If you’ve ever survived a kitchen remodel, you can totally relate to this blog, Survival Kitchen. What’s it really like remodeling a kitchen in a 100 year old house and living in it at the same time? Here’s your answer.

The sun’s heat and light provide an abundant source of energy that can be harnessed in many ways.
In my quest to discover what there is to know about solar power, I found all kinds of uses for the suns rays that can help us conserve energy. First off was my discovery of solar water heaters.

Also called solar domestic hot water systems, solar water heaters generate hot water for your home in any type of climate, fueled solely by sunshine.

Solar water heating
systems usually cost more to purchase and install than conventional
water heating systems. However, a solar water heater can usually save
you money in the long run. Check out the U.S. Department of Energy site on solar power for the economics of potential savings. Find out more about solar water heaters here; and if you’re feeling particularly DIY, check out how to build your own unit!

The next interesting thing I found was an article at News Scientist Tech about solar-power paint.

Scientists are developing a
way to paint solar cells with a photovoltaic paint onto the steel sheets of walls and roofs of
warehouses and other buildings to generate electricity from the sun.          
       

   
       
            
            
               
The
paint will be based on dye-sensitised solar cells. Instead of absorbing
sunlight using silicon like conventional solar panels, they use dye
molecules attached to particles of the titanium dioxide pigment used in
paints.            
       

   
       
            
            
               
Finally, the solar panel. Through the use of photvoltaic cells, solar panels make use of renewable energy
from the sun, and are a clean and environmentally sound means of
collecting solar energy.

If you are looking for information
on solar panels and don’t know where to start, check out CALFINDER’s blog on solar panels and going solar.

Not quite ready to tackle solar projects on your own???   Don’t forget the fact that searching for a qualified solar installer will never be a dilemma. CalFinder Solar does the FREE screening for you and only works with the best installers in the industry. Get a bid now!

With the current housing market being the way it is, more people are opting to remodel instead of buying a larger home. My friend Carol is doing just that- when I saw her last week, she told me she needed a bigger house, stat.

Her biggest concern was finding a good contractor to do the remodeling. She told me that seems to be the hardest part, because it’s hard to find good reviews of contractors anywhere, and one person’s good experience can be another person’s nightmare. It’s hard to know, really.

I told her about CalFinder. They have free estimates for all kinds of home improvement, and I love what they say about why you should use a CalFinder contractor:

Why You Should Use a CalFinder Contractor?

• Quality workmanship
• Fair pricing
• Availability for your questions
• Happy customers and vendors
• Clear contracts and agreements
• Friendly service

We only feel comfortable referring contractors that we would
have work on our own homes. When we certify a contractor we are looking for
more than just quality workmanship or a final product.

We care about the customer experience and look for contractors that ease
the process of home improvement. Our contractors are reliable, you can
count on the promises they make.

Being able to count on your contractor is so important! Remodeling is a major transition time in your life, and anything to make the process easier is a blessing.

Carol’s going to finish her basement to make more space in her house. Finishing your basement can be a great way to both add space and value to your home. She also told me that while she was having remodeling done, she’s going to add value to her home by remodeling the bathroom. Having a fabulous bathroom makes your home easier to sell- that’s so important in this stagnant market.

I’m excited to see what Carol’s home looks like when it’s finished. It is good to know there are companies out there like CalFinder that can make the process a little easier.

In the midst of the real estate slowdown, more and more home owners are deciding to stay in their homes and remodel rather than trying to sell in a challenging market. The 2007 Remodeling
Cost vs. Value Report has recently stated that three of the four projects with the highest
national percentage of costs recouped this year

were exterior upgrades.

The most profitable project on the national level was upscale siding
replacement, recouping 88 percent of costs upon resale.

Our friends over at CALFINDER agree. They say in their post Fiber Cement Siding: Why It Stands Up to Wood and Vinyl that

"home improvement projects are not all created equal. Some garner a
higher return on your investment. Installing fiber cement siding is one
such project. According to Remodeling Magazine, an average of 88.1% of the cost of installing fiber cement siding can be recouped after resale. The magazine’s 2007 Cost Vs. Value Report
identifies fiber cement siding replacements as the consistently highest
paying midrange and upscale remodeling investment in several U.S.
regions. In addition, Industry News reports that fiber cement siding demand will rise at an above average rate through 2010".

Read more about Fiber Cement Siding and request Free General Remodeling Estimates here.

The other two exterior remodels that rated high for cost recovery were wood deck
additions
and wood window replacements also returning more than 80
percent of costs.

Moving inside the home, according to the same report, remodeling trends tend to be the most costly upscale remodeling projects consisting of master suite
additions and major kitchen remodels. Those projects can reach costs well into six
digits. As it turns out, these major projects are also among the most
popular.

Find Kitchen Remodeling Contractors for Design and Renovation  and receive free estimates through our friends at CALFINDER

Finding a good contractor for your remodeling project can be a dicey proposition. A friend of mine recently interviewed a contractor who got into a screaming match with his ex-wife on his cell phone while she was interviewing him. My parents hired contractors who left the state, leaving their job unfinished and with their money long gone. We’ve all heard the contractor horror stories before.

If only you knew who to call, to avoid getting ripped off. Well, now you do; our friends over at CALFINDER has started a network that has taken the worry out of the process. CALFINDER was developed by homeowners for homeowners.They do the screening of contractors for you as well as conduct ongoing monitoring and customer satisfaction surveys. All CALFINDER’s contractors are carefully pre-screened and monitored. Here’s just a few of the services you get when you partner with CALFINDER to find your next contractor;

"Before we certify a contractor we perform a variety of checks. Below are just a few of those checks:In-depth check of current license and insurance coverage   

• Personal interview with at least 10 previous clients ensuring customer satisfaction and business reliability
• Ongoing monitoring and customer satisfaction surveys
• Follow up with each homeowner we work with to ensure that our contractors are providing a great service

CALFINDER’s founders, who have a diverse background in construction,
computer technology and business management, realized that planning and
executing home improvement projects are incredibly time-consuming and
expensive and believed they could fill a void by developing a reliable
source to help local homeowners find high-quality contractors. CALFINDER was established in 2005 covering main home improvement
projects including home remodeling, painting and window installation. Working with a vast network of 200 top-notch,
professional contractors, CALFINDER handles more than 600 homeowner service
requests per month."

We at Shakhammer think this is a great solution to taking the worry out of finding a good general contractor who is good
enough to work on one of your most valuable assets- your home. Check out their home improvement and remodeling blog too for the most up-to-date information on home rejuvenation trends and remodeling projects.

I don’t know whether to thank CasaSugar immensely for bringing this jewel of a website to my attention, or kick them for causing me to spend more time on this website than I really have to give today.

Vintage vacations takes vintage trailers and restores them. They keep original details while adding modern conveniences (such as bathrooms- 95% of pre-1960 trailers didn’t have bathrooms). They keep the original feel without sacrificing anything. Fabulous. When I get rich, I totally know where I’ll be looking to buy a trailer. Go waste some time at Vintage Vacations. You’ll be glad you did.

[Photo Credit: Vintage-Vacations.com]

Create You Squidoo Lens On A Shak Subject And You Could Be Featured On Shakadoo! Once you have built your lens, submit it to the group HERE.

Laminate Flooring Guide by JonitasKalimpo

Laminate Flooring, Make a Dream Home

Unlike hardwood, laminate floors will not stain, fade, dent and are far more scratch and water resistant. Warranties range from 10 years to lifetime and cover such factors as mentioned above. Entry level laminate wood flooring is designed for light traffic areas and come with warranties ranging from 10 to 15 years. Most people set their expectations too high and expect that entry level floors will perform under heavy traffic conditions and still look good for the duration of the warranty. This is however not the case, as an entry level floor subject to high traffic will start to show wear and tear within three to five years.

We hope this guide will help to understand better what laminate flooring is and how can improve your home, ALOT!

Everything You Need To Know on Laminate Flooring

Laminate Flooring mimics the look of traditional woods while offering easy installation and lasting durability. At first glance, it can be difficult to spot the difference between hardwoods and laminate flooring. What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern is really a thin layer of decor paper (a photographic image) under a tough-as-nails protective film that is glued and pressed to a high-density backing board. Laminate Flooring comes in an array of wood effects as well as stone and ceramic effects.

Laminate floorings main advantages are that it is easy to install, is very hardwearing and relatively inexpensive compared to real hardwood flooring.

Laminate flooring is a floating floor, which means it does not fasten directly to the sub-floor. Instead the planks are clicked together. This enables the floor to be fitted fast and with no real mess.

Most laminate floors today fit together with a click system with the most common being the UNICLIC system as used by Quick-Step. This is extremely easy and fast to fit. The ingenious UNICLIC-system has a special shape of tongue and groove. You simply place the tongue of one plank into the grove of another at an angle and press down. Their sophisticated and very accurate milled shape makes it possible to create a very tight connection during the installation. The floor can be walked on straight away.

If you are laying laminate flooring over a concrete sub-floor then you will fist need to lay down a damp proof membrane (DPM). This is basically a sheet of plastic usually around 5mm which helps protect the Laminate from moisture. On top of this goes the foam underlay this acts as sound absorption and also helps even out minor irregularities in the sub-floor.

Most manufactories now offer a combined DPM and underlay along with several underlay’s that have better sound absorbing qualities
Most of the leading laminate floor manufactories now also have ranges of flooring that also include built in underlay. This underlay is pre-fitted to the bottom of the flooring and is usually of sound absorbing quality. You do not need to install this type of floor a secondary but if you are laying over a concrete sub-floor you still have to lay down a D.P.M. (Damp Proof Membrane) first.

Laminate flooring has been around in Europe for around 15 years and has seen massive growth in the past few years read the rest……. 

To learn everything you ever wanted to know about laminate flooring, visit the entire lens by clicking: Laminate Flooring Guide

I found something that is invaluable or at least to me it would be. When you are in need of contractor all you have to do is head on over to ConstructionDeal.com Contractor Directory…

"The Contractor Directory
acts as a yellow pages book or a phone book where homeowners and
business owners can look up contractors in their area, review their
listing and company details, and call them directly."

I can not tell you how many times I would like something around my house done but have no idea who to call. Problem solved!

If you’re doing a retro-themed kitchen remodel, don’t forget the accouterments! A friend sent me a link to this super cool set at Punk Rock Padding that would go perfectly with the retro-themed kitchen.

[Photo credit: Punk Rock Padding]

I don’t know about you but I love to redecorate over and over again.  I drive my husband crazy since he is the one paying the bills. My friend is in real estate and for years I would make her take me through homes on the market just to get ideas for my home. She has become way too busy for this, so I now rely on the  internet for decorating tips. I found a  great website called Get Decorating.com that is a site with thousands of photos of homes to look at. They have photos for every room in the house and then some. They also allow you to tour homes. I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I log on. Hope you enjoy!