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(By: Tim Clark) Many parents have sent their kids off to school or watched them move out on their own. And many have already converted their bedrooms into home gyms, art studios, or offices. And, in tough economic times, have watched their kids have to move home again. What do you do when Junior wants his or her old bedroom back? Here are some tips on how to adjust when the empty nest is no longer empty. First, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to move your scrapbooking table to the basement. Or that you’ll have to sell your home gym equipment. The key to an awkward transition like...
(By: Tim Clark) Be honest. Your old wood deck has bit the dust. Literally. The boards are warped and cracked. You get splinters every time you walk across it. And the stain is faded beyond recognition. But you love having a deck – it’s where your family and friends gather on the weekends. It’s where you cook your hotdogs and steaks over an open flame – the way it’s meant to be. Or worse…you don’t even have a deck! You’ve probably got a cracked concrete slab with weeds growing all up in it. But summer is almost over, I hear you say. And you're ri...
Energy can not be created or destroyed, only converted from one entity to another. With the Revolution of the Green Movement in full swing, mankind has evolved in the way we use and gather resources. We recycle everything from soda cans to jeans. We can take natural occurrences (i.e. wind) and convert their energy into usable energy or materials for ourselves.The idea of using solar rays has been around for years, but with new technology being green is becoming easier and easier (and cheaper). Solar rays or photons (better known as sunlight) can be converted into usable energy throu...
As summer winds down, ask yourself, how often did you use your pool this summer? How often did you use it last year? If your answer is barely (or never!), now think about how much money and time you spend maintaining your pool. Too much right? I may have a solution for you other than maintaining your pool... just let it go. Yes, let it go. Let it turn green. Why? Because then you can convert your underused swimming pool into a pond! Don't spend money to fill it in and even more to properly landscape your backyard. Instead, watch this video and see how it easy it is to convert your forgotten po...
It’s hot outside. It’s hot indoors. As much as you want to leave your a/c on full blast for the next three months, you know the electric company won’t give you a break. Here are 8 ideas to cool your home as well as staying keeping your energy useage efficient! Programmable thermostat. Regulating the temperature of your home can save as much as 10% on your annual energy bills. The US Department of Energy estimates that these thermostats save 1% on an energy bill per degree set-back during an 8 hour time frame. This is especially valuable in locations with extreme climates thro...
(By: Tim Clark) In the summer time, it gets hot and dry and your grass turns. Which means you need to irrigate your lawn. If you don’t, you’ll have the worst lawn in the neighborhood. And everyone wants to keep up with the Jones’. You have two options. Well, three options really. The first two involve spending more money on your water bill. You can either hire an irrigation contractor to come install an underground lawn sprinkler system. This can be an expensive undertaking. But the sprinkler system can be put on a timer and run automatically every few days and be set to go o...
It’s that time of year – sizzling meat , cool beers and parties! Here some very handy and top of the line additions to make your summer easy breezy (and ideas for Father’s Day). Whether you are grilling for your party or just yourself, typically you have more than just beef – you have your vegetables and often other meats as well. No one wants to let their meat cool as they cook veggies or worst – have food fall through the grates! Here is a great solution – the dual grill and griddle pan from cooking.com for $20. Plus it has an easy cleanup with the nonst...
It's finally summer! Enjoy these clips from America's Funniest Home Video - Summer Edition. (Side effects include a decreased likelihood in attempting diving board tricks...) Click the Image to Play! Watch on Youtube
(By: Tim Clark) As we head into warm weather and what is known as the “Home Improvement Season”, homeowners are coming out of their shells. Many are shedding their concerns over the recent economic troubles and are ready to remodel. The economy has forced many to stay put rather than moving up to a larger house but they still need the additional room. Building a room addition is not an option for most, but we predict a trendy renovation back in ’06 and ’07 will return big this year – the outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen is basically an extension of the home fr...
(By: Tim Clark) Okay, first you get a can of green spray paint and… No, that won’t work very well. At all. But now is the time to make sure you’ve got the nicest lawn on your street. Now that spring is here, you’ve already started mowing your grass. But the long, cold winter has taken a toll on your yard and here’s how to give it a little TLC. To start with, put your mower on the highest setting so that you’re not cutting it too short. Grass blades can be severely damaged by cutting too low and cutting with a dull blade. Chopping the tops off means you cut...
We all wish we had more closet space or cabinet space or room in the kitchen. Even another room to fully utilize and appreciate our things and make our lives easier. How about those of us who dream of living a green and eco-friendly house? What about streamlining our space and being an efficient as possible? Now imagine losing half or even 2/3rds of your space... what would you do? This architect from Hong Kong has solved these problems for himself. Having grown up on the extemely crowded and busy island - Gary Chang is no stranger to the need to maximize and utilize all space available to him...
Sometimes people want to hire a contractor to build their family home or design & create their ultimate dream kitchen. Other times individuals hire a contractor for the emergency broken pipe or damaged roof. My favorite (and often comical) reason to hire a contractor is to save one from the DIY projects gone awry. It's easier to just show you what I mean - check out these photos from people who need to find a contractor ASAP! Completed by someone not worried about erosions or curb appeal... "I swear, it's not going to move!" (That's what she's afraid of) The kids love it! Were they ...
(By: Tim Clark) If you’ve got a basement in your home, you understand the advantages. It can be additional living space, a storage area, playroom for kids, or all three at the same time. But a basement can also provide a weakness to your home's foundation. It is important that you pay attention to what it might be telling you. As snow melts and the rains begin, you be aware of the signs of trouble down below. After a long wet winter and the rainy season of spring, all of that water and weight can take a toll on your basement walls. We wanted to provide you with valuable tips on how to ke...
Was one of your New Year’s goals to start being healthier or lose weight? How about to be more energy efficient or “go green” or even just spend less? If any of these sounds like something you have been wishing for, I have a suggestion… Go green and stay healthy by growing your own food! Growing food in a garden has so many benefits including saving money, saving energy (think about the drive to the air conditioned grocery store vs. walking to your garden), and eating healthier (food has more nutrients right when they are picked). On top of that – you'll know exa...
It's that time of year again! With more sunshine brightening the house - make it sparkle! We know it can be overwhelming to organize and clean a household after those long winter months full of holidays and relatives visiting. So here is a video we found that had a few useful tips and tricks for trying to manage the clutter our lives' collect. If you feel it is outta your control - find a professional organizer and simplify your life! Click the video to play! Watch on Youtube
ConstructionDeal.com is hosting a Twitter.com Contest! Starting March 29th and lasting until April 22nd - you can win up to $625! All you have to do to participate and win is follow us on twitter - @FindaContractor and tweet our unique message for a chance to win the $25 daily prize - everyday! Check out the live Tax Refund feed and learn more details about the our twitter contest by checking out our contest page. We look forward to your tweets and giving away $625!
A few years ago during one of Southern California’s minor – but still strong enough to scare – earthquakes, my friend’s grandmother was in the middle of doing laundry. And to her horror - she watched as her water heater rocked back and forth (it was next to her washing machine). Luckily, nothing happened – but it was enough to motivate to call her grandson Robert and have him come brace the water heater for her. The request seemed simple enough – he had all the materials, tools, and knew how to brace a water heater to a wall. However, when he arrived to do t...
Spring is in the air and new life is about to emerge. That itch to roll up your sleeves and dig in the dirt is flaring and the desire to see green tips is overwhelming. Okay, so before you start pounding the soil with your gardening zealotry – let’s make sure you have all the necessary preparations in order, with these shopping tips and reminders. First – you want to make sure sunlight has access to your gardening area. Where is the sunlight coming from and what area is always in the shade? This is important for determining where to plant and what types of plants would be mo...
With St. Patty's Day around the corner - you may be bored with the usual green beer, corn beef & caggage, and the "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" t-shirts. This video will show you a more authentic way to celebrate this Irish "Thanksgiving Day" as if you were in the Old Country! Click the Video to Start Play Watch on Youtube Happy St. Patrick's Day from ConstructionDeal.com!
(By: Tim Clark) There’s a fairly easy do-it-yourself project you can do to revitalize any room in your house and it usually doesn’t cost very much money. Installing or replacing the wood trim can really make an impact, along with a fresh coat of paint, and add value to your house. Recently, I installed new baseboards in my foyer and it made a big difference in the look of our entryway. Our house has 30 year old, dark wood baseboards and door casings that are dated, scratched, and worn. It was time for an overhaul as you can see here: First, I painted the room. I used a nice, light...