Residential Metal Roofs - Color Your Roof in Style

The variety of metal roof colors and styles available today may astound you. If you are considering a metal roof, you can forget that old tin roof look.

If you want the price and durability of a metal roof, but prefer the classic shingle look, metal roof shingles are available in all the colors of traditional asphalt shingles. Other colors you may not have considered before are also available.

Metal roof tiles are available in a multitude of colors, and can be purchased with a stone type finish to give them a real tile look. Sculpted cap pieces complete the effect. All metal roofs will save you money in the long run, but metal tile versus traditional tile may be the best bargain.

The other candidate for the best bargain would be a cedar shake style metal roof. That's right, you can have the look of a traditional cedar shake roof for less than the price of a shingle roof. Again, different colors and styles are available.

Even the traditional metal roof design can look better than the old tin roof of yesteryear. Many standing seam configurations are available that do not show any screws. With the colors available today, you can have a truly beautiful roof in a simple classic style that will last a lifetime.

An interesting development available today is photovoltaic roof panels. These panels look just like a standard roofing panel, available in the same colors as a standard panel. These panels are only available in certain standing seam models, but they are a vast improvement over the look of standard photovoltaic installations. This do not look like an add-on. It would be an integral part of your roof.

You do need a licensed electrician to install all the equipment you need to connect your house to a photovoltaic system. But you could install the roofing system on your own.

If you are considering a do-it-yourself installation, your manufacturer should have a contact available to help you through the entire process. They will have metal roof installation instructions for the style you choose. Local permitting would be your responsibility, but they will even have advice to help you through that process. The cost savings for doing it yourself are significant, and are definitely worth the time and effort.

Most metal roofing sold today is rated for fifty years. With the addition of coatings available today and in the future, your new metal roof may be the last one your house will ever need.

Learn more about Residential Metal Roofing Installation.

Wall Spacing For Home Building

Remodeling and building homes over the years I have seen all sorts of stud spacing measurements in bearing and non-bearing walls.

How far should we space a framing stud in a bearing wall?

Most plans will give you this information. If you have a structural shear wall the plans will tell you what size of lumber to use at the plywood breaks. The normal spacing on a bearing wall will be 16 inches on center unless otherwise noted on the building plans. This is the most common spacing for studs in a wall.

How far can we space framing studs in a nonbearing wall?

I have seen studs spaced as far as 24 inches on center in a nonbearing wall. Over the years looking at the building code books I have found this to be acceptable for most framing applications. Do not confuse a nonbearing walls with a structural shear walls because there is no weight sitting on the shear wall.

Interior structural shear walls will require 16 inch on center spacing or less depending on the structural engineer and your local building department.

What are the disadvantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

Using half-inch drywall with 24 inch on center stud spacing can give the wall a week or spongy feel. I have been in houses that have 24 inch on center's stud spacing and can actually push the wall and see it move. Using 5/8 drywall will solve this problem in your walls.

What are the advantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

The only advantage in spacing the studs farther apart is the fact you will be able to save a few dollars on the overall cost of building or remodeling your house. I personally do not recommend this process because the savings is miniscule compared to the overall cost of building the entire house.

If you look on a measuring tape between 19 and 20 inches you will usually find a little diamond. This little diamond is another measurement for laying out eight-foot walls or floors. So instead of using 16 inch on center layout you can use 19 1/4 for stud spacing. This will save you an additional stud in your wall or floor joist every 8 feet.

I have been writing more articles on home construction problems trying to help contractors and homeowners build safer stronger houses.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as

well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in San Marcos Home Building

De Luz Remodeling

Recycling Your Old Appliance

Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle are three words that environmentalists take seriously. But these words resonate much farther than just in the environmentalist communities. Average people are well informed about the environment and are doing more to help protect it. Going "green" can be as simple as taking refundable soda cans to the local depot or donating clothes that your kids have out-grown. Other simple ideas include re-using old craft supplies or composting table scraps. But what about when you need to get rid of some really big household items? The 3 R's seem to become more complicated when you're faced with disposal of large items like appliances. Here are some tips to help you figure out what to do with your old refrigerator or stove.

Does your old appliance still work?

Maybe you've updated your kitchen and purchased new appliances but your old ones still work great. The first thing you should do is to check out your local donation programs. Many programs offer local pick-up service and have lists of families in need that would be happy to have a working appliance. Your neighborhood Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity are great places to start or you can also check out here for more information and charitable organizations.

You can also check out your local Bounty and Municipal Programs. A quick call to your electric utility will let you know if a program is available in your area. In general, the appliances must be working and meet certain conditions to qualify but if they do you could be in line for a nice little rebate. Your municipality will let you know if they will pick up your old appliance or where you can drop it off for disposal. To get more details check out the Environmental Protection Agency's FAQ on disposing appliances or call your municipality.

Refrigerants Need Special Attention

Refrigerators, dehumidifiers and air conditioners all contain dangerous refrigerants, like Freon, which can damage the ozone if not properly disposed. If you have one of these appliances and they are no longer in working order or do not qualify for one of the above programs, visit the US Environmental Protection Agency's website for tips on proper disposal. Never attempt to remove refrigerants yourself as they can harm you as well as the environment.

Keeping our environment safe and protecting it for our children is everyone's responsibility. Make sure that you evaluate all of your options before getting rid of your old appliances. Choosing the option that helps out your community and doesn't harm the environment makes everyone a winner.

Gwen McIntyre is a Marketing Manager for PartSelect.com. PartSelect.com is a provider of appliance repair parts to help repair your home appliances. Partselect has a full selection of appliance parts for all major appliance manufacturers

Framing Exterior House Walls - Home Building

Framing the exterior walls with 2 x 6 studs instead of 2 x 4 can definitely add to the price of the home. In addition to the cost of the lumber, you also have an increase in the labor, insulation, window and door trimming.

The advantages for using 2 x 6 in the exterior walls would be the additional structural strength to the building and the ability to use thicker insulation in the walls.

One of the only reasons I can think of for using 2 x 6 on your exterior wall would be the installation of thicker insulation. 2 x 4 walls will insulate with R-13, which is about 4 inches thick and 2 x 6 will insulate with R-19, which is about 6 inches thick.

The additional 2 inches will be a 50% increase over the 2 x 4 wall. 50% is a lot, dealing with anything. Imagine if you got a 50% increase in your annual pay this year. This wouldn't be anything to complain about, would it.

2 x 6 also has advantages when you are drilling holes for plumbing pipes, electrical wires or heating ducts. Often plumbers and electricians drill large holes in 2 x 4 walls, taking a little bit more away from the structural strength of the home. Some plumbing pipes for example are 2 inches in diameter, drilling this whole through a 3 1/2 inch 2 x 4, only leaves you three quarters of an inch on each side if the whole is drilled exactly in the center.

Drilling a 2 inch hole in a 2 x 6 will leave you an inch and three quarters on each side. In other words if you subtract 2 inches from 5 - 1/2 inches, the thickness of a 2 x 6, you still have a 2 x 4 left over. 2 x 6 framing also gives you 50% more lumber and structural strength in the home. Again this might not sound like much but it is a lot.

If you live near a busy road or highway, you could use the 2 x 6 framing, only on the exterior walls that separate your living area from the noisy road. The thicker the wall, the tougher it is for the sound to travel through it.

The biggest problem with most home builders is the additional cost and this is coming right out of their profit. Most homebuilders, especially the larger ones, depend on every penny they can to survive in the long run. It's an extremely tough business to be in.

If you're building your own home, give some consideration to using 2 x 6 if you live in areas where the temperatures are extremely cold or hot. One of the only reasons to frame the exterior walls with 2 x 6 is the ability to use more insulation and this would cut down utility costs. If you live in a moderate climate, where utility bills aren't astronomical, it would not be cost effective, for you to use 2 x 6.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more House Remodeling Pictures or home building ideas.

Wood Fence Damage

Four Solutions For Porch Roofs Cover With Old Metal Shingles

Owners of vintage homes usually want to preserve their embossed tin shingle roofs. Unfortunately there are no readily available metal shingles that will match the size, texture and shadowing of the embossed tin shingles dating from 1870 to 1930. But there are resolutions that can meet budget constraints as well as appearance expectations.

For these owners of homes with embossed metal shingles, the porch is usually the most challenging. The porch area tends to be the most trampled. Understandably, painters have placed ladders on the shingles. Or children have played on them. Damaged porch tin shingles are a common occurrence.

When maintenance is due on metal shingle roofs, the porch roof may be handled differently than upper roofs because of the excessive damage.

Here are four solutions:

1. For example, an historical district owner faced a real dilemma. The enclosed porch roof area leaked into her living room. The local historical society flatly rejected any plan to replace the roof unless the same metal shingles were used. Her budget could not afford to replace with new shingles at this point.

In this situation, the owner had to balance her priorities between satisfactory appearance, performance and budget.

Her strategy was to opt for 1) stopping the leakage into her living room and 2) avoiding a conflict with the local historical society. To accomplish this decision, the fully reinforced system with restoration green acrylic was applied. This system consists of four layers of acrylic with mesh between two of the coating layers.

For this situation at that particular time, the approach made sense. From the driveway, the porch roof surface looks presentable. Since the back door is the main entrance, the appearance issue seemed resolved for the roof surface. Incidentally, the leakage situation was solved

2. The use of the standing seam panels has been a popular choice for a porch roof. The reasons are obvious: Both standing seam and shingles are traditional metal styles of roofing. Also, with the traditional standing seam panels, the metal shingles complement each other quite attractively. The cost of this approach is less expensive than new shingles,

3. If modern asphalt shingles have already been installed as a solution, every owner will agree the appearance is usually undesirable. On these porches, where tin shingles are visible on other roofs, the least expensive approach may be to coat the porch asphalt shingles with the same acrylic tint as the rest of the metal tin shingles. The color ties in the different roofs

4. Another inexpensive approach is to install a smooth, rolled roofing installation. Then coat the rubber or mineral surface roofing with the acrylic of the embossed tin shingles. One customer coated her porch roof with an acrylic tint that accented the trim of her stone house.

By working with an experienced contractor in this field, innovative solutions are possible.

http://www.roofmenders.com

Building Your Lake Home

You might have a dream of building a lake home for retirement, for enjoying summers at the lake or for an investment. No matter what your reason for owning a lake home by starting out with a good builder and knowing some of the basics about home building, you will be able to have a positive experience during the home building process.

Start by looking in your area for a builder that suits your needs and has a good reputation in the area. Make sure that the builder is sensitive to your needs and will listen to what you want in a lake home. Notice whether promises are kept or broken. Some contractors are skilled at giving good impressions early but lack the character to do what they say. You can save yourself many headaches by learning to spot this deficiency early on.

Ask your builder the following questions:

1. How many years of experience do you have in building lake homes?
2. What special skills and qualifications do you have to offer?
3. What happens if the project goes over-budget?
4. What type of homes do you normally build?
5. How much input will we have into the design of the home?
6. Are you licensed and insured?
7. Who is responsible to get building permits?

Take your time when looking for a builder. Some of the best builders in the area may be booked up several months in advance, but they also may be able to fit you in as many times builders work on several homes at one time. For instance, as the concrete is drying and setting up at one location, they may be doing the framing on another home.

Have a one-on-one meeting with the builder and see if he/she is open to your ideas and suggestions. Does the builder give you his/her complete attention? Or is he busy taking phone calls during your meeting? If so, the builder might not devote his/her full attention to your project. Then ask to meet some of the key staff who will be working on the home. Do the employees seem professional and interested in their work?

By taking your time when looking for a builder, you will go a long way in the process of having what you want in your lake home. Make your dream home a reality by taking things one step at a time - and starting with a qualified builder.

For more information about what to look for when building your lake home go www.bluestoneconst.com.

Jim Raboin and Larry McCulley are co-owners of BlueStone Construction (http://www.bluestoneconst.com) and have over 20 years of experience in the building industry. Jim has been in the building industry since the early 1990's and is a visionary who has built BlueStone on the idea of giving more than is expected. Jim has close to 15 years of residential construction experience and is fast becoming known as a new kind of developer/construction leader in the Brainerd Lakes region. Larry McCulley has been in the building industry since 2000. He has built BlueStone by taking what he has learned from our clients and creating truly unique lakehomes that reflect their lifestyles. Achieving excellence through relationship building is his passion. Larry has 7 years of commercial and residential construction experience and received his bachelors degree in construction management from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Creating A Habit

Installing Home Windows - Home Remodeling Help

Most carpenters and construction workers understand one thing about eye level. It had better be straight, square and plumb. My dad could walk into a room take a quick glance at a wall and notice almost every single flaw in that wall. I was always amazed at his ability to find problems so quickly.

I have never quite developed the ability that my father has in noticing construction defects at his level. But I can tell you this most people notice a majority of flaws at their eye level. What does this mean? Quite simply if you are 4'6" tall you will notice every flaw possible between 3'6" and six foot.

If you are 6 feet tall you will notice every flaw between 5 feet and 8 feet. You might not notice the window apron but you will notice the window header if there are any problems.

Now the problem is installing windows at eye level and making sure that the window sill is level and the jambs are plumb. Windows seem to get used a lot and therefore will be looked at often. The more we look at something the more we will notice the good and the bad about that object.

Does the window slide easy, does the window lock easy, does the window close and open with little effort? If the window has grids this could be a bigger problem. If you are sliding the moving panel of the window passed the fixed panel of the window and the window is not level or straight you will definitely see it.

If you are installing Windows above 8 feet you could probably get away with the window being a little bit out of level or plumb. If the window is a two-story house and you can view it from upstairs you could have a problem if the window is out of square or not level.

Keep in mind is very important and not hard to do when installing the windows during construction or remodeling to keep them plumb and level. I know a lot of carpenters and window setters that slapped the windows in, eyeball them for straightness and move on to the next window to perform the same task.

Every person's eye level range will vary. A taller person will notice most mistakes five foot and above. A smaller person will notice mistakes five foot and below. Working at someone's eye level is a mistake. Your work should be quality and when setting windows should be done to the best of your ability.

You might ask why it matters. Because you never know when someone smaller or taller is going to be walking through the house and notice some simple problems that could have been fixed easily during the construction process. Now the window will have to be repaired which could be a costly process.

I like to build things right the first time. Take your time, double check everything and assemble with pride.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Articles and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in Installing Windows in Your Home

Poor Roof Corner Patch