11 Tips for Stripping Wallpaper: How to Get Rid of Ugly Wallpaper!

I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again. The only reason I did this is for $100,000 profit. My family and I did not have time to wait for professional help. We sold our investment property before finishing the work and needed the home ready for appraisal.

While stripping the wallpaper, I realized that many homemakers get wrong advice for this horrendous task. After years of experience on over 30 houses, I offer my tried and best tips:

1. Use a clothes steamer or rent a professional steamer

2. Soak a large section of the wall

3. Run a "Paper Tiger" scoring tool across the damp section

4. Steam the section again

5. Spray the section with fabric softener and hot water

6. Score the section with the paper tiger again

7. Steam again

8. Remove any curling edges (sometimes large areas peel off)

9. Scrape with a six inch sheetrock blade

10. Repeat the above steps on the section until most scrapes off easily

11. Scrub with hot water, TSP, and a sponge with a scratchy surface

Cautions: Use the Paper Tiger gingerly so you don't scratch or gouge the walls. Use gloves with the harsh chemical TSP.

Don't live with ugly wallpaper any longer!

P. S. Please email me if you have any additional tips on stripping wallpaper that would help others!

Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Jeanette Fisher loves to help home makers create homes for glorious living. For free ebook on Interior Design Psychology go to http://www.joytothehome.com

Notes on Building a Home on the Coast

For many people, the ideal place to live is in a home within a short drive to the beach. Coastal living provides for panoramic views of sea and land, fabulous sunrises and sunsets, and usually, a laid back lifestyle. A home on or near the beach might be a primary residence, or weekend getaway, or even a seasonal residence.

Everyone who considers building a new home in a coastal community expects that this major investment will last a lifetime, and that it will stand up to the elements and the aging process for generations to come. Coastal living presents certain challenges not present in inland communities. If you are considering building a new home, be sure to hire a builder experienced and qualified in the intricacies of coastal construction. Here are a few points to consider.

* A qualified builder, experienced in coastal conditions, selects construction materials that resist damage caused by water, flooding, high winds, corrosion, humidity and decay. He will study the site to determine its susceptibility to these elements and design a sturdy home that will withstand storms, hurricanes, floods and insect damage.

* Your builder will choose concrete mixtures that are specially blended to be able to withstand water damage.

* Wherever necessary pressure treated lumber is used in coastal home construction, as well as naturally strong woods such as cedar and redwood which are considered to be highly durable and flood resistant. Chemically treated lumber also helps prevent termite damage.

* Your builder will consider wind resistance as a factor when installing shingles, vinyl siding, glazing and framing.

* Homes built in coastal zones must be able to resist corrosion and moisture damage. It is important that your new home's hardware be resistant to this type of damage and your builder can recommend stainless steel and epoxy coated metals.

* Protective wood finishes are important for moisture resistance. Furthermore your builder will use construction techniques that assure that the wood elements do not come in contact with standing water.

* Interior flooring materials must be strong and moisture proof and your builder can guide you in your choices. Most frequently tile, marble and other stone products are the materials of choice and will resist moisture absorption and warping from excess humidity.

Enjoy your coastal home!

If you want a great Myrtle Beach Home Builders come and visit us at ameribuilt-homes.com

The Ten Most Frequent House Problems That Home Inspectors Find

A recent survey of home inspectors resulted in a list of the most frequently found problems in the homes they have inspected. It is significant that within this list of ten categories, at least four are directly related to the damaging effects of water. Thus, keeping water out - is the homeowner's most important and continually challenging objective.

1. Improper Surface Grading/Drainage
This was by far the most frequently found problem, reported by 35.8% of the survey respondents. It is responsible for the most common of household maladies: water penetration of the basement or crawl space.

2. Improper Electrical Wiring
A significant number (19.9%) chose this item as the most common home defect, which includes such situations as insufficient electrical service to the house, inadequate overload protection, and amateur, often dangerous, wiring connections.

3. Roof Damage
Although reported by only 8.5% of the respondents as the most common problem, roof leakage, caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing, was considered by CAHPI members to be a frequent problem.

4. Heating Systems
Problems in this category include broken or malfunctioning operation controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal.

5. Poor Overall Maintenance
Even the novice home buyer is usually aware of this situation, demonstrated by such signs as cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, and broken fixtures or appliances.

6. Structurally Related Problems
Many houses, as a result of problems in one or more of the other categories, sustain damage to such structural components as foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, and window and door headers.

7. Plumbing
Though never ranked by the respondents as a Number One problem, plumbing defects still rank high among the house problems encountered, and include the existence of old or incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty fixtures and waste lines.

8. Exteriors
Flaws in a home's exterior, including windows, doors, and wall surfaces, are responsible for the discomfort of water and air penetration, but rarely have structural significance. Inadequate caulking and/or weather-stripping are the most common culprits.

9. Poor Ventilation
Perhaps due to overly ambitious efforts to save energy, many home owners have "over-sealed" their homes, resulting in excessive interior moisture. This can cause rotting and premature failure of both structural and non-structural elements.

10. Miscellaneous
This category includes primarily interior components, often cosmetic in nature, which were not found frequently enough to rank individually in our survey.

Obviously the age of a home plays a significant role in these findings. In older, urban houses, problems such as heating system failure, inadequate electrical service, and worn plumbing can be found with much greater frequency than reflected in this survey.

The survey response percentages were given only for the first three categories because they were so high and statistically meaningful. Items 4 through 10 were ranked significantly lower than the top three, and vary regionally.

Peter Ottowitz
http://www.newworldenergyaudits.com
http://www.masshomeinspect.com

A Few Pointers on Doing Your Own Residential Construction

If you are like a lot of other homeowners out there you may have lost some, if not all of the equity in your home due to the current recession. The plans to build a new home haven't disappeared, just the money to pay a private contractor.

One Set of Residential Construction Blueprints

The fact is that you can build you own home just as many people used to commonly do generations back but it will take some planning. Thus the first thing you will need is a set of plans.

One Good Tip on Building Plans

One real good tip if it is to be your first home building project is to get a hold a set of plans for a home of someone you know that is already built. In this way you can use the built home for references as you build.

Go Climb in the Attic for a Look

For instance, if you have never cut in a conventional roof before, being able to climb up in the attic and see how it is actually cut and put in place will be a great help.

Residential Construction Work to Sub Out

If you have never done cement work, plumbing, electrical and roofing you would be well advised to sub these projects out to an experienced professional. These are all crucial areas where even one mistake can bring disaster.

Have You Ever Hung Doors?

You are going to make your labor savings on your residential construction job on framing, insulation, sheetrock, texture and paint as well as all of the finish work including cabinets and appliance installation. Try to buy your doors from a door company that will also hang them if you have never hung doors.

Doing Your Own Trim and Crown Molding

Buy a compound miter saw and then look online for information material on doing trim work. It will be time consuming but with patients, a steady hand a compound miter saw and a nail gun anyone can learn to install trim by trial and error and lots of sandable caulk.

Written by Marta Dreamheisen. Visit my internet site for the freshest articles on Bathroom renovations edgewater and even some about Edgewater home remodeling

Storage Rentals Make Remodeling Easier

A person may need storage rentals for a variety of different reasons. They can make many unpleasant tasks a lot easier. It isn't just individuals renting these storage containers. In fact, a number of retail businesses and even sports teams rent them for temporary storage of equipment and inventory. For the homeowner, some of the most common reasons to rent a storage container are when one is remodeling the house. From tearing down walls to adding a new bathroom, a remodel can become a messy affair. It is good to have a safe place in which to put all of your valuables.

It is just as handy for other, smaller jobs you are doing on the house. If you are going to take out the carpet and replace it with hardwood floors, or if you are repainting, you may want to use storage rentals to secure your belongings while you work. You will need to call the storage company and tell them the date on which you want the container delivered. Depending on the amount of material that you need to move into the container, you may want to have it delivered a few days ahead of time. This ensures that you won't have to rush the procedure.

Although there are many companies that offer storage equipment on the Internet, you should find one that has been in business for a while and has a professional staff. These professionals will listen to your needs and can help you with the proper storage container solutions. Learn more about a professional storage rental company by visiting ABRichards.com.

A.B. Richards, Inc., is a company that offers great storage rentals. To look at the available storage options, visit http://www.abrichards.com.

A Conservatory and How to Enhance Your Home's Value

A conservatory can be an extended living space for the home, but it can also be an often used area in the summer. The real problem is that when you install a conservatory, the space for your lawns or garden becomes constricted. This may be a case of compromise much like living in a glass room to enjoy beauty of nature in summer.

Some important factors, which are to be kept in mind while setting up conservatories, are direction in which it faces sunlight. For example, conservatories that face north fall short of getting ample sunlight. The extra heat accumulated also effects household items present in rooms like furniture and may lead to extra cost replacing them. Some of the mechanisms to get cooling effect in conservatories are tapestries and Conservatory blinds.

Nowadays, there are many offline dealers and online websites, which can supply or can even install conservatories. They make the supplied conservatory a perfect extension of your home. However, you can opt to make your conservatory in your own unique way. These are popularly known as DIY projects that you can enjoy in your spare time. This will give you an opportunity to experience the thrill of constructing your own conservatories and can help you save some money in these tight economic times.

Conservatories are also available in ready to use format where you just need small alignment adjustments to get it done. If you are thinking to assemble your own conservatory then keep the following, things in mind so avoid any further issues:-

1) If there are manholes in path of your proposed conservatory fill it up completely with a cover that is sealed tight

2) To amass rainwater by the wall, some conservatories like Edwardian or Victorian come with a roof that is boxed in

3) Height restriction should be assessed carefully, through hipped-back or low-pitched modulations

A conservatory provides you with extra yards of covered spaces where you can relax and spend some time. You can entertain your guests or visitors and it acts as great place to relax during summer days. Take care to include right furniture, right blinds and right utility objects to enjoy these to maximum.

On a monetary aspect, a conservatory can add a great value to a house. On average, this can give up to 11000 pounds for owners in UK. Another good aspect is that a conservatory seldom changes a home's structure. This is something aside but an integral part of a home.

Vince Samios writes about Conservatory Furniture, including Cane Conservatory Furniture, Wicker Conservatory Furniture, and Rattan Conservatory Furniture.

Laying Ceramic Tile - Important Details That Must Be Right

Laying ceramic tile is a simple process. Get the basics right and the project will be a success. Now there are quite a few tricks that you need to know for the project to turn out right. Overlook these few things and you may have problems. Actually some of the most important steps are before you lay the first tile.

Some tile projects fail because of the base over which the tile is set. That's because any movement of the finished tile surface will likely lead to cracks. You see a tile surface is brittle. Move the base around and the tile will crack either in the tiles themselves or in the grout. A cracked tile surface is because of movement of the base. You can easily prevent this.

Now on some surfaces you may need some bracing. But usually even if you have a bouncing mounting surface, covering the surface will solve the problem. Putting down a plywood base or a cement board base is often the solution. The cement board base is almost a standard professional first step. In any case, make sure your base is clean, smooth and solid.

Once you have a solid base, the next important step is to decide where that first tile goes. Get the first tile right and the project is well under way. You see the finished look of the tile surface depends on where the cut tiles are and how all the tile joints look. Usually most rooms aren't exactly square so it's a challenge to make the tile lines match best with the existing walls. Planning is the key to success.

You can often start a floor in the center and work out for the best look. Once you get started it's easy to keep joints even using regular tile spacers. Then you can check regularly with a carpenter square to keep all the tiles properly aligned.

Laying ceramic tile is a step by step process. No particular step is hard, but there are quite a few tricks that you need to know to have the best chance for success. Get off to the right start and you'll surely have a good looking finished project.

You can get access to video tutorials showing the professional tricks to laying ceramic tile on our tile website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.