Addressing the Canny Investor

When fuel prices were low, it was often difficult to justify the upfront expense of cash required to install solar panels, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand - it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.

But prices are now higher than many of us ever expected. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.

Solar power has already proven itself and its ability to lower energy costs substantially, and more and more homeowners are taking a serious look at converting their residences to solar power. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of OVR Solar solar panels costing in the region of £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.

Subsidies are also now available. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.

Many states also provide special tax incentives for homeowners who install eligible solar panel and solar water heating systems. The specifics of these tax rebates and tax incentives vary from state to state, but many states provide at least some level of tax relief for homeowners who install and use energy efficient systems.

The factors affecting how long it will take to break even will vary from case to case.. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, so too will the desire for energy freedom.

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To set up a storage shed or warehouse to store valuable equipment, a wide range of storage shed kits are available. Storage shed kits offer a fantastic solution for storage expansion needs. Storage shed kits are designed to make the task of building a storage shed simple and hassle-free.

Storage shed kits are best suited for the do-it-yourselfer and can be treated as an alternative to frame, brick or block construction. They are available for every budget and can be purchased online. Storage shed kits save the time spent for building storage sheds from a set of storage shed plans. Most of the storage shed kits are engineered to handle the worst weather conditions.

Storage shed kits include lumber and other building materials precut to exact sizes. Precut materials include floor joists, floor deck, floor plates, roof panels, wall studs, wall plates, angle brackets, stud brackets, prefabricated siding, prefabricated door stock, prefabricated rafters, and more. In addition there are doors, windows, and detailed assembly instructions. To build a storage shed, all one has to do is to assemble the pieces according to the instructions given.

Metal building kits are ideal for the home, farm, and industry. Steel storage shed kits are suitable for garages, workshops, and boat or RV storage. Steel storage shed kits contain steel building package that can be assembled easily. Lowes and Home Depot, Duro Shed of Virginia, Inc., and SteelMaster are some of the places where you find storage shed kits. Many storage shed kits also come with an optional warranty that many may wish to take advantage of, as well.

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Over the years the kitchen has gained popularity as the central, most important room in any home. It enjoys, in most cases a round the clock patronage, starting from a very early morning breakfast to a late night snack. The kitchen is a loyal witness to any drama in life that unfolds in every home whether preparing an important meal for a client or surprising a loved one on a special occasion; or a weekend dinner specially made for the grandchildren. So when it comes to planning for a kitchen renovation, there are a lot of things to do and consider so that it will become a room where everybody will feel comfortable and welcome.

First and foremost, set a budget. Decide how much money you are going to spend on your project. To have a budget already set for a specific project will help you decide more easily how far you will go in terms of choosing the materials and design for your kitchen renovation. If possible, price out every item you want to include in your new kitchen, like new appliances, fixtures and accessories. Do not leave anything off your list; as much as possible include even the smallest detail like paints and brushes. There are wide ranges of materials available so you can choose from whichever price range you can afford. Once everything is priced, add 20% onto the cost of the job because you never know when things will go wrong and you suddenly find yourself out of budget.

After all the financing is thought about then you are set to start. Try to have a look at your own existing kitchen. How well do you like it? Is there any part of it that you love and want to retain? Or any part of it that you hate and want to change? Or is there something that you want to add or wish you have? Is the size sufficient enough for your family needs? Or do you need to have a bigger space and more storage? Then think of a style you want for your new kitchen. Taking into consideration the style of your own house and of course your sense of taste. If budget permits you can hire a kitchen design expert who can help you draw out all these things. While still in the planning process it is always necessary to define the space available.

Note any opportunities for space modification. Areas with interesting architectural details should be utilized to their full advantage, as they will accentuate the overall visual interest of the entire room. Today there are a lot of kitchen designs to choose from and in varied themes like old world style, European and American country style, Victorian Kitchens, American Traditional, Shaker style and the list goes on. Choose a design which suits your personality, lifestyle and the style of your house itself. There are at least four basic kitchen layouts than you can choose from and incorporate in your own kitchen.

1. Single-wall Layout: This layout is usually done with small spaces where all the appliances and cabinetry are placed against one wall, where there’s no other place to put it. A full height unit like a refrigerator must be placed at one end while a cooktop should be placed near the sink and never at the end of the run. Otherwise it will create an unsafe environment and at the same time add unnecessary steps to the cooking process.

2. Corridor Layout: A corridor or galley layout is made of two opposing counters which should be at least 42″ apart. This is also a good design layout for small spaces but has the added advantage over the single-wall layout since, the work-triangle principle can be applied here, although this layout sometimes suffers from traffic passing through.

3. L-shaped Layout: An L-shaped layout is usually a more desirable layout for a kitchen with limited space, compared with both the single layout and the corridor layout. The work triangle can be designed in such a way that there will be fewer steps for the cook thus making the cooking experience less arduous. It’s also usually free from traffic snarls compared with the corridor layout. Make sure however, that the counters are not interrupted by the passage door, refrigerator or full length cabinets.

4. U-shaped Layout: The U-shaped layout is by far the most versatile and efficient kitchen layout. If your space and budget can accommodate this type go for it. This type of layout makes the most of the working triangle principle. All the appliances, storage systems and work areas face each other and are directed towards a central point - the kitchen operator.

After deciding on which layout you would like for your kitchen, then it’s time to get down to details. Take into consideration the comfort of the cook. There should be a minimum distance between repetitive chores to save the cook from fatigue therefore adding comfort and pleasure to the entire cooking experience. Lots of pantry storage and pull out drawers for everyday use dishes would be an indispensable part of the kitchen cabinetry. For drawers, the use of full extension drawer slides indicates good quality drawers. This will allow easy access to those hard to reach objects and provides strong and sturdy support for fully loaded and heavy drawers. Consider also the countertop material. Countertop dictates much of the appearance and overall atmosphere of the entire kitchen especially if your kitchen design includes a large uninterrupted counter space. You can choose from a variety of materials like Laminate, Solid surface material sold under such names as Corian, Surrell, Gibraltar etc.., Ceramic tile, Granite and Marble, Stainless steel, Soapstone, Lavastone, Butcher’s Block counters.

A seating area for those who are not actively participating in the cooking process but are there to accompany the cook for lively conversation is an added bonus to any kitchen design. If space is available, adding an island not only creates a good focal point but it also gives an added counter space, a good place for a quick meal or just a place where kids can hang out while mom prepares their favorite meal. The key to a successful kitchen design is the complete understanding of the true needs of the intended user. Once this is achieved, everything else in the design will just follow.

So, are you still fed up with looking at your old worn out kitchen? Then start planning for a renovation now.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Interior Design

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Anyone who has put a lot of hard work and effort into making their yard look nice wants to be able to enjoy it. Maybe you just want to get outdoors and get a little air or a little sun. There is nothing like lounging outside feeling the cool breeze blow through your hair. Times like these are probably the most peaceful times in life. Whether you want to lounge out in the breeze or catch some rays you are not going to want to lie in the grass. The best solution to fix that problem is to buy some outdoor furniture. There are a number of different types of outdoor furniture each with different usages and different prices.

When I think about outdoor furniture the first think that comes to mind is the good old swing. No, I am not talking about a swing set, although those are fun, I am talking about a porch swing. There are actually two types of swings a stand alone swing and the porch swing. Obviously a porch swings are swings that can be enjoyed right on your porch. Porch swings are attached to the overhead ceiling of your porch. A stand alone swing is different it doesn’t need a porch at all. In fact, if doesn’t if need to be anywhere near a porch. A stand alone swing has four legs that supports it and keeps it steady. Swings cost different amounts depending on durability and decorative factors.

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There are four key remodeling cost drivers that impact how much you need to spend when undertaking any remodeling project: The design of the remodel, the materials you use, who manages the project, and how you pay for it. This article focuses on where you can save on project management, and three different options you should consider.

When it comes to project management of your remodel, you can:

• Hire a general contractor
• Manage the project yourself
• Hire a fee-based project manager

General Contractors.
General contractors will do the project management for you and usually do some of the work themselves. Often, the general contractor will do the framing, install the doors and windows, do the finish work, install fixtures and then subcontract with others to do the rest of the work.

General contractors typically will provide a fixed bid for your project based on their management of the job and subcontractors, and may charge you additionally for time and materials for the actual work they perform. They will include in their fixed bid a fee for their management time, and possibly will mark up the subcontractors’ fees to cover their own time to manage the variety of subcontractors’ activities. They will also take care of paying all the subcontractors, so instead of writing twenty checks, you only have to write one, to the general contractor. To better understand the costs of employing a general contractor, try the “Manage it Myself” option in the Remodel-or-Move Calculator at www.remodelormove.com. You can also gather information on your remodel at www.remodelestimates.com.

Manage the project yourself.
Just like a general contractor, whose primary duties are to coordinate the activities of the remodel and make decisions on your behalf, you can manage the project yourself. Even if you hire a general contractor, you will be required to make most of the decisions, so doing the task coordination is a natural offshoot of decision making. Even if you don’t have construction experience, there are resources available to help along the way.

The more important question to ask yourself is do you have the time and interest to take on and complete this project? It can take an hour or two each day to keep on top of things, make timely decisions, and follow up on the phone. If you have other things you would rather do, then you should probably hire a general contractor. If you don’t enjoy learning new things or the stress that comes along with hiring and working with subcontractors, then you should definitely hire general contractor. However, if you have good people skills, strong organizational abilities, and most importantly, the time — then being your own project manager can be a fun and rewarding adventure.

A critical component of managing any remodeling project yourself is finding and hiring good, reliable subcontractors. With a big project, this may take more time than you can budget. If you consider that you may need six or more different skilled subcontractors (electrical, plumbing, drywall and texture, etc.), you will have to interview quite a few people before picking the right person or company for each task, and evaluate at least two estimates from each one. This is where networking helps.

One good subcontractor will often know others. Ask your neighbors and friends; look in the newspapers. Good subcontractors are out there! Also try the contractor referral service at http://www.remodelormove.com. The benefits of being the project manager yourself include the pride of knowing you had a hand in the creation, the empowerment that comes with knowing that you made the decisions along the way that produced fine results, and the money you will save.

As described above, without a general contractor a project can be 20 to 50 percent less expensive. This savings can allow you to make more improvements or keep more of your money in savings. A great tool for helping you organize your remodeling project is The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer available at http://www.remodelingorganizer.com.

Hire a fee-based project manager.
A third option is a compromise between the previous two. Most homeowners choose to use a full-service general contractor, many manage remodel projects themselves, and only a few choose a fee-based project manager. Fee-based project managers will do all the project coordination and subcontractor hiring tasks at an hourly rate, usually between $50 and $100 per hour. They do not mark up the subcontractor charges; you typically will pay them directly.

This can be a very attractive option because it can save you money over using the full services of a general contract, yet take away a lot of the burden of managing the project yourself. Unfortunately, these fee-based contractors are not nearly as common as general contractors, and it may be hard to find one in your area who can do everything that may be required.

No matter which option you choose, you will need the tools to organize the information you will be receiving from many sources. Business cards, quotes, invoices, receipts, contractors, notices, warranties and contracts will all begin to pile up before you know it. Scheduling tasks using check sheets and tables to compare quotes, product specifications and costs can all be organized in one place with The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer. You can learn more about it at http://www.remodelingorganizer.com.

Copyright 2005 ABCD Publishing LLC

About the Author
Dan Fritschen, founder of http://www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner advocacy organization, speaker at Home and Garden shows Nationwide, author of the best selling book Remodel or Move? Make the Right Decision and The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer (available at http://www.remodelingorganizer.com) has recently been interviewed on CNN, in Better Homes and Garden Magazine and in Newsweek.

Do you have remodeling or moving questions? Email Dan directly at dan@remodelormove.com.

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