Basement Remodeling FAQ's

by Alden Smith
Because remodeling a basement is a unique project, and you are limited by existing structure, there are a lot of questions you may have about basement remodels. Surprisingly, many of these problems have a solution, and the savvy contractor can answer them quickly for you. Remember, in a basement remodel, you may have to make a few compromises when beginning the project due to structural design. Here, we list some basic frequently asked questions about remodeling your basement.

Should I get three estimates?
That depends. If you have lived a long time in your neighborhood and know a reliable contractor, then go with him. A realtor is often a very good resource for finding a good contractor, and the realtor who sold you your home is always willing to help. If you are new to the neighborhood, then it is always a good idea to get three estimates. Remember, going with the cheapest is not always the best. Ask to see some of the contractors work and ask for references. A reputable contractor will be more than glad to assist you.

Do I need a permit?
Yes. Any major rebuilding requires that you have the necessary permits to do so. A good contractor will assist you in this process.

What can I expect to pay for a basement remodel?
Research shows that the cost for a full remodel will run $30 to $40 per square foot. Always have a budget in place before calling a contractor. Research shows the average build out runs between $18,000 and $35,000.00. Be certain these funds are available before contacting the contractor.

I have three estimates, and they vary widely in price. Why?
Prices should vary somewhat between contractors. Remember, they want your business, and often attempt to underbid one another. If you see a big gap between estimates, its time to sit down with the contactor and ask some questions. Perhaps the contractor did not fully understand your needs. Ask the contractor to explain fully the bid, and if he is vague about any questions, move on to the next in line. Always get explanations about costs in writing, not just a verbal agreement from the contractor.

I want to add extra bedrooms in my basement. Do I need windows?
Absolutely. Although fire codes vary from locale to locale, the rule is that the windows should be wide enough for a person to gain access to the outside. They must also be a minimum height from the floor. Plan on a window that is large enough for a fireman to get in through carrying breathing apparatus, and you will be in good shape.

There is a large steel beam in my basement. Can I remove it?
You certainly can, but should give this a great deal of consideration. These beams are extremely heavy, and because they are in the basement, can only be removed by man power and jacks. A hole will need to be made in an exterior wall to remove it, and there certainly isn't a crane to help! Remember, this beam maintains the levelness of your home, and keeps it from sagging. To remove it is a gigantic task, and it still has to be replaced with support that is efficient enough to maintain structural integrity. Only an engineer can figure that out for you. Consider instead turning the beam into a soffit by boxing in with drywall or similar material. What do contractors recommend? Don't do it!

My basement seems damp. What should I do before I remodel?
Before you begin any basement remodel, you must deal with moisture. First, check fro proper drainage around the exterior of the home. A proper installation has drains installed at footing level, sloped between 1 and 2 inches per 10 feet, to direct water away from the house. If these are not present in an existing home, prepare them before beginning the remodel. After the trenches are dug, apply waterproof membranes to the foundation wall as you backfill the trench. On interior walls, coat with Xypex, a crystalline sealant that is excellent for controlling moisture. Always be sure to keep a dehumidifier running in your basement at all times.

My basement floor isn't level. What should I do?
Often basement floor are purposely built on a slope to provide drainage in a basement. To cure this, you can do several things. Home supply stores such as Lowe's sell a self-leveling mortar that fixes this problem and is the easiest. It is mixed with water and spread with a squeegee that has adjustable nubs to bring the floor to level. Otherwise, a sub floor should be built that is level.

A basement remodel is like nothing other. Learn the tricks and have a successful basement remodel.

Alden Smith is an award winning author and regular contributor to DoItYourself.com. He writes on a variety of subjects, and excels in research.
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/basement-remodel-faq

Changing Tables

Sarah Van Arsdale

Your hospital bag is packed, you have a great crib for the baby, your friends have laden you with baby clothes, and all you need is a proper changing table for the baby's nursery and you will have a well planned and designed children's room. Look out: there are many design choices involved and perhaps more decorating decisions to be made for when decorating kids' rooms than you'd thought possible. But with a little research, you can find a changing table that suits both the decor of Baby's room, the needs of Baby - and the needs of Mom.

The first decision to make is what you want under the table. Changing tables come in models with drawers under the table, or with open shelves on which you can put baskets. It may not seem obvious to the first-time Mom, but you want several items easily accessible to you: diapers, wipes, powder, cream, and clothing, for starters. You'll also make changing time easier if you can hang a distracting toy by the changing table.

The drawback to a changing table with drawers is that you'll have to pull them open, which is certainly manageable, but gives you one more thing to consider while you're holding Baby onto the table with one hand and opening a diaper with the other. You'll get the hang of it, but at first you may feel more like you've joined the circus than that you've become a mother.

The drawback to the open shelves is that they'll look messier. Don't for a minute think they'll look the way they do in the glossy interior design catalogs, unless you have a team of nannies, maids and footmen at your service. However, reaching into a basket with one hand while pinning Baby to the table with the other is easier than opening those drawers.

Other tables make use of the space under the table with a removable hamper for the dirty diapers, and some have a set of steps that fold into the table when not in use, so that a toddler can climb onto the table, making changing time less of a fight and more of an adventure when Baby is bigger.

Of course, safety is the most important consideration in choosing a table for a baby's room. Some tables have a rail around the top to prevent Baby from taking a tumble should Mom forget to hang on for a moment. Others have no rail, and are meant to be used with a curved changing pad which also helps keep Baby on the table. Others have straps, which you can also buy separately and put on yourself.

It probably goes without saying, but we'll repeat it here: when changing Baby, you should never turn your back. Even one second Baby is left unattended on a changing table can mean tragedy.

Finally, consider something that will seem utterly untrue during Baby's diaper years: eventually, Baby will no longer need diapers, and you will no longer need that changing table. So start putting into action a major principle of decorating children's rooms that should stay with you through all your child's years: buy with an eye to the future of the furniture. A changing table with drawers easily transforms into a child's dresser, and later, into a small chest of drawers for linens. A table with baskets can be changed into a bookshelf, or a shelf for the kitchen, or a handy place to keep toys and art supplies for Junior. If you plan your interior decorating with an eye toward versatility, the furnishings you buy for the room will last for decades.

If you're on a budget, you can find some savings by getting a table that requires some amount of assembly, or you can even get design plans for decorating kids' rooms so you can build one yourself.

Tip: Try out the changing table in the furniture store as best you can, by standing in front of it and checking the height. You don't want to have to bend over the table too much, so that you can save your back for the heavy lifting necessary the rest of the day.

Reprinted with permission from the Sheffield School of Interior Design.

Drywall Repairs Made Simple

By the time you finish reading this article, you will be able to perform basic repairs to damaged drywall. There are some basic tools that you should keep around the house, if you have an active family and are prone to get dings in the walls. This article will not provide enough information to do major repairs to drywall. Major repairs are simple, but you must learn the basics first.

Here is a list of some tools you will need. Your local big box can supply you with some basic tools. They run in price range from cheap to professional quality. They have plastic putty knives for less than a dollar all the way up to stainless steel that with care, will last a lifetime. If you expect a very small number of repairs, the plastic will suffice. Also, get a carriage bolt, a small hammer, a can of drywall joint compound, 150 to 220 grit sandpaper and a paint brush. These basic tools will repair most small dings and dents in drywall.

An example of a ding would be where the locking button on a door knob has left an impression in the wall behind it. This is typical of a quick and easy repair. Look at the damage. Is there anything protruding above the wall surface? If so, use the carriage bolt to push the protrusion below the wall surface. Use the hammer to help persuade the protrusion to go below the surface of the wall and round the edges. Next, take the putty knife and some joint compound or as it is commonly called, drywall mud, and fill the hole. Wait until the mud dries, sand lightly and fill the hole again to bring the material to the same level as the wall. Sand the surface again until the wall is smooth and level. Do not over sand. This will rough up the drywall allowing the paper to fray and requiring more mud to seal the rough surface. There should not be any differences in the surface. Several small applications will last much longer than one large application and give you better results.

Is everything smooth? If not, apply some more drywall mud to even the wall surfaces. Sand again. When the wall is smooth, apply the paint primer. When the paint primer is dry, apply your regular wall paint. The paint primer is to seal the wall so the new paint does not dry too quickly allowing the patch to be visible.

That is the basic method of repairing damaged drywall.

For more in depth instructions on basic drywall repair visit http://www.single-family-home-remodeling.com/drywall-repair.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Altman

Types and Uses of Wall Mount Brackets

Wall mounting brackets are a popular and commonly used device in homes, offices and public places like hospitals, and railway stations. These devices are used in mounting various electronic devices that need wall mounting or hanging for a proper display. The most popular and maximum use of mount brackets are in mounting LCD and Plasma Televisions.

Mounting Brackets Type

There are different types of mounting brackets depending upon their use and application. There are three main types of mount brackets available in market these days to mount LCD TVs, Plasma TVs and Larger display screens. They are:

Normal Mount Brackets - These are most popular and widely used mount brackets. They help us in placing LCD and Plasma TVs horizontally to the visiting level. Normal mount brackets are popular in home use, where people want to mount their Plasma or LCD TV to the wall, for a better viewing experience.

Tilt Mount Brackets - Tilt mount brackets are for places where people prefer viewing television in tilted position. They are mostly used at public places where the display devices are mounted on a height. They are even prone to theft and damage due to excess public interference.

Hanging Brackets - Hanging brackets are a different subtype of tilt mount brackets. The only difference is that they are mounted in ceiling, whereas other brackets are mounted on the wall.

Choosing a Mount Bracket for Your Need

Choosing a bracket for your LCD or Plasma TV is a crucial task. Because you need to match the perfect bracket specially designed and made for your brand and model. Any other bracket that is made for some other brand or model will not suit with your LCD or Plasma TV. You will need to select a mount bracket that is appropriate for your desired display position. You can easily get one matching to your needs from the stores dealing in mount brackets for LCD and Plasma TVs.

While buying mount brackets, you need to keep this fact in your mind that, they are going to hold your precious LCD or Plasma TV. Therefore, going behind a cheap mount bracket is not a good idea. Its betters, if you go for a trusted brand and dealer with maximum guarantee of your precious electronic devices.

Welcome to Mount Right - Plasma/LCD Bracket Type Plasma/LCD Screen Size Plasma/LCD Major Brand Video Cables & Leads Best Sellers 50% OFF SUPER SALE e-commerce, open source, shop, online shopping. For more information please visit: - http://www.mountright.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Homer

Easy Home Security DIY Tips

In this day and age, where crimes are happening every minute in the big cities, it is most important that you are able to protect your family, yourself and your own home. What better way than to get this protection than to install your home security system.

Usually the very first thing that come to mind about having a good home security system is to get a professional to install your home security system for you. This is an excellent idea, especially if you're not at all familiar with electronics, the wiring and the hardware like connecting video monitors to cameras, and so on. But do you know that many people are in fact finding that home security DIY is an do-able option, even if you're not a hardware expert. Yes, even if you have very few home improvement skills, you can still do it yourself quite easily. Why? Simply because in the market now, there are many home alarm systems that are geared towards the do-it-yourselfer. You'll be spoilt for choice!

These home security systems are designed to be easily installed and to use without help from the pros. So if you are interested to learn more about how you can go about home security DIY, read on for some quick tips and hints that will help you in the process.

If possible, try to go wireless!

Setting home alarms used to be a complicated process with messy wires and cables to deal with as you need to connect ech individual alarm to the keypad or console. What's even more scary is that sometimes you need to tear apart your home walls or cutting up carpets in your house in order to hide those wires after you set up your home security system.

But with the advancement of technology, now there is the option for home security DIY doers like yourself to go wireless! The beauty of such a system is that you do not have to deal with wires, cords or cables at all. It is as easy as mounting the boxes to the areas you want like doors or windows, plug in the keypad, select a program and you are done! Wireless home security is the simplest way that you can go when it comes to installing a home security system for your house and your property.

Get Ready Made Home Security Kits

Home security DIY is simple if you know exactly what you want and what are the components you need. You really need to be an expert in order to pick out all the hardware like the alarm, the surveillance cameras, the wirings, the control keypads, the monitors, adapters etc. If it sounds complicated to you, it is! Plus you need to have an in-dept knowledge of what works with what and what does not.

The best solution to home security DIY? Get a ready made home security kit! Such a kit usually comes with everything you need to setup a complete home security system and the best part is that you won't have to worry if these components are compatible with one another. Plus, such kits are usually more affordable compared to you getting the individual equipment and components on their own.

You should also know you can find out more about home security DIY online easily. Also know that most retailers are happy to help out the home security DIY person. Such shops usually have staff on hand who are very knowledgeable in this area and can help you.

If you want to find out more about securing your home and keeping your family and property safe, visit http://CompleteHomeSecurityGuide.com to download a FREE report to help you get started. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wright

How to Hang A Canvas

With the current popularity of canvas art, this article looks at the 3 most used methods to hanging a canvas print in your home or place of work.





Mirror Plates mounted to the inside of the canvas frame



Mirror plates mounted to the outside of the canvas frame



Mirror Plates

One of the most popular way to hang a canvas is using brass mirror plates. These small and very cheap plates are very easy to use and offer 2 separate ways to hang a canvas.

The first use of the mirror plate is an internal mounting. Attach the mirror plates to the inside of the canvas frame, and then simply slide the plates down over 2 screws in the wall. If you want to keep the mount hidden and therefore keeping the canvas clean and tidy, this is the method for you. However, you do lose out on the secure fixing.

If your after a secure fixing to the wall, mount the mirror plate to the outside of the frame. This means the third hole on the plate is visible and you can screw the plate directly into the wall. this methods only downside is the plate is subsequently visible.





Canvas Shown With Wire Hanging Method



Wire

Hanging canvas and any type of artwork has for a very longtime been carried out with some wire. Affix the wire to both vertical lengths of the canvas and tighten. Now all you need to do is drop the wire over a screw in the wall. Although its easy and cheap (5m of wire is approx 69p ($1.20 US)) you do suffer from canvas rotation. This is down to there only being 1 fixed point on the wall so you will be re-leveling the canvas on a regular basis.

3M Command Strip



3M Command Strip

This relatively new product has been under going testing here at WHoArtNow for the last few months, and although there a little more expensive (a 2 pack of 3kg hooks and glue will cost £3 or approx $6) but for the simplicity of this product, I think its worth every penny. You don't need to drill or screw anything, simply attach the glue strip to the hook, and then the hook to the wall. Now weight an hour, and hang your canvas. No mess, no fuss and no problems. There perfect if your not allowed or can't drill into your walls.

Conclusion

Just for the ease of use and no mess created by them, I'd recommend the 3M command strips to anyone who asks, just make sure you have the strongest hooks and the weight of the canvas is less than the combined strength of the hooks. (E.G. a 48"x32" canvas weighs approx 4kg, therefore 2 x 3kg hooks is more than enough)

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_611984_27.html

Top 10 Tips for Home cinema installation

Author: ilifesolution

i.life solutions have the following top ten tips for setting up your home cinema system:

1. Apportion your budget evenly and wisely
Avoid spending most money on the display and treating the audio as an afterthought. Try watching a good movie with the sound switched off, and then try listening with no picture and you will see why both areas are equally important.

2. Source quality – feeding your equipment
The quality of the source will determine the enjoyment of everything you see and hear. Look for a machine offering the best performance for basic picture and sound rather than seldom-used features.

3. Speaker positioning
For ideal front speaker positioning, set-up the front left and right for good stereo reproduction then site the centre speaker at the same height (or as near as possible) as the tweeter on the front left and right speakers.

4. Ideal sub location
To find the best site for a subwoofer, place it in the listening position then walk round the room until you find the spot where most bass is heard. This is the ideal location for the sub.

5. Setting speaker levels
Although individual speaker levels can be set up by ear, a much more accurate result (and a more believable sound) can be obtained with a sound pressure level meter. These are very simple to use and relatively cheap at approx £40.

6. Rear speaker settings
If individual sounds from rear speakers attract your attention try lowering their level in the set-up of your processor or increasing their delay. A piece of film recorded in a heavy ambient environment (such as a church or cathedral) is ideal for this.

7. Positioning of display device
When positioning a TV or plasma screen avoid reflections on the glass from lights or windows. These are best observed with the set switched off. Do not install your screen too high (usually above fire places) as it will cause a sore neck after long periods of viewing.

8. Customising default display settings
Factory settings on TVs are designed to look good in a retail store, not your living room. Invest in a test DVD such as Video Essentials and follow the instructions carefully for the best results.

9. Video connections
Normal analogue interconnects will not function correctly with video signals. Ask your dealer for 75ohm coaxial cables for your video connections.

10. Get help from a professional - your local dealer
For ultimate performance employ a specialist dealer or home cinema installation company to install your cinema. Their services are often great value for money and a professional set-up will yield the most enjoyable system.

Paul Jackson – home cinema installation specialist, more information can be found at http://www.ilifesolutions.co.uk
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Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_612007_27.html