girls need a special thing to celebrate a youth, energetic and cheerful. So, here is the cool teen bedroom design from Hulsta. A series of  zippy, trendy and bring some much needed fun to the bedroom. A teen bedroom should have a simple and minimalist furniture and bed. A simple room decoration will make this bedroom looks more fresh.

The Joys of Satellite Television

by: Briana Liebmann

Satellite television is no longer the television of the future, it is one of the fastest growing forms of television viewing today. Satellite television has come a long way from the days where viewers struggled with large, clunky dishes on the sides of their house. Now, thanks to technological advancement, companies have successfully shrunken those bulky devices down to a compact satellite dish which has more quality and affordability than it's predecessor.

Today, Satellite TV offers an impressive amount of choices for the avid television fanatic. From newly released movies to your favorite sports game, satellite television has the capabilities to take you where you want to go and farther.

What makes Satellite TV so different than basic cable? Just one viewing experience would reveal a sharper picture quality and much larger selection of channels along with helpful customer service and reasonable prices.

When shopping for the best satellite TV retailers, be wary of scammer's advertising "Free Satellite Television" promising the best deals, installation, subscriptions and many more unbelievable promotions. If a website offers you a deal which seems too good to be true. Most likely, it is.

In order to insure a legitimate company, go with a satellite TV provider with a positive and well-known reputation.

Shopping online for satellite TV usually proves advantageous to customers through free gifts and exclusive promotions offered only online. Go ahead, take advantage of the offers and convenience of ordering online. Just remember to take caution as with any other online purchase. Here are a few tips to discern a great provider from a scammer:

1. The longer the satellite TV provider has been in business, the better.

2. Check to see if the web page is security enabled.

3. Beware of hidden fees.

4. Guarantees are always a plus.

5. Customer service is readily available and easily accessible.

About The Author

Briana Liebmann is an original content writer for http://www.youseekit.com which features original articles on a variety of topics.

To see the original article, go to http://www.youseekit.com/satellite-tv/htm.

youseekit@gmail.com



Improving your home and your life only at Home Improvement Idea : http://home-improvement-idea.blogspot.com

Spring Decorating

Spring is on the way and it is my favorite time of year. Everything seems to wake up and come alive with color. It's a good time to do some spring cleaning inside and outside your home. Spring decor should be fun and bright, bringing to mind the fresh scents and colors of flowers and fruit trees in bloom, wide blue sunny skies and the natural beauty of mother nature as new life gets welcomed into the world.

You can begin by creating your own little oasis in your back yard, garden or patio. These Asian inspired ceramic planters in three different sizes add a colorful exotic touch and can be used indoors or outdoors. There are four different designs to choose from.

Another idea for adding sparkle outside your home are these attractive Painted Glass Sun Catchers. They are hand painted with beautiful detailed designs such as the Chinese character for love with cherry blossoms, Chinese dragons and a 3 panel Feng Shui style.






Garden flags are a great way to add color and style to your yard. For spring, the Whiff of Fragrance Garden Flag and the Tranquility Garden Flag are both great choices.

Fresh cut spring flowers are a favorite choice for many decorators who want to add an attractive, natural element indoors. These Large Red & White Vases are just the thing to display a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers. Choose the design you like best or get all four to display fresh flowers throughout your home.

Cross Bracing Floor Joists

By Mark J. Donovan

Floor joists commonly twist and flex under heavy load. In order to reduce the amount of floor joist twisting and flexing cross bracing is commonly employed between floor joists. Normally cross bracing is installed every 8 feet, or center span between floor joists.

Cross bracing can be comprised out of wood or metal. For wood, typically 1x4 lumber is used. It is nailed at the top and bottom edges of adjacent floor joists. It is important not to split the ends of the cross braces as this will weaken their strength. Metal cross braces are also commonly used.

Cross braces should be installed prior to installing the subfloor. By installing the floor joist cross braces before the subfloor you can ensure that the floor joists are properly spaced. This will aid in the subfloor installation effort.

If the floor joists are constructed out of treated lumber, make sure to use stainless steel nails or fasteners. Likewise if you use metal cross braces make sure they are coated in an ACQ corrosive resistant coating. Regular steel or galvanized nails and metal cross braces will corrode if placed in contact with treated lumber.

Comfort and Relaxing with Swissflex Smart Bed

Comfort and design. The combination of ingenious technology and creative design invokes uni­maginable possibilities. This is the smart bed with the symbiosis of comfort and design offers an entirely new aesthetic sleep experience. Perhaps the most perfect transition from dream to reality. Here are several products of Swissflex. There are a lot of awesome bed series, such as Ambiente series, SF Series, mattresses, and pillows.

This is the Ambiente 500 with smart concept, for endless comfort with a frameless slat base. Timeless, sleek design with stylish, authentic materials and fascinating colour interpretations. Highest comfort combined with luxurious ambiance. The floating visual appearance of the slat base is matched by the body’s sense of near weightlessness. --swissflex--

Contemporary Kitchen Lighting Ideas Project by Mal Corboy:

Kitchen lighting can adding a special value of the kitchen, here are the project of blue lighting contemporary kitchen by Mal Corboy: Here is the description of the project:

The client purchased this penthouse apartment off the plans and has been three years in the making.

The award winning Architect for the apartment project had designed this contemporary complex with very modern simple lines. There is a high degree of glass and natural stone on the exterior. He had sourced European Imported Kitchens for all of the apartments, however my client found that the company could not meet the height he wanted in the cabinetry of 2.4 meters’. A client that I have worked with in the past recommended they commission myself to assist them achieve their perfect Kitchen.

As my clients has been involved with the Professional Motor Sport Industry for a number of years, they wanted a very masculine looking space. To achieve this we eventually chose the Stat Vein Marble and Stainless Steel, which provided an overall strong mono chromatic look to the Kitchen. Bench tops were made 150mm high of Stainless Steel with the Stat Marble inserted into the work surface. I continued the use of the Stainless Steel on the draws, doors and end panel fronts. My clients were particularly fond of Gaggenau appliances and wanted these, to not only match their overall look, but also used extensively within their Kitchen. This required sourcing and importing the Gaggenau fridge/freezer from England as at that time the integrated option wasn’t available in our country. A streamline chromed handle was used on all the cabinetry which were imported from Germany, this gave the Kitchen nice lines and could be used secondary to the Blum electric push release draws. The clients are very design conscious people and coupled with the fact it was twelve months before production began for this Kitchen, I was required to rework the drawings several times as their taste changed as they were exposed to new and different products in the market place. The end result is a very contemporary kitchen which takes peoples breath away when they first see it. This has become a focal point in this large open plan apartment.

The Faucet: A Deciding Factor

The Faucet: A Deciding Factor

by: Matthew Noel

In the design of your new kitchen, the faucet can be one of the largest, most critical aspects of it all. In many cases, you will find that a beautiful one can be the completion of a beautiful kitchen. But how should you decide and what should you look for in the ones that you consider? If you walk into any home improvement store, you are likely to find many to choose from. It can become overwhelming even.

Even though it can be somewhat difficult for you to find the faucet that you know is perfect this is only because you have so many choices. It works well to look at several key points when choosing the right one.

• First, look at the metals used. For most, stainless steel is the best choice because of its ability to stay clean and to resist rusting. But, it is not your only option. For example, you may want to think about options such as copper as well. This can make a grand statement!

• And, that is the next thing to consider. Do you want the faucet to make a statement about your tastes or be simplistic? Do you want it to stand out or to simply fit in? Consider options that fit these needs.

• You should also consider the style and design of the element as well. For some, necessity is all that matters. Even so, you can have a great looking choice that is quite functional.

• The bottom line, though, is that you should choose the one that fits your needs the very best. It should feel right, look right and be what you want it to be.

The faucet that you choose can show your personality and style, or not. It can be whatever you want it to be as long as you love it!

About The Author

Matthew Noel

For more information please see http://www.faucet-deals.co.uk



Improving your home and your life only at Home Improvement Idea : http://home-improvement-idea.blogspot.com