Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

If you have an above ground pool, why not do some landscaping for the above ground pool? Look at it as an interesting landscaping opportunity. At the least, if you are landscaping for above ground pools, the first thing you have to think about is a deck to access the pool. And a deck has plenty of decorative possibilities. The landscaping for above ground pools often includes plants around the pools perimeter and something growing on the deck itself.

Decking The Walls

Okay, it is possible to not build a deck for your pool. They can sell you a ladder that fits over the edge for pool access. But not only is that not a pretty solution, it is impractical. The pool is not just for swimming, it is also for lounging. Good landscaping for above ground pools must include a place for parents to sit while they watch their kids, a place to jump out and play Marco Polo and a clean place to dry off before going in the house.

The deck does not have to be very big or elaborate. Something as small as a ten by ten foot platform is enough for a few deck chairs. Some people end up making a deck that completely encircles the pool. Either way, if you are handy enough, this is an easy do-it-yourself landscaping project for above ground pools. Otherwise, the pool company can recommend builders.

Also, some people recommend constructing a fence around the pool. If you have very young children (or young children run around in your neighborhood), consider a fence. The fence can be a decorative part of the landscape. For example, hang decorations or plant vines around it.

Creating An Oasis As Landscaping For Above Ground Pools

The plants for landscaping above ground pools must be able to take full sun, and even an occasional splash of chlorine water.

If you plan to put shrubs around the pools perimeter, choose something that stays short and rarely needs pruning. Landscaping for above ground pools involves avoiding plants that can drop leaves or debris into the water. And if you are pruning near the pool, some of those cuttings are going to end up clogging your filter. And do not select a shrub that will grow so fast it blocks access to the pool machinery.

Adding tropical-looking flowers to the deck is a great oasis touch. Pick plants that can take the full sun. Canna lilies are a good choice for landscaping for above ground pools. Something like lantanas are pretty too, but they may be prone to dropping flowers into the water.

See more here:
Ideas For Landscaping For Above Ground Pools

Support

Wednesday, June 24, 2015 02:20 EDT

Updated reader reports include the following topics:

SensorLog is an iOS app from Bernd Thomas for logging sensor data from an Apple mobile device - latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, course, heading, acceleration, rotation, yaw, roll, pitch, gravity and more; plus motion activity in iPhone 5s and later models, as well as altitude and pressure data from iPhone 6 models and more. Features include logging and real-time, multicolor graphing of data, sending logs by email (or downloading via iTunes), selection of sampling rates and sensors, as well as a default email recipient, and data transmission over WiFi. SensorLog 1.6 is a free, ad-supported download for iOS 8 with a $3.99 in-app upgrade to remove the ads.

iPartition is an OS X utility from Coriolis Systems Limited that can resize storage partitions without destroying their data and also create, destroy, and format partitions on internal, external, fixed or removable disks. It includes support for HFS+, HFS, HFS+, FAT, NTFS, and Boot Camp, plus the ability to convert partition maps between Mac and PC formats and convert between case-sensitive HFS+ and normal HFS+ formats. (Note that there are some limitations with Apple's Core Storage formatting, used by FileVault 2, Fusion drives and Yosemite, nor is it compatible with Drobo devices.) iPartition 3.4.5 is priced at $49.95 for Mac OS X 10.5 and up (PowerPC or Intel).

WinZip is a compression utility from WinZip Computing S.L. (part of Corel), originally designed for Windows but also available for OS X. Features include compression with a file encryption option, the ability to open commons file formats (Zip, Zipx, RAR, LHA, 7Z, JAR, WAR), support for cloud storage (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, ZipShare) and a built-in email interface. WinZip for Mac 4.0.2519 is priced at $29.95 for OS X 10.8 and up with a trial version available. WinZip for iOS 4.2 is priced at $4.99 for iOS 7 and up.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Current reader reports include the following topics:

Adobe Security Bulletin APSB15-14 documents the latest "critical" Adobe Flash security flaws in the unending stream of dangerous vulnerabilities in the company's software:

These updates address a critical vulnerability (CVE-2015-3113) that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. Adobe is aware of reports that CVE-2015-3113 is being actively exploited in the wild via limited, targeted attacks....

More here:
MacInTouch: timely news and tips about Apple Macintosh ...

OK - terminology issue here. The "shower pan" is a collection liner than underlies the shower floor itself, and is designed (if built and plumbed right) to trap any leakage from the shower floor and route it to the same floor drain pipe. Example image here, copper in this case -

http://indigochreblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_0835.jpg

It sounds like your are saying the shower floor or base unit failed - likely a fiberglass or plastic shower, which commonly fail due to incomplete support under them. This can be repaired if fiberglass, but is not usually done unless just microcracking, as it is hard to find an expert - usually you have to have a car body fiberglass specialist or a surfboard repair expert do it, and the color will not match perfectly unless you get a new gelcoat over the entire base unit. Cost about $300-500, ASSUMING the material can be repaired - true fiberglass can, thermoplastic can sometimes be welded but anyone's guess how long it will last without cracking again, plastics like PVC can rarely be fixed so they will hold someone standing on them. Any sort of repair is likely to crack again, because you have done nothing to remove the cause of the cracking which is standing on a base that is not fully supported over its full extent. Some cheepo or desperate plumbers try injecting non-pressuring type expanding foam underneath to improve the support - this does a great job of supporting it but unfortunately supports mold, so starts stinking in short order as a rule.

The normal fix is to remove and replace it, because once it is out there is no sense in putting a damaged one back in for the small increment in cost. Removing it means taking the shower wall liners or the bottom row or two of tile out so you can get the new base unit into place (because they overlap it), then replacing them. So, the $3000 range indicated is indicative of this type of job, which typically runs from a very low of around $1500-2000 for an identical base unit, to more typically $3-5,000 depending on whether a shower enclosure or tile walls. Of course,when the new one is put in, it is CRITICAL that it be fully supported - this means rubbing plumbers rouge or similar marking substance on the bottom, test fitting it, and then lifting it out and checking that all the stiffener ribs and support pads made contact with the pan, and making adjusments as necessary until it has full contact, then standing in it and rocking back and forth to check for any points not making full contat and fixing them.

The $10,000 plus numbers you got must have been for entire shower replacement down to the joists and studs, and the $30,000 range number would be typical for a full bathroom remodel with new shower or shower/tub and doors and surround, wall finishes, vanity, sink, toilet, and flooring and door.

See the rest here:
Handyman Service in Chicago - Angie's List

Contact LGC Roofing for free gutter installation/repair estimate

LGC Roofing is a leading gutters installer in New Jersey. We offer residential and commercial gutter installation and repair services on all forms of properties. We have been installing rain gutters in NJ for over two decades. Our installers offer quality work and superb customer service.

We install 5 and 6 inch gutter, standard or half round. We will help you determine the the optimal gutter size for your home.

Your system must be designed to adequately drain the surface area of your roof and that requires some calculation. We will calculate rainfalls against the square footage and slope of your roof. We will then determine the weight of water that a given section of gutter must hold, and thus the number and spacing of the hangers needed to hold up the gutter.

Traditional gutters clog with leaves, debris, damaging your roof, foundation, fascia and landscaping. Cleaning out gutters is also dangerous. Why risk?

LGC Roofing offers a great solution to common gutter problems - leaf guards. With leaf guard protections, your gutters will not clog. No more dangerous and dirty job of climbing ladders to clean out your gutters. With your gutters running free and clear, you won't have to worry about water damage to your home. Attractive and durable, leaf guards are a lifetime solution to your gutter problems.

Constant exposure to the outdoors damages gutters. Over a period of years, all that movement can cause the metal to warp. Warped gutters can often pull away from the house, allowing water to leak. If your gutters become warped and crinkled, then all those little pockmarks become magnets for debris to collect. Debris becomes sludge, and sludge attacks metal.

All of these problems are related:

Our company estimator will set up a time to come to your home to measure and go over your options with you. This is a good time to ask for a sample of the proposed gutter so you can see the exact quality of the material you are getting. The run length and run height will be determined. Additional charges will be calculated in for replacing rotten fascia boards, building-out fascia, adding extras like drip-edge extensions or custom color choices.

Read more from the original source:
NJ Gutters Installation Repair | LGC Roofing Contractors

For most of the time people study Feng Shui for their homes or offices. The topic of this article is a bit different. I would not tell you what constitutes a good Feng Shui home or office. Instead, I will teach you how to choose a Feng Shui hotel room. In other words, after reading this article, you would know how to select a hotel room with good Feng Shui when you are on vacation or business trip.

Does it really matter to find a Feng Shui hotel room? It depends. If you have just a short stay for one or two nights, the Feng Shui of the hotel room does not really matter. But if you have a long stay or you are having a business trip for an important business meeting, a good Feng Shui room could how to bring good luck.

Ace Hotel NYC guest room interior by Jeremy Pelley

If you studied my Feng Shui Master Class, you would know how to choose luckyfloor level. Even if you dont, here is a quick tip.

In 2014, the luckiest floor levels are those ending with 6, i.e. 6, 16, 26, 36, 46, etc. If possible, when you check in at the concierge, tell the hotel staff that you want a floor level ending with 6. Unless the hotel is really fully booked, usually the hotel staff would be able to fulfill your requirement.

There is one thing to note. We need to count the actual floor number. Sometimes the floor levels are not in simple 1, 2, 3, 4 sequence. Instead, the floor levels may be G, UG, Podium, L1, L2, etc. In Feng Shui, we count the real floor number only. So the ground level is 1/F, 2/F is one floor above, 3/F is next all the way to the highest floor. We do not skip unlucky floor numbers like 13. The 6, 16, 26, 36, floors here refer to the real floor number.

Now that the first requirement is met, it is time to examine the hotel room. Firstly, avoid choosing the last room in the corridor, i.e. the room at the dead end. We believe that the energy, a.k.a. Chi, needs to flow. The Chi at the end of a corridor is stagnant, so a room located there is usually not preferred.

Read more here:
Feng Shui 2015 | Feng Shui Office | Feng Shui Colors

When the flooring in your home is damaged or worn because of heavy traffic or age, visit your flooring pro at Flooring America Ankeny. We offer Ankeny flooring in a variety of hues, textures, and patterns in addition to trusted national brands so you find the ideal flooring with installation to renovate your space. Match your tastes and themes to your flooring for a fashionable look that complements your dcor.

Every homeowner has unique needs and deserves the right kind of flooring and installation to meet those needs. Each flooring type offers attractive benefits, from resisting moisture and scratches to stains and heavy foot traffic. We have the materials to revamp your home so it looks new again. Other flooring stores in Ankeny cant rival our incredible selection and installation services. Choose from among our name-brand:

When you have questions about purchasing flooring and installation in Ankeny, Iowa, we have the answers and are here to assist you in finding exactly what youre looking for. Each of our associates is highly trained and schooled about all the impressive product lines and name brands we carry.

Whether you run a busy household with children and pets or enjoy the simplicity of living in a low-key residence, we have just what Iowans seek and make recommendations based upon your lifestyle and aesthetic preferences. Let us help you navigate through our broad selection. At our Ankeny flooring store, we review your requirements and formulate customized solutions, such as comfortable carpeting for your family room or cool ceramic tile for your kitchen.

After you have chosen the right flooring for your home in Ankeny, make sure your investment lasts as long as possible. Installation is a key component to extend the life and durability of your new flooring. Dont take chances on subpar installation from contractors when you can opt for professional, dependable flooring installation in Ankeny from Flooring America. Our installers are competent, highly experienced, and are well-versed in a variety of flooring types so your new floors are properly and neatly installed.

Call our reputable Ankeny, IA flooring and installation store today at 515-650-9070 to learn more about our collections and to schedule an appointment for flooring installation.We proudly serve the communities of Ankeny, Saylorville, Bondurant, Altoona, Elkhart, Polk City, Mitchellville and Johnston, Iowa.

Go here to read the rest:
Flooring Ankeny, IA | Flooring Installation

Minimum stay:3-7 nights Internet:Yes Pets considered:No Wheel chair accessible:N/A

*****HOUSE LOCATION: Oceanfront 1701 S. Waccamaw Drive Garden City Beach, SC 29576 2.3 miles south of Garden City Pier

*****LAYOUT OF HOUSE: 8 bedrooms: 6 up, 2 down 7.5 baths: 5 up, 2 and half down Beds: Upstairs-1K,1K,2Q,1Q,1Q,1Q, 2Q sleeper sofas, 1TWIN bunk bed Downstairs-2Q,1Q.1Q sleeper sofa

'FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND' New 5000 sq ft custom built home June 2006 on large oceanfront lot. Enjoy breathtaking views of the ocean and Grand Strand shoreline in rocking chairs from two full length oceanside covered porches! The house plan is very open and spacious with 8 bedrooms and 7.5 baths, which includes two oceanfront king master bedroom suites with jacuzzis. ***FOR VRBO--CLICK ON OWNER INFO TAB & SCROLL DOWN TO LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION TO TAKE VIRTUAL TOUR AND ALSO READ GUEST COMMENTS***FOR HOMEAWAY--CLICK ON ABOUT BOB AND JANET ARNOLD LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE OWNER PICTURE BELOW AND READ GUESTBOOK COMMENTS***

You will be welcomed into our beach home by the richness of hardwood floors and ceramic tile throughout the house which accent the beauty of the professionally decorated living areas. As you enter our house, you have unsurpassed ocean and beach views. You can relax on either of the two oceanfront porches and enjoy breathtaking sunrises or enjoy breakfast with friends on the spacious porches. The house is located on the beach which is just over the private dunes walker. Head out to hear the ocean waves and feel the warm breeze as you unwind while sitting on the comfy seating area on the walkover to the sandy beach and ocean. A short walk north takes you to the Marlin Quay Marina know for the incredible beach and ocean views as well as stunning sunsets over the marshes of Murrells Inlet. Also located by the marina, is a long time scrumptious restaurant and bar, the upscale Gulf Stream Cafe, which offers fine dining seafood and steaks. Our house boasts two large living areas with big screen TVs and bluray players. The downstairs living area hosts a wet bar with standalone icemaker. The upstairs living area has a wet bar, mini fridge, and full size pool table and game table. All TVs are new flat screen and each bedroom has a TV and DVD player. Private in ground swimming pool, kiddie pool, and in ground hot tub located by the ocean along with an outdoor kitchen, gas grill, and picnic tables. Catch some sun rays by the pool or that afternoon nap in one of the many lounge chairs. The outside dressing area and shower are conveniently located by the pool area. Plenty of covered parking and extra parking in front of our house. Garden City is a nice, family beach. Only 2.3 miles south of the famous Garden City Beach Pier, which offers fishing, live entertainment, food, ice cream, & more.

Everything close by - excellent restaurants, unique shopping, beautiful golf courses right here in Garden City. Also, excellent local seafood available!!! Myrtle Beach is just a 15 minute drive for unlimited entertainment,shopping, and restaurant options.The address is 1701 S. Waccamaw Drive, Garden City, SC.

Exceptional amenities include granite countertops in the kitchen, baths, two wet bars, one on each floor, magnificent oceanfront gourmet kitchen with huge 48 inch refrigerator plus second refrigerator, 2 dishwashers, two ovens, two sinks, icemaker, eat in bar to seat 8, fully stocked kitchenware and accessories for those who enjoy cooking, 3 big screen televisions--one is 55 inch TV, 9 other new flat screen televisions, 4 Blu-ray, 7 DVD players, Bose surround sound in den, Sony audio system, wireless internet access, large upstairs game room with pool table, kids TV area, two washers and dryers.

Private pool with fountain, kiddie pool, hot tub. Outdoor kitchen with granite countertop, gas grill, and two picnic tables. Spacious seating area on walkover near the ocean. Pool heating available as an option March-May and September-October. Two covered street side porches and two covered oceanside porches with rockers and a porch swing. Lockable guest storage on ground level for personal items. Come live a relaxed and lavished lifestyle at Footprints in the Sand. We do our own personal spring cleaning and maintenance so that we can ensure that our house is clean and maintained from top to bottom. We always encourage suggestions and comments from our guests so that we can improve your vacation experience at our beach home and will return to visit with us again year after year. Fully furnished except for linens (rentals available). (2K, 8Q, 3Q sofa beds, 1 twin bunk bed) Weekly rentals are Saturday to Saturday from April through October. Email for special requests. **SEE CALENDAR BELOW FOR AVAILABLE DATES*****

ADDITIONAL SERVICES AVAILABLE: Rental of Beach Chairs, Umbrellas, Bikes, Beach Carts, Boogie Boards & Gas Grills, Baby Items, Golf Carts, etc.

NOTE: SUMMER Rentals run SATURDAY-SATURDAY with check-in at 4pm and check-out at 10am.

See the original post:
Luxury Oceanfront 8 BR/7.5BA/Pool/Hot Tub/Porches ... - VRBO

Termites: About destructive subterranean termites and drywood termites - termite identification pictures - termite biology and behavior - life-cycle of termites - the termite colony - the king and queen termite , nymphs, soldier termites , worker termites and termite alates. Termite Control: termite inspections to find or detect evidence of termites or termite activity in a building - the installation of termite barriers to control termites - chemical soil termiticides - pesticide safety issues - the safe use of termite control termiticides, such as, Termidor (fipronil) and Premise (imidacloprid). Termite baits or baiting for termite colony elimination - the use of termite control baits and termite monitoring stations with the environmentally friendly products, such as, Exterra termite baiting system and Sentricon termite bait. Termite & Pest Control excellent web sites. Pest Control: safe and effective control of roaches - use of roach baits for roach control - ants and ant control baits - fire ants - wasps and wasp control - bees and bee control - timber borers and borer control - fleas and flea control - birds and bird control - pigeons and pigeon control - bird mite lice - rats and rat control - mice control. Spider Identification Chart: spiders and spider control - venomous or dangerous - spider bite first aid information - spider bite pictures - identification of deadly or poisonous spiders - the funnel web spider - red back spider - black widow spider - white tail spider - wolf spider - trap-door spider - huntsman spider - st andrews cross spider. Consumer protection advice: on selecting a pest and termite control company.

Find Pest Control Exterminators in your State AL Birmingham Huntsville Mobile Montgomery AZ Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale Tempe Tucson AR Little Rock CA Anaheim Bakersfield Berkeley Burbank Chula Vista Concord Corona Costa Mesa Daly Downey El Monte Escondido Fairfield-CA Fontana Fremont Fresno Fullerton Garden Grove Glendale Hayward Huntington Beach Inglewood Irvine Lancaster-CA Long Beach Los Angeles Modesto Moreno Valley Norwalk Oakland Oceanside Ontario Orange Oxnard Palmdale Pasadena Pomona Rancho Cucamonga Richmond Riverside Sacramento Salinas San Bernardino San Buenaventura San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Ana Santa Clara Santa Clarita Santa Rosa Simi Valley Stockton Sunnyvale Thousand Oaks Torrance Vallejo West Covina CO Arvada Aurora Colorado Springs Denver Fort Collins Lakewood Pueblo Westminster CT Bridgeport Hartford New Haven Stamford Waterbury FL Cape Coral Clearwater Coral Springs Fort Lauderdale Hialeah Hollywood Jacksonville Miami Orlando Pembroke Pines St Petersburg Tallahassee Tampa GA Athens Atlanta Augusta Columbus Savannah HI Honolulu ID Boise IL Aurora-IL Chicago Joliet Naperville Peoria Rockford Springfield IN Evansville Fort Wayne Gary Indianapolis South Bend IA Iowa Cedar Rapids Des Moines KS Kansas City Olathe Overland Park Topeka Wichita KY Lexington Louisville LA Baton Rouge Lafayette New Orleans Shreveport MD Baltimore MA Boston Cambridge Lowell Springfield Worcester MI Ann Arbor Detroit Flint Grand Rapids Lansing Livonia Sterling Heights Warren MN Minneapolis St. Paul MS Jackson MO Independence Kansas City Springfield St. Louis NE Lincoln Omaha NV Henderson Las Vegas North Las Vegas Reno NH Manchester NJ Elizabeth Jersey City Newark Paterson NM Albuquerque NY Buffalo New York City Rochester Syracuse Yonkers NC Charlotte Durham Fayetteville Greensboro Raleigh Winston OH Akron Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Dayton Toledo OK Oklahoma City Tulsa OR Eugene Portland Salem PA Allentown Erie Philadelphia Pittsburgh RI Providence SC Columbia SD Sioux Falls TN Chattanooga Clarksville Knoxville Memphis Nashville TX Abilene Amarillo Arlington Austin Beaumont Brownsville Carrollton Corpus Christi Dallas El Paso Fort Worth Garland Grand Prairie Houston Irving Laredo Lubbock McAllen Mesquite Pasadena Plano San Antonio Waco Wichita Falls UT Provo Salt Lake City West Valley City VA Alexandria Arlington Chesapeake Hampton Newport News Norfolk Richmond Virginia Beach Washington-DC WA Bellevue Seattle Spokane Tacoma Vancouver WI Green Bay Madison Milwaukee

Link:
Termite.com Termites USA Pest Control Exterminators

Ultrasound is an oscillating sound pressure wave with a frequency greater than the upper limit of the human hearing range. Ultrasound is thus not separated from 'normal' (audible) sound by differences in physical properties, only by the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is approximately 20 kilohertz (20,000 hertz) in healthy, young adults. Ultrasound devices operate with frequencies from 20kHz up to several gigahertz.

Ultrasound is used in many different fields. Ultrasonic devices are used to detect objects and measure distances. Ultrasonic imaging (sonography) is used in both veterinary medicine and human medicine. In the nondestructive testing of products and structures, ultrasound is used to detect invisible flaws. Industrially, ultrasound is used for cleaning and for mixing, and to accelerate chemical processes. Animals such as bats and porpoises use ultrasound for locating prey and obstacles.[1]

Ultrasonics is the application of ultrasound. Ultrasound can be used for medical imaging, detection, measurement and cleaning. At higher power levels, ultrasonics is useful for changing the chemical properties of substances.

Acoustics, the science of sound, starts as far back as Pythagoras in the 6th century BC, who wrote on the mathematical properties of stringed instruments. Sir Francis Galton constructed a whistle producing ultrasound in 1893. The first technological application of ultrasound was an attempt to detect submarines by Paul Langevin in 1917. The piezoelectric effect, discovered by Jacques and Pierre Curie in 1880, was useful in transducers to generate and detect ultrasonic waves in air and water.[2]Echolocation in bats was discovered by Lazzaro Spallanzani in 1794, when he demonstrated that bats hunted and navigated by inaudible sound and not vision.

Ultrasound is defined by the American National Standards Institute as "sound at frequencies greater than 20 kHz."

The upper frequency limit in humans (approximately 20kHz) is due to limitations of the middle ear. Auditory sensation can occur if highintensity ultrasound is fed directly into the human skull and reaches the cochlea through bone conduction, without passing through the middle ear.[3]

Children can hear some high-pitched sounds that older adults cannot hear, because in humans the upper limit pitch of hearing tends to decrease with age.[4] An American cell phone company has used this to create ring signals supposedly only able to be heard by younger humans;[5] but many older people can hear the signals, which may be because of the considerable variation of age-related deterioration in the upper hearing threshold. The Mosquito is an electronic device that uses a high pitched frequency to deter loitering by young people.

Bats use a variety of ultrasonic ranging (echolocation) techniques to detect their prey. They can detect frequencies beyond 100kHz, possibly up to 200kHz.[6]

Many insects have good ultrasonic hearing and most of these are nocturnal insects listening for echolocating bats. This includes many groups of moths, beetles, praying mantids and lacewings. Upon hearing a bat, some insects will make evasive manoeuvres to escape being caught.[7] Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that cause it to drop slightly in its flight to evade attack.[8]Tiger moths also emit clicks which may disturb bats' echolocation,[9][10] but may also in other cases evade being eaten by advertising the fact that they are poisonous by emitting sound.[11][12]

Dogs with normal hearing can hear ultrasound. A dog whistle exploits this by emitting a high frequency sound to call to a dog. Many such whistles emit sound in the upper audible range of humans, but some, such as the silent whistle, emit ultrasound at a frequency in the range 1822kHz.

View original post here:
Ultrasound - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Papazian/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images

No, you won't find hidden cash or hidden bodies, but you will find lots of potential living and play space. Finished basements run the gamut of uses. They can retain their same purpose as a storage/wash room, but with the surroundings tidied up and made more comfortable.

They can become an extra bedroom or even an apartment for rent, if you need an extra source of income. Or, they might be transformed into ultra-swank playrooms for the adults (mancave, theater, bar, etc.) or for the kids.

Yet in newer homes, basements can literally and purposely be left half-finished so that the owner has the option of finishing it if desired. It's a great cost-saving technique that allows you to shift some of the costs of building a home to a later time.

How To Overcome This: In brief, steps to eliminating basement moisture are:

How To Overcome This: The trick is to address not just the finish floor (the floor you see and walk on), but basement subfloor as well.

Subfloor: You won't be attaching your finish floor directly to concrete. Subfloor will both elevate your finish floor above moisture and provide a thermal break. A long-standing option for basements is to construct a subfloor of plywood atop 2x4 sleepers. Nowadays, you can buy 2' x 2' panels going under brand-names such as BARRICADE and Subflor that have closed cell polystyrene insulation and which lock together.

The Finish Floor: Just because you've constructed a nice subfloor doesn't mean you can lay down any kind of flooring on top. Aesthetic concerns aside, the best--as in most practical--type of basement flooring is hard and inorganic: ceramic or porcelain tile, sheet resilient flooring, concrete, or rubber roll. Second to that would be flooring that is affected by moisture but has some degree of recovery capability: engineered wood flooring, laminate, low pile carpet. Not recommended: solid hardwood.

Tip: Our resident flooring expert at About Flooring evaluates 9 types of basement flooring options.

How To Overcome This: Before you start adding heat sources, insulate the basement from the inside with extruded foam plastic insulation. Suggested heat sources: add vents to your existing heating ductwork, thus diverting warm air into the basement (provided your furnace can handle the added space). Or add electric baseboard heaters which have the advantage of per-room, segregated heating.

Read this article:
Basement Finishing - Home Renovation Process