Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Modular buildings and modular homes are prefabricated buildings or houses that consist of repeated sections called modules.[1] "Modular" is a construction method that involves constructing sections away from the building site, then delivering them to the intended site. Installation of the prefabricated sections is completed on site. Prefabricated sections are sometimes placed using a crane. The modules can be placed side-by-side, end-to-end, or stacked, allowing a variety of configurations and styles. After placement the modules are joined together using inter-module connections, also known as inter-connections. The inter-connections tie the individual modules together to form the overall building structure.[2]

Modular buildings, also called prefabricated homes or precision built homes, are built to equal or higher standards as on-site stick-built homes. The building method is referred to as permanent modular construction.

Material for stick built and modular homes are the same. Modular homes are not doublewides or mobile homes. First, modular homes do not have axles or a metal frame, meaning that they are typically transported on flat-bed trucks. Modular buildings must conform to all relevant local building codes, while doublewides and mobile homes have metal under framing. Doublewides and mobile homes made in the United States are required to conform to federal codes governed by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.[3]

Modular buildings may be used for long-term, temporary or permanent facilities, such as construction camps, schools and classrooms, civilian and military housing, and industrial facilities. Modular buildings are used in remote and rural areas where conventional construction may not be reasonable or possible, for example, the Halley VI accommodation pods used for a BAS Antarctic expedition.[4] Other uses have included churches, health care facilities, sales and retail offices, fast food restaurants and cruise ship construction. They can also be used in areas that have weather concerns, such as hurricanes.

Construction is offsite, using lean manufacturing techniques to prefabricate single or multi-story buildings in deliverable module sections. Permanent Modular Construction (PMC) buildings are manufactured in a controlled setting and can be constructed of wood, steel, or concrete. Modular components are typically constructed indoors on assembly lines. Modules' construction may take as little as ten days but more often one to three months. PMC modules can be integrated into site built projects or stand alone and can be delivered with MEP, fixtures and interior finishes.

The buildings are 60% to 90% completed offsite in a factory-controlled environment, and transported and assembled at the final building site. This can comprise the entire building or be components or subassemblies of larger structures. In many cases, modular contractors work with traditional general contractors to exploit the resources and advantages of each type of construction. Completed modules are transported to the building site and assembled by a crane.[5] Placement of the modules may take from several hours to several days.

Permanent modular buildings are built to meet or exceed the same building codes and standards as site-built structures and the same architect-specified materials used in conventionally constructed buildings are used in modular construction projects. PMC can have as many stories as building codes allow. Unlike relocatable buildings, PMC structures are intended to remain in one location for the duration of their useful life.

The entire process of modular construction places significance on the design stage. This is where practices such as Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) are used to ensure that assembly tolerances are controlled throughout manufacture and assembly on site. It is vital that there is enough allowance in the design to allow the assembly to take up any "slack" or misalignment of components. The use of advanced CAD systems, 3D printing and manufacturing control systems are important for modular construction to be successful. This is quite unlike on-site construction where the tradesman can often make the part to suit any particular installation.

Ceiling drywalled in spray booth

Roof shingled and siding installed

Ready for delivery to site

Two-story modular dwelling

Pratt Modular Home "The Willow" Tyler Texas

Interior Pratt Homes Willow Kitchen

Pratt Modular Home called "The Entertainer". Tyler Texas

Pratt Modular Homes "The Briar Ritz"

Modular buildings are argued to have advantages over conventional buildings, for a variety of reasons.

Modular buildings can also contribute to LEED requirements in any category site-built construction can, and can even provide an advantage in the areas of Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.[11]Modular construction can also provide an advantage in similar categories in the International Green Construction Code.

Some home buyers and some lending institutions resist consideration of modular homes as equivalent in value to site-built homes.[citation needed] While the homes themselves may be of equivalent quality, entrenched zoning regulations and psychological marketplace factors may create hurdles for buyers or builders of modular homes and should be considered as part of the decision-making process when exploring this type of home as a living and/or investment option. In the UK and Australia, modular homes have become accepted in some regional areas; however, they are not commonly built in major cities. Modular homes are becoming increasingly common in Japanese urban areas, due to improvements in design and quality, speed and compactness of onsite assembly, as well as due to lowering costs and ease of repair after earthquakes. Recent innovations allow modular buildings to be indistinguishable from site-built structures.[citation needed] Surveys have shown that individuals can rarely tell the difference between a modular home and a site-built home.[15]

Differences include the building codes that govern the construction, types of material used and how they are appraised by banks for lending purposes. Modular homes are built to either local or state building codes as opposed to manufactured homes, which are also built in a factory but are governed by a federal building code.[16] The codes that govern the construction of modular homes are exactly the same codes that govern the construction of site-constructed homes.[citation needed] In the United States, all modular homes are constructed according to the International Building Code (IBC), IRC, BOCA or the code that has been adopted by the local jurisdiction.[citation needed] In some states, such as California, mobile homes must still be registered yearly, like vehicles or standard trailers, with the Department of Motor Vehicles or other state agency. This is true even if the owners remove the axles and place it on a permanent foundation.[17]

A mobile home should have a small metal tag on the outside of each section. If you cannot locate a tag, you should be able to find details about the home in the electrical panel box. This tag should also reveal a manufacturing date.[18] Modular homes do not have metal tags on the outside but will have a dataplate installed inside the home, usually under the kitchen sink or in a closet. The dataplate will provide information such as the manufacturer, third party inspection agency, appliance information, and manufacture date.

The materials used in modular homes are typically the same as site constructed homes. Wood-frame floors, walls and roof are often utilized. Some modular homes include brick or stone exteriors, granite counters and steeply pitched roofs. Modulars can be designed to sit on a perimeter foundation or basement. In contrast, mobile homes are constructed with a steel chassis that is integral to the integrity of the floor system. Modular buildings can be custom built to a client's specifications. Current designs include multi-story units, multi-family units and entire apartment complexes. The negative stereotype commonly associated with mobile homes has prompted some manufacturers to start using the term "off-site construction."

New modular offerings include other construction methods such as cross-laminated timber frames.[19]

Mobile homes often require special lenders.[20]

Modular homes on the other hand are financed as site built homes with a construction loan[18]

Typically, modular dwellings are built to local, state or council code, resulting in dwellings from a given manufacturing facility having differing construction standards depending on the final destination of the modules.[21] The most important zones that manufacturers have to take into consideration are local wind, heat, and snow load zones.[22] For example, homes built for final assembly in a hurricane-prone, earthquake or flooding area may include additional bracing to meet local building codes. Steel and/or wood framing are common options for building a modular home.

Some US courts have ruled that zoning restrictions applicable to mobile homes do not apply to modular homes since modular homes are designed to have a permanent foundation.[citation needed] Additionally, in the US, valuation differences between modular homes and site-built homes are often negligible in real estate appraisal practice; modular homes can, in some market areas, (depending on local appraisal practices per Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) be evaluated the same way as site-built dwellings of similar quality. In Australia, manufactured home parks are governed by additional legislation that does not apply to permanent modular homes. Possible developments in equivalence between modular and site-built housing types for the purposes of real estate appraisals, financing and zoning may increase the sales of modular homes over time.[23]

In Wales (UK), a businessman authorized the placement of 6 mini modular homes called Pods for homeless persons on private property.[24]

Modular homes are designed to be stronger than traditional homes by, for example, replacing nails with screws, adding glue to joints, and using 810% more lumber than conventional housing.[25] This is to help the modules maintain their structural integrity as they are transported on trucks to the construction site. However, there are few studies on the response of modular buildings to transport and handling stresses. It is therefore presently difficult to predict transport induced damage.[1]

When FEMA studied the destruction wrought by Hurricane Andrew in Dade County Florida, they concluded that modular and masonry homes fared best compared to other construction.[26]

The CE mark is a construction norm that guarantees the user of mechanical resistance and strength of the structure. It is a label given by European community empowered authorities for end-to-end process mastering and traceability.[citation needed]

All manufacturing operations are being monitored and recorded:

This ID and all the details are recorded in a database, At any time, the producer has to be able to answer and provide all the information from each step of the production of a single unit, The EC certification guaranties standards in terms of durability, resistance against wind and earthquakes.[citation needed]

Modular buildings can be assembled on top of multiple foundation surfaces, such as a crawl space, stilts (for areas that are prone to flooding), full basements or standard slab at grade. They can also be built to multi-story heights. Motels and other multi-family structures have been built using modular construction techniques. The height to which a modular structure can be built depends on jurisdiction, but a number of countries, especially in Asia, allow them to be built to 24 floors or more.[citation needed]

Exterior wall surfaces can be finalized in the plant production process or in the case of brick/stone veneers, field applications may be the builders' choice. Roof systems also can be applied in the field after the basic installation is completed.

Weather, population density, geographical distances, and local housing architecture play a role in the use of modular construction for home building. Because modular construction is so adaptable, it has begun to permeate every region of the U.S.[citation needed]

The northeast is populated with factories that can combine modular housing design with other construction methods such as panelization and SIPs. Modules are typically limited to 16' width and up to 70' lengths because of the narrow road structure and densely populated areas of the region.[citation needed] Other limitations are placed on transportation to locations such as Connecticut, Cape Cod, and Long Island.[citation needed]

The Mid-Atlantic region is similar to the northeast, in terms of building design and transport restriction to modules to a width of not more than 16'.[citation needed]

Manufacturers in the Southeast often limit their ability to customize homes and focus on very traditional single story floor plans.[citation needed] Much of the south is in coastal and high wind areas; modular construction may prove appealing in this area as it is already inherently stronger as it must be built for transport and craned installation, therefore offering wind resistance as good or higher than site-built construction.[citation needed]

The central plains states typically are made up of farming and rural communities. Ranch homes are the mainstay of the region. Prone to strong storms and tornado conditions, modular construction offers the ability to better withstand these storm patterns than its site built counterpart.[citation needed] The inter-module attachments that must be made when assembling a modular home on a foundation offer an inherently stronger home than site built construction can offer.[citation needed] Interior finishes on both the walls and ceilings are typically textured. Corners on interior walls are typically rounded and finish trim around windows is optional. Because of the wider road and lower population density, modules can be as wide as 20' and as long as 90'. The ability to provide larger modules reduces the amount of modules needed to complete a home.

Home design in this area ranges from Chalet style homes to log cabin style homes. Manufacturers in the region therefore provide a number of styles of homes. Capability varies from factory to factory as well as the ability to do complete customization of floor plans. Transportation is limited mostly to 16' wide modules to travel the roads of the area.[citation needed]

The high cost of living in coastal areas, and especially California, may provide modular construction an edge due to its lower cost.[citation needed] Extreme building regulation and environmental requirements can delay the start of residential construction.[citation needed] Several factories specialize in environmentally responsible construction by following green construction standards and offering zero energy homes.[citation needed]

Living in coastal areas also mean that the modular home structure should be strong enough to withstand winds with high velocity. Modular homes, built correctly, have such kind of resistance to stand high wind velocity without any damage issues.[citation needed]

Modular building can also be open source and green.

3D printing can be used to build the house.

The main standard is OpenStructures and its derivative Autarkytecture.[27]

Permanent modular buildings can be utilized in any application where stick-built construction is used. The primary markets served are K-12 education, higher education student housing, office and administrative space, retail and hospitality, healthcare, and publicly funded facilities.

Modular construction is the subject of continued research and development worldwide as the technology is applied to taller and taller buildings. Research and development is carried out by modular building companies and also research institutes such as the Modular Building Institute [28] and the Steel Construction Institute,.[29] An example of a recent research project is MODCONS.[30]

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Modular building - Wikipedia

Westchester Modular Homes is an award-winning modular home manufacturer located in Wingdale, New York. We are celebrating our 30th Anniversary as a manufacturer of custom modular homes, also known as prefab homes, to states located in the Northeast region.

Throughout the Northeast region, we have a complete network of independent Westchester local modular home dealers who build our modular homes available for sale. We provide our local builders with complete turn-key construction & services; from permit and zoning approvals, site development, engineering, design & architectural services with expert delivery and set systems. Our extensive network of modular home companies will be there to help you through the entire process of building your new modular home.

Westchester Modular Homes builds high quality modular homes in the following nine states: New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine.

Our product lines of residential modular or prefab homes include green modular homes, modular teardown/rebuild projects, modular vacation homes and modular additions. We welcome you to customize your modular dream home with the award-winning modular home design team at Westchester Modular Homes, Inc., a leader in the modular home industry. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to designing and constructing your own modular home; if you can dream it, we can build it.

We've recently expanded our selection of Modular Homes to offer Multi-Family Modular homes. We can provide your business or organization with the multi-family modular home it needs - from modular townhouses, modular apartments, modular commercial buildings, modular workforce housing & modular group homes.

An employee-owned company, our mission is to offer affordable and elegant modular homes that reflect our unique craftsmanship and construction capabilities. A full-time staff of over 175 workers allows us to constantly innovate and fine-tune our modular home manufacturing processes to deliver the quality luxury modular homes our customers have come to expect.

Our climate-controlled factory features the latest machinery and technology in order to ensure our modular homes meet our high building standards. Westchester Modular Homes practices green home building techniques, which include the use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient equipment in the building of a modular home. Manufacturers who adhere to these standards offer homeowners a great way to keep energy costs low in addition to being sustainable over time. We regularly offer tours at the Westchester Modular Homes Factory, and invite you to come visit us to learn more and tour one of our modular home models.

Westchester Modular Homes, Inc. works with local builders and contractors to complete the modular home building process on-site. After each part of the modular house is constructed in our factory, the modules are delivered via flatbed truck and assembled by using cranes to put the pieces in place. Our network of local builders provides the finishing touches and completes the building process. From the factory to the foundation, construction of modular homes and modular cottages can be completed in as little as four weeks.

Whether you're in the market for a traditional colonial home, a popular cape-style home or other design style, Westchester Modular Homes, Inc. offers comprehensive design and construction services for choosing the features and characteristics of your dream modular home. Our modular homes are constructed according to customer specifications and requirements through a fully customizable final design plan which is then executed flawlessly by our manufacturers and local builders.

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Westchester Modular Homes | Modular & Prefab Home Builders

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Attic is often illustrated as a scary place thats often inhabited by ghosts. Its time to replace such a terrible concept with fascinating ideas of attic room designs.

On the opposite of horror movies, attic rooms are usually decorated with eye-pleasing interiors. Thats why the idea is infinite.

Some people use the attic rooms for storage, while some other prefer to use it for a spare room, or a room for their kids to play.

In short, you can transform an attic room into anything based on your needs. It can even be an escape room!

Here, weve provided a list of attic room design ideas that might inspire you. Were going to start with a few things that you should know before jumping into the ideas.

Here we go!

Fun Fact:

In the past, attic rooms were thought about for less important area. More just recently, with the application of brand-new understanding and products, much better quality building of the attic is supplied, and issues of seclusion are fixed.

You can transform an attic room into any kind of room that you like. To do so, there are simple step-by-step moves that you need to know. Lets have a look!

The size of an attic room is precisely the length of the home. For an activity room, this size is too muchunless you want to build a private bowling area up there.

Therefore, the first step is to measure correctly the size of the room, so you can determine where you install dividers and how big the intended room is.

The most significant characteristic of an attic room is the inclined ceiling. Dont make it look outdated or boring!

You can easily transform it with a modern or unique style, such as installing rustic beams. This will create a significant difference!

Light is more than just a fixture. In many cases, it changes atmosphere too. You can be as creative as possible by using lighting to make the room more interesting.

To complete the look, paint the wall with light and bright color too, such as white or burgundy.

An attic room is commonly built with a window dormer. To make the atmosphere lively, arrange the position of the bed to the opposite direction of the dormer.

This way, youll obtain a magnificent view of the sky.

Now that youve known how to make an attic room more inviting, these are over 20 creative ideas of attic room design that might catch your attention.

Each of these ideas has its own characteristics. Some of them are calming, while others are vibrant, and such effect depends on the paint, decoration and furniture.

To help you realize your wild imagination, here is the list of attic room designs:

As you know, the size of an attic room is the length of the house, so it is quite large. Because of that, you can transform the entire space into a home theater.

This is a brilliant idea, especially when the ceiling has a rectangle shape. You can even decorate the room with movie posters to create a movie theater atmosphere.

Although, most of the time, an attic room can be huge, some houses only provide a small attic space. Dont be worried for this can be solved.

Pick a light color that has a bright hue, such as white or burgundy. To make the space looks even bigger, go with white tiles.

This bright atmosphere has to be accompanied with vibrant colored furniture, such as yellow stripes carpet, turquoise sofa, and colorful pillows.

An attic room can be transformed into a reading room, because it provides distance from anything that occurs downstairswhich is anything that every book-nerd ever wants.

Paint the walls with a relaxing tone, such as grey. Decorate the walls with framed paintings that trigger your imaginations. The last step is to fill the room with unique furniture.

Transform an empty attic room into a sanctuary of book lovers. The shelves can be built-in or not depending on your taste.

Meanwhile, the reading area can be a comfortable sofa with a lighting stand next to it, or, such as this one, a comfy bed with a view placed in between the shelves.

To make the room appears even bigger, use white as the dominant color and complement it with dark hardwood floors.

Decorate the ceiling with rustic beams to be a little artsy. Then, use unique wallpaper on the end-wall.

The position of the twin beds is not facing the dormer; instead, they face the stairs to see who is coming upstairs. The dormer can be a natural alarm to wake your twins!

To enhance the warmth in the room, use nice pine wood floors.

A master bedroom usually takes the biggest room of the house. That is why some people choose to utilize the huge space in the attic to become a master suite, and this is one of the examples.

The ceiling is nicely decorated with beams. Also, the wall has unique texture that gives the room a distinct characteristic.

The use of green, white and burgundy is in the right place that this idea becomes suitable for those who want a natural atmosphere inside of the room.

If the space of your attic room is small, you should go with simple design as well. This idea allows you to make the simplicity stands out.

To fit in to the room, buy bed mattress that matches with the curtain. Then, use nice and polished hardwood floors to add the level of comfort.

A family gathering is filled with warm cuddle and intimate family bond. If your family wants an escape room where everyone can be together during the cold season, then the attic room can be transformed into a warm living room with a fireplace.

Use autumn color and colors in the shade of light brown to make the gathering more intimate.

If youre planning to remodel the attic room, so your teen daughters can hang out with her friends, this might be the best idea for you.

First, let the walls and the ceiling have similar color, which is a light and a bright shade like white.

Then, choose feminine lighting fixture and mirror decorations. Also, adopt the U-shaped sofa with various colors, such as pink, orange, green, purple, and blue to create a youthful atmosphere.

If you want to add a distinct characteristic, go with a chess-pattern carpet in a purple color.

Living in a simple cottage in a small village brings peace to some people. If youre one of those people, but you dont want to stay in a remote area, this can be a great alternative.

Transform the room using rustic beams ceiling and rural tiles floors. To enhance the style, only use wood chair, wood frame on the built-in drawers and traditional basket as well as the foot table at the end of the bed.

How cute is the teddy bear?

This is suitable for you who love reading. The reading corner is a small gap between two storage. There are two additional lawn chairs for when others want to join, and decorations of fake animals heads to add a sense of art.

The wall is painted with light blue, while the rest is painted with a bright white. Those are great choices of colors to make the room appear bigger as well as clean and hygienic.

An attic room is a bonus to the house. Here, you can transform the space into almost anything you want, including a music room.

In fact, its a perfect place for an acoustic performance.

Go with a clean concept. To do this, use white color for the walls and ceilings. Meanwhile, give the room another pop of color, such as the natural wood color from the floors, and the hot red of the sofa.

If you have a new member in the family, but theres not enough room in master bedroom for the crib, transform the attic into a nursery room.

The style can be adjusted to the gender of your baby. This one seems to be for a boy, because the end wall is painted with a blue-ish color. Theres also a painting of a young boy reading a book.

Not every attic is huge. This one has a limited space, but it shouldnt bother you. A small space is not a boundary for a creative mind like yours.

Dont forget! The key to make a room bigger lies on the color. Here, white is used to paint the wall up to the ceiling.

There are a couple of furniture that are also in white, such as the nightstand and the bedding. Then, to create a depth to the room, use navy blue on the floor.

Dont you feel like youre floating on the ocean?

One thing thats very noticeable from this idea is the slopped ceiling. It goes all the way up to the top of the house. The huge, sturdy beam seems to hold the ceilings together.

The racks and the window frame create an industrial vibe; however the ambience from the lighting makes you feel like youre out there camping.

Do you want to feel like youre in the Four Seasons?

This attic room has been successfully transformed into a luxurious gateway. Not only that it has an extremely cozy bedroom, but it has a luxurious bathroom thats completed with an expensive spa spot.

The lux can be seen from the features, such as granite vanity top with double sinks, see-through shower and bathtub glass doors, skylight view through the dormer, and the choice of the tiles.

Here, youll feel like youre in heaven!

An attic bathroom is always a good idea, because you can relax in a tub and enjoy the view from up there. Especially, when the sun sets, the sky will look amazing.

However, to transform an attic room into a bathroom may cost you a lot of money, because you have to rearrange the plumbing and everything else. Not to mention that you have to be careful with water damaging the floor as well.

All and all, this idea can turn into a billion dollar idea if you execute it well! This looks like a paradise too.

This design can be applied to an attic room with large dormers. For example, this room has a huge dormer thats located below a pair of large windows.

That is why chandelier isnt needed here, because you can take advantage of all of the natural light from the sun.

Here, the dormer becomes the most important element of the room, because it provides enough light to make the room bigger. As well as the choice of color of the wall, ceiling and the furniture adds to the openness.

Dont let your attic room goes to waste!

Remodel the attic into a functional room. A large room can be reused as a place for several young childrens bedrooms.

This may be a great idea for orphans or an extra room for when your child has his or her friends over. Looking at the interior, the wood beams and the flooring give the room a countryside feel.

If youre looking for extra income, transform your ghosted attic room into a mini house.

Here, you can build a bedroom at the end of the hall, then, a bathroom in the middle thats in the opposite of what seems to be the storage.

The rest can be used as the living room and probably kitchen in the back-end. When everythings done, you can definitely rent the remodeled attic room!

Sometimes, its hard to take your kids to bed. Its a different case when their bedroom looks like this one!

Remodel the attic room into an innovative bedroom for children. This design allows you to have unique bunk bed for them. The stair is even multi-functional.

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35+ Clever Use of Attic Room Design and Remodel Ideas

If you had asked me a year ago would I ever write an article called "how to install a drop ceiling" I would have looked at you like you had three heads. Yet, here I am. Or rather, here we are.

I taught myself how to install a drop ceiling and here's the result. It makes me tear up with joy each time I go down to my basement. I'm writing this article to show you how to do yours.

I'm guessing you are here for the same reason that I was Googling for days on end a year ago. You want to know if you can install a drop ceiling in your basement on your own.

The short answer is yes! Yes you can and it's not that hard. You can save a lot of money by doing it yourself IF you don't make some of these key mistakes.

If you're here because you're still trying to decide should you go with a drop ceiling over a drywall ceiling for your basement then make sure to read both sides of the debate here on the site. Here's Jason's article that is definitely against drop ceilings. And here's my argument FOR choosing a suspended ceiling (let's show a little respect).

Now let's get to the meat and potatoes of how to install a drop ceiling.

L-Channel: Metal channel thats shapped like an L. You will install this first around the entire perimeter of the wall, a few inches below your ceiling (hence the "drop" in drop ceiling).

T-Channel: Metal channel thats shapped like a... yep you guessed it, T! These run perpendicular to your floor joists.

4 foot cross T's: These are like mini T-Channel that run parallel to your floor joists and snap to the main T-Channel

2 foot cross T's: If you are purchasing 4'x2' tiles, these are not needed. If you are going with 2'x2' tiles, these are needed and run between the 4 foot cross T's.

Drop Ceiling Tiles: These will be the most expensive part of your drop ceiling project. They come in a ton of styles and can be humidity and mold resistant and offer various levels of sound insulation.

Drop ceiling tiles come in flush mounts (the tiles are even with the T's) or with reveals (tiles sit slightly below T's). Personally I think the reveals provide a nice aesthetic touch.

Wire and Wire Hanging Eyelets: The eyelets are screwed to the floor joists and the wire is looped through the eyelet and the wholes in the main T-Channels to provide the needed support from the weight of the tiles.

Tin Snips:You'll need a good pair of tin snips to make all the cuts on the L and T channels. I recommend this Bostitch model on Amazon. It's rated 4.5 stars and has free shipping with Prime.

Drill Eyelet Adapter: A special drill bit that the eyelets fit into. Worth its little weight in gold!

Several fresh Utility Knife Blades:Do yourself a favor and stock up on utility blades before getting started.I can't stress how important sharp blades are while cutting tiles.Cutting drop ceiling tiles dulls them quickly and if you attempt to cut tiles with dull blades, your cuts will look sloppy.

I found a great video that explains how to install a drop ceiling. I've embedded it at the bottom of this article after these steps, but I recommend reading these steps first. I pretty much learned 90% of what I needed to know from this guys so props to him!

I want to highlight here the key steps with some pain saving pointers. Save yourself some major aggravation and avoid my mistakes. Read through these, then watch the video, then leave a comment with any questions on how to install a drop ceiling.

Step 1 - Design Your Drop Ceiling Grid

It starts with a game plan. Literally, measure and make a TO SCALE drawing of each room. Then layout your tile spacing and see how it looks. Like tiling a floor, you want to make sure your outer edge ceiling tiles aren't too small. Ideally they will be evenly placed along the perimeter.

There are several websites and videos online on how to lay out a room. I was super annoyed though that every video on the web assumes you have a simple square shaped room. If you do, you've got a huge advantage in figuring out how to install a drop ceiling. Both of my main rooms had cut ins, jut outs, and soffits. If that's the same for you, use the videos as a starting point, lay out your room and make tweaks one direction or the other to avoid small tiles near those obstructions.

Step 2 - Install the L-Channel

Here's an nicely mitered L channel on an outside corner. While learning how to install a drop ceiling be sure to take the extra time to get these corners correct.

Now, time to get your hands dirty. Determine the drop you are going with and measure around the perimeter of the room down from the floor joists that amount. Mark the location of your wall studs and using self taping drywall screws, adhere the L-Channel to the wall.

Interior corners are simple - Either overlap the two pieces or butt them together. Exterior corners can similarly be butted together but to give them a sharper look, I overlapped them and cut one on a 45 degree angle to give the appearance of a mitered corner.

Step 3 - Install the T-Channel

The main T runs perpendicular to the floor joists. Place your first main piece of T-Channel spaced away from your wall as determined in your grid layout.

These pieces of channel will be supported on either end by the L channel and will be supported in the middle by the eyelets and wire spaced approximately 2-4 feet apart. This amounts to about every other or every third joist.

Once you have the wire loosely run through the channel and the eyelets, next work to ensure the channel is level. One good strategy is to run a string taut from wall to wall in line with the L-Channel. Then pull the individual wires tight to bring the T-Channel in line with the string. Wrap the wire around itself to ensure it doesn't sag or come loose with the weight of the tile. Rinse and repeat this process with the T-Channel spaced 4 feet apart until all the channel is up.

Step 4 - Install the Cross Ts

Cross T installation is a snap. Sorry, bad pun. You need to snap in the 4 foot cross T's. Again if using 2x2 tiles, the 2 foot cross T's as well. It's easiest to do both at once for a smoother install. Start with full T's and once complete move to the edges. Measure and cut each T to size. Always cut a bevel on the wall end to avoid interference with the wall.

As you are going, drop in a couple full tiles to square up the grid. Definitely do this before cutting the edge tiles to ensure the grid is totally square.

Here is one of my drop ceiling tiles with a recessed light cut-out. This is before I installed the light trim.

After all the T's are installed, drop in all of the full tiles and move on to the edge pieces. Measure and cut these as well.

If you bought tiles with a reveal, the best way to get an accurate cut is to first cut the tile to size and set it into place. Then score the tile along the edge, remove the tile and cut the reveal. This can fairly accurately be done by hand and by eyeballing the depth of the cut. After 1 or 2 cuts, you'll get used to it.

Make special cuts for other interferences (drop lighting, smoke detectors, etc).

The Adobe Flash Player is required for video playback.Get the latest Flash Player or Watch this video on YouTube.

There you go, Done! A successful drop ceiling install. Congrats!

Do you have questions about how to install a drop ceiling? I'd love to hear them below!

-Adam

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Sewer and septic tank pumping and maintenance is a necessity.

When your tank is clean and your septic system is in good repair and working right, you probably don't spend much time thinking about sewer and septic system cleaning and maintenance.

So, yes, thinking about septic pumping is our job and something we work hard at getting right, every time. We provide both residential and commercial septic services, from small tanks and systems to large ones.

We offer pump-outs, grease trap pumping, and repairs. And you can count on us for PVC pipe, trouble shooting, yearly maintenance, drain field assessment, failure repair, and more.

We strongly recommend annual inspection and cleaning of your septic system, because that way you can avoid any sudden (and nasty) surprises. Let's face it, a failing septic system stinks! We inspect your tank and your leach field, as well, to be sure it's all working properly. We get down and dirty...so you don't have to.

And when it's an emergency, we'll be out ASAP! Call us at417-326-4330.

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Sewer and Septic Tank Pumping- Sewer and Septic Services ...

Finishing, renovating, or remodeling a basement is a popularrenovation project, and for good reason. It adds additional living space, therefore improving the quality of life for you and your family. It also substantially increases your resalevalue.Since a basement renovation is less expensive than an addition, its a more cost-effective way to the additional square footage you want.

At Monks, we can take a completely unfinished and uninviting space, and turn it into a functional extension of your home. If you have a finished basement but it needs a makeover, we can renovate, reconfigure, add a bathroom, bedroom or bar. In either scenario, adding an egress window can also bring in light and provide safety. We offer a variety of services to renovate your basement space as you wish.

Our customers have many reasons for finishing their basement, such as creating a

Weve delivered finished basements for all of these needs.Similarly, our team of skilled craftsmen and diligent project managers work closely with you to create the ideal basement space for you.

The basement below started out as a huge, unfinished space. We created a full kitchen, bathroom, dining room, exercise room, bedroom, and seating area.

Here are a few additional basement projects completed by Monks.

This basement project involved a lot of carpentry. We constructed built-ins, put up board-and-batten wainscoting, added crown molding and trimmed the columns.

This basement project involved adding a new full bathroom, a kitchenette, and separate areas for the parents and kids.

A completely unfinished basement when we started. We finished the space,as well as added an egress window so the homeowners could market the home with an additional bedroom.

Whatever your basement renovation plans, Monks is ready to deliver a completed project youll love.

Contact us today at 973-635-7900 to get started.

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You don't have to deal with contractor nightmares...

Many homeowners have terrible issues with remodeling companies...

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Spend less time dealing with the hassle of a remodel and spend more time enjoying your dream space with your family, friends, and neighbors.

The first step is scheduling a phone call to review your remodeling ideas, answer questions and see if we are a good fit for one another. On the phone call, we will be able to provide you a rough price range, what is involved, plus design advice.

At the end of the initial phone call if it's a good fit for one another, we schedule an in-home evaluation. After the in-home evaluation we are able to provide a detailed proposal with the price & scope of work.

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Phoenix Home Remodeling - Bathroom & Kitchen Remodels

Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom remodeling can be time consuming and expensive when you try to do it yourself. Let Gary Alsandor Construction cut down your costs and take care of the home additions for you! We will send out a general contractor to assist you throughout your washroom renovation.

Our range of products and knowledge will help you create the bathroom of your dreams. If you need to install some pedestal sinks, weve got them. If you even decide on that luxurious jacuzzi tub you have been dreaming about, call us up and our bathroom remodeler will quickly come out to your home and go through the purchasing and installation process with you. If you are looking for an entirely new look, we can be of invaluable assistance. Our color matching and resurfacing skills are excellent. Stop being embarrassed by the outdated look of your restroom any longer-get started on your bathroom remodeling project today! We also have concrete contractor services to offer.

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Were a brand leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of high-quality fitted kitchens and furniture. With your input they will then come up with a kitchen design that is within budget, looks great and works in a practical way. The double-file kitchen (or two-way galley) has two rows of cabinets at opposite walls, one containing the stove and the sink, the other the refrigerator. Youll want to pick out beautiful counters that will look great with the rest of your kitchen. The flat pack kitchens industry has changed the way people renovate their kitchens and homes by making it easy to put together and mixing and matching to suit your wants and needs. Whether youre a master chef or a home cook, well design and craft a room thats perfect for you. Be sure to take these measurements with you whenever you go to look at kitchen fixtures and

Our award winning bamboo flooring lines are completely non-toxic, formaldehyde free, zero VOC and third-party certified to be safe, durable and eco-friendly. Note that solid bamboo is stronger than engineered, which consists of multiple layers. On the one hand, theres natural bamboo, light in color (almost blonde), which boasts twice the stability of red oak (Americas most popular flooring). Since scratches are possible, protect your bamboo floors from itinerant furniture. Horizontal and vertical construction use bamboo shoots in their natural state, glued uniformly either horizontally or vertically, to create boards that look like natural bamboo. Bamboo flooring can be used in homes, restaurants, commercial settings, basements, it has even been used on walls, ceilings, and as countertops. Bamboo flooring is a perfect solution for those who want to have sophisticated wooden floors but cant afford the high price. Easy maintenance of bamboo flooring allows homeowners freedom to partake in more

Advantages of Solar Phone Chargers

Work is done by the use of energy. It is obvious for living things and self-driven machines to utilize energy in order to perform their functions. This energy must be gotten somewhere. Without such an energy, a given machine or organism cannot work. There must be a source of energy for such an organism or machine. Ingested food materials act as source of energy to living organisms. Chemical energy in these living organisms is gotten by the conversion of ingested food materials into chemical energy. Energy in machines is used in form of electricity. This electric energy come from various sources. Water and the sun act as sources of energy.

Water turbines are meant to produce electricity as they rotate at a high speed. Solar panels are devices that are used to trap sun energy. Our homes cannot do without energy. Energy must be used

Dont just take our word for it. Take a look at all the great leather furniture we have available through Sams Club. You can easily match a Natuzzi leather chair with a correlating Natuzzi sofa; or a Klaussner leather chair with its Klaussner counterpart sofa. If you are given a leather swatch for color reference, pull and stretch the leather swatch to get a sense what the leather would look like when upholstered onto a furniture frame. Old Brick Furniture reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update information at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order). Also keep in mind, grain patterns and coloring of leather will vary from hide to hide and also within the same hide, making leather all the more interesting and unique. Each of the leather chairs sold at Peerless furniture is of

Amazing Gift Ideas for Children

Kids have so many likes and interests that it is not difficult to pick gifts for them. However, there are some children who are choosy when it comes to the things they like. Sometimes, they may play with one toy repeatedly, and at other times they may disregard some toys. Also, there are also some adults who have no idea when it comes to thinking about great gift ideas for kids. In this article we shall discuss some details that may be for those people who are choosing gifts for children.

Books are always an excellent gift for kids. Just ensure that the book is appropriate for the childs age. For toddlers who tend to ruin everything they can hold, get board books that have few texts and big, brilliant pictures. However for kids that are older you must select books with amazing pictures and

Kitchen remodeling has gained the spotlight in home improvement for a good reason. Stop by our showroom or contact us to start your kitchen remodeling project today. On the other hand, home contractors will be at the job site every business day until the residential remodeling job gets done. Professional interior designers will be on-site at the Remodeling Expo, offering FREEdesign consultations.

When it comes to a smoothly functioning kitchen, one of the most important decisions you can make in your Arlington VA kitchen remodel is the layout. Let our experts plan and execute the perfect bathroom remodel to maximize space and create a relaxing environment for you to enjoy for years to come. I have known and worked with Ben and his team at Thompson Remodeling since 2003.

Any remodeling that exposes existing structure or changes the way loads are distributed on the floors and walls will require

Considerations When Undertaking a Commercial Roof Repair Job

Managing your company is never an easy undertaking. If you need to have commercial roof repair done on your business premises, it can be a stressful experience. The are numerous reasons why you may require roof repair. The roof may have been damaged due to vandalism, storm damage, leaks or the roof may just be aged. It is essential to choose a trusted roofing contractor and also to ensure youve got everything you need to complete the work and get it done immediately.

Time is a crucial factor when it comes to commercial roof repair. While making sure the roof is repaired whether it is at home or at your place of work, when it comes to your company, you cannot risk closing your business for long due to a damaged roof. It would mean the loss of lots of sales for

Keep Your Home Free from Bed Bugs

Our house is where we spend our time to eat, chat with family, sleep, and watch television and so on. Residing in a complete and fresh surroundings offers good ambiance, generates good feelings and particularly live a happy life.

A house has all the necessary things needed for living. The house design and atmosphere is dependent on the individual/s residing in that home. Men and women are demanded to thoroughly clean the environment simply because residing a property with such an a chaotic place, upsetting look and scent, and filled with garbage and dirt could head them to bad living condition. Insects that are generally observed within the house are roaches, bugs, ants, and other pests. These insects are living together with us in our home especially if we have unhealthy environment. Most the insects that are difficult to be viewed by our

Whether youre looking atLeatherSofasfor your living room, furniture for a playroom or that perfect piece for an impressive study or library, we understand that furniture plays an integral role in the interior of your home as well as how it affects the layout and flow. Please call our knowledgeable staff with any questions or to learn more about the leather furniture made in America that is available today from our company Leather Furniture USA. Customize your leather chair or sofa with a choice of over 40 types of leather and hundreds of colors. We offer leather furniture in a wide variety of popular colors, as well as combinations of microfiber and leather upholstery. Sign up with Gallery Furniture and receive notices on sales, special products, and events. Leather is a natural material, so no two hides are ever exactly alike in color and markings. Only the top-grain

The bulk of our clients live in beautiful, custom homes that no longer fit their lifestyle. Without leaving the comfort of your home, without buying and using those expensive paper and pencils, without paying designers, one can create and make his dream remodeling plan through the help and guide of the remodeling software. Homeowners are recommended to perform checks such as verifying license and insurance and checking business references prior to hiring a contractor to work on their house.

For example, remodeling a whole house thats fewer than 1,000 square feet costs an average of $18,347, while a 3,000- to 4,000-square foot home costs an average of $36,121. This is the 6th year and running weve been honored in one or more of the home remodeling categories. Be sure to save old faucets and you can have a collection to change every few months to give your bathroom a new

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