Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Because a deck is a particularly good investment returning about 87% of its original cost, according to Remodeling magazines annual Cost vs. Value Report its a good idea to establish a routine of upkeep thatll protect your deck and prevent expensive repairs.

Heres a simple maintenance schedule to help keep your deck safe, sound, and looking great.

Late Spring: Wash the Deck

An unwashed deck is an invitation to mold and mildew, which can cause rot. Heres how to wash your deck:

1. Remove debris from between deck boards using a putty knife. Pay special attention to the areas where deck boards cross the joists the structural members underneath the decking.

TIP: For a makeshift extension thats a real knee-saver, try pushing the handle of your putty knife into a length of 1-inch PVC pipe. Some putty knives squeeze right in. Or buy a pole-type groove and crevice cleaner.

2. Protect all shrubs and plantings. Wet them and cover them with plastic sheeting.

3. Thoroughly sweep the deck. 4. Choose an appropriate cleanser.

5. Clean the deck. Choose a cloudy day when the decking is cool and the sun wont evaporate the cleaner.

Go here to see the original:
Deck Care and Maintenance | Maintain Your Deck with ...

New Jersey State Police say they discovered 16 bricks of heroin inside a vehicle during a traffic stop Saturday in Hope Township. Express-Times File Photo

New Jersey State Policearrested two men and seized 16 bricks - or about 800 wax folds- of heroin during a traffic stop Saturday night in Hope Township, court records say.

Sgt. Jeffrey Flynn, a state police spokesman, said troopers stopped a white Mitsubishi Eclipse at 8:20 p.m. on Interstate 80westbound and discovered the passenger, Joseph Poliandro, 28, of Hawley, Pa., had a $500 warrant for his arrest out of Mt. Olive Township.

Thedriver, Kyle Martinho, 26, of Newfoundland, Pa., failed field sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, police said.

After securing a search warrant for the vehicle, troopers discovered 700 wax folds of heroin labeled "Game On" and another 81 decks with the word "Methadone" stamped on them, court records say.

Nearly a dozen empty bags with suspected heroin residue were also found in the car, along with a spoon and syringe, court records say.

Both men, of Wayne County in Pennsylvania, were charged with several drug-related crimes, including being under the influence and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Martinhowas also charged with DWI, police said.

If convicted of the possession charge, each mancould face up to 10 years in prison.

Poliandro and Martinhomade their first appearances Monday in New Jersey Superior Court in Belvidere and are being held in the Warren County jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Original post:
Pennsylvania men arrested with nearly 800 decks of heroin in Hope Township traffic stop, police say

During the Vietnam War, American soldiers started hearing rumors that the Vietnamese were very superstitious about the ace of spades. So Cincinnati's U.S. Playing Card Co. responded by printing decks of nothing but ace of spadesand sending them for free to GIs in Vietnam for the purposes of "psychological warfare."

Colin Dickey, author of Afterlives of the Saints, brought this fact to my attention on Twitter, where he links to a site that still sells the Bicycle 52 ace of spades deck. Supposedly the Vietnamese saw the ace of spades as a "deadly omen."

The Bicycle brand deck was particularly prized because it had two symbols of bad luck: The ace of spades and a woman printed on the back. The military's Stars and Stripes newspaper had claimed that the Vietnamese also considered seeing a woman before battle as bad luck. American troops started to leave the ace of spades on the bodies of people they'd killed and scatter the cards in fields when they were out on patrol.

But were the Viet Cong actually superstitious about the ace of spades? Probably not.

The 2009 book Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker by James McManus raises doubts about just how superstitious the Vietnamese were about that particular card. Some soldiers called it simply a case of "transposed symbolism." Apparently it was just as likely interpreted as a phallic symbol and one Captain claimed that it might even be suggesting to the Viet Cong that American GIs were "involved in necrophilia" because the cards were being left on dead bodies.

In all likelihood it was simply feared because it came to be a calling card of the Americans, not because the ace of spades had any particular significance in Vietnamese culture.

"Did it work? I'm not sure," one solider is quoted as saying in Cowboys Full. "Did it help our morale? I definitely think so! In our company and others throughout Vietnam, I think the cards did something to encourage the men that were just trying to survive during a difficult time."

Below, a 1966 article from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times about American GIs and their adoption of the ace of spades on the battlefield.

Visit link:
Card decks with 52 aces of spades were used for psych warfare in Vietnam

Be Inspired to Design, Build and Furnish Yours

Are you a big fan of screen porches like Mary and me? We are excited for you because we know how much fun it is to dream and then create an awesome outdoor space for you and your family.

Enjoy our pictures of custom porch enclosures and our tips for designing, building, furnishing, and enjoying your own enclosed porch.

We teamed up with Nancy Moore, founder of The Porch Company of Nashville TN, experts who build custom porches.

The Porch Company pays to advertise on our site and we are proud to share their custom porches with you.

Realtors have told us that screened-in porches make a home easier to sell.

Our friends loved our porch, too. Can't even count how many times we had friends over to visit on our enclosed porch into late hours in the evening.

Enjoy these amazing photos from The Porch Company. Have pen and paper ready to make a list of all the features you want in your porch.

Knowing how it will be used and by how many people will help you determine the optimum size. Keep in mind that smaller porches can still have many of the amenities as larger ones. Use our handy enclosed porch guide information below to assess your needs.

And don't forget about your view. A pleasant view makes for relaxing, happy times on the porch, too.

See the original post here:
Inspiring Screen Porches Pictures - Front Porch Designs ...

This is the season of The Porch. I dont think Ive met a person that doesnt enjoy relaxing on the porch. Porches are a bridge between inside and outside. Theyre also a great way to add space to your home without a huge investment. Check out how much they can change the look of a home:

Before and after. This cottage homes lakeside facade is totally different thanks to quad post porches connected by a huge deck.

More good news: crafting a porch with timbers increases longevity of the structure. (They also give the space unmatched aesthetics.) Timber is versatile and can work with large decks and removable screens to modest cement pads as post and beam supported roof structures. Summer, Spring, Fall, and even Winter in some regions, these spaces act as extra rooms and get us all outside.

Porches are perfect spaces to combine elements. Reclaimed barn siding, stone, reclaimed timber, custom arched screens, and more. For a family in Mendon, New York, this porch is the place to be, day or night.

Porches offer protection from the elements, but what about insects? Often folks spend more time on screened porches as the discomfort of insects and threat of unwelcome animals is eliminated. Installing and removing screens can be painful, but our fine woodworking group has perfected a modular screen system for timber frame porches. These panels of screens are easy to install and remove as weather demands.

Often the custom modular screens are crafted with reclaimed Douglas fir frames. Reclaimed redwood decking from Pioneer Millworks is another common feature of our porches. Redwood is naturally weather resistant (a bit like cedar) and just a tad softer on bare feet.

Porch design is open to creativity. Adding a porch to the second level can act as a private master bedroom get-away, or an alternate bedroom on hot summer nights.

I often think of porches as offering the first impression to the home within. They welcome visitors, shelter us from weather, and provide a place to watch the world pass by. Straight forward with clean lines and minimal fuss, or complex with multiple elements, curves, and custom doors, they can say a lot about a home and its occupants.

Big or small, entry porches make an impression. Combined with peeled posts, reclaimed timbers, curved bottom chord trusses, flowers, benches, and custom doors they are unmatched by their vinyl, composite, and metal competitors.

Heres a good example of post and beam timber construction over a patio:

See the article here:
Timber Frame Porches | The Beetle Blog

Strike a Contrast

Lime green seat cushions and turquoise accessories infuse this screened porch with youthful energy. The mismatched collection of furniture looks cohesive thanks to white paint, which coordinates with the porch's white framing and the house's white trim. A large painting on one wall adds artistic flair to the outdoor living space.

This sunny screened porch welcomes visitors with an eclectic collection of furniture and accessories. The cozy seat cushion atop the wicker sofa provides the perfect spot for relaxing. A trunk-turned-coffee table offers a surface to place a tray of drinks as well as a hidden storage area for blankets and spare pillows.

A small skylight above the seating area in this indoor porch welcomes views of the sky. The wood paneled ceiling treatment draws the eye upward and emphasizes the skylight. Screened windows prevent unwanted critters from making their way inside without disrupting any views of the outside.

Bring posh style to your indoor porch with these expert design ideas.

In this sunroom, simple, mission-style furniture gets a dose of personality thanks to a handful of colorful decorating touches. In one corner, a blue-painted chair contrasts the look of the other dark wood furnishings. A graphic area rug beneath the coffee table adds a splash of whimsy and helps ground the seating arrangement.

Wicker reigns supreme in this sunroom, where the woven material infuses the space with an inviting and relaxed energy. The sofa and coffee table were painted a deep, emerald green, which adds whimsy to the ensemble of naturally finished pieces. The colorful rug beneath the seating area echoes the woven texture of the furniture.

Collapsible screens allow this sun porch to transform from closed and protected to open and airy in no time at all. A trendy color scheme of chocolate brown, lime green, and rusty orange infuses the space with energy. The lattice pattern featured on the furniture adds another layer of visual interest.

A collection of mismatched furniture and colorful accessories look right at home in this casual sunporch. The various patterns blend well with one another because they're all relatively similar in scale. Circular lanterns hanging from the ceiling tie in with the color palette and provide ambient lighting when the sun goes down.

Striking orange accents add warmth to this indoor porch. Geometric-print throws on the armchairs tie expertly in with the orange-painted table and benches. The blue-gray shutters hung in one of the windows help cool down the warm orange hues.

Read more from the original source:
Indoor Porches You'll Love - Better Homes and Gardens ...

Bathroom Remodeling St Paul MN - Bathroom Special - Great Lakes
Looking to Remodel Your Bathroom in St. Paul MN? Mention this Video and Get $1000 Off a Complete Shower or Tub Installation! 0:08 Come Home to A Newly Remod...

By: Great Lakes Window Siding

More:
Bathroom Remodeling St Paul MN - Bathroom Special - Great Lakes - Video

The content on MoneyCrashers.com is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. References to products, offers, and rates from third party sites often change. While we do our best to keep these updated, numbers stated on this site may differ from actual numbers. We may have financial relationships with some of the companies mentioned on this website. Among other things, we may receive free products, services, and/or monetary compensation in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products or services. We strive to write accurate and genuine reviews and articles, and all views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors.

Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which MoneyCrashers.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they appear on category pages. MoneyCrashers.com does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers, although best efforts are made to include a comprehensive list of offers regardless of compensation. Advertiser partners include American Express, U.S. Bank, and Barclaycard, among others.

Continue reading here:
8 Bathroom Design & Remodeling Ideas on a Budget

Knowing how or where to start with a bathroom remodel can be overwhelming for any homeowner with big dreams but no information. Questions swim around their head about exactly where to start with the project: on a small scale like updating the lighting or hardware (racks, mirrors, vanities) or more major projects like replacing the shower and bathtub. It can be overwhelming if there isnt a plan in place or a budget to keep everything level when first calling a professional in. Many people dont know where to start, and they end up jumping in, spending too much money and coming out with a finished project much poorer and less satisfied than when they started.

Thats why were here, to give you the tools you need to transform that dream into a reality. With inspiration like this as a starting base, let us lead you on the journey towards your dream bathroom. We have statistical information on the cost of a half-bath and full-bath remodel for you to consult, along with more than enough information on things homeowners need to know and prepare for before tackling a bathroom remodel.

Financial limitations can make remodeling bathrooms on a budget a challenge, but its not as bad as you might think. If your bathroom has outdated fixtures, or youre simply tired of looking at decor youve had for decades, its a good time to take charge and renovate. Even if you have limited resources, a full or partial bathroom remodel is within reach. Here are some practical and economical ideas to consider for the budget-conscious.

Remodeling a master bathroom can be very exciting. When you first start planning your master bathroom remodel, it is very important for you to gather ideas from a variety of sources. Looking at the work that others have done in the past can help create significant inspiration when planning your own master bath remodel. During your search, you will probably find a number of simple ideas that could provide you with the type of bathroom youve always dreamed of. Here are some master bathroom ideas to help get you started.

Remodeling your bathroom shower can completely change the face of your bathroom. It can be difficult to come up with new ideas for your bathroom shower on your own. Many people are simply not very good at visualizing things like this. Developing these ideas may require a little help, and thats where our remodeling idea guides come in handy. If you take these tips into account while designing your new shower, then you may end up with something youll fall in love with. Let us shower you with inspiration with these bathroom shower remodel ideas.

Read this article:
Bathroom Remodeling Ideas | Inspirational Ideas for Bath ...

Wooster, OH (PRWEB) December 29, 2014

Building God's Way (BGW), a nationwide church architect and builder network that provides a broad range of solutions to Christian ministries, announced that it has formed an exclusive partnership with Weaver Commercial Contractor (WCC) in the state of Ohio.

This partnership combines the construction expertise and excellent reputation of WCC throughout Ohio with the broad network of services offered to ministry-based organizations through the BGW program, including church design, funding, for-profit integration, leadership development, A/V technology and more.

BGW partners with top church and school builders around the country that have both a heart for Christian ministry and a reputation and track record for constructing top quality buildings at affordable prices.

Dan Cook, Founder of BGW, commented on the new partnership, "WCC aligns very well with our philosophy and our mission to focus on Biblical stewardship, relationships and outreach as we construct buildings that honor the Lord. We are excited to partner with them to reach more churches and Christian schools in the state of Ohio."

WCC is a highly sought-after, full-service commercial construction firm that specializes in design-build, site evaluation and planning, new construction, remodels, additions and budget consulting. Located in Wooster, OH, the company built its first church in 1972, and church and Christian school construction has been a priority for the company ever since.

Ron Wenger, President of WCC, also commented on the new partnership, "We are extremely excited as well as humbled by our opportunity to partner with a firm like BGW. We view this as not only an opportunity to establish a professional relationship, but also as an opportunity to come alongside BGW and impact lives in an eternal way."

BGW and WCC will kick off their new partnership with a seminar event on April 23rd at Malone University in Canton, OH. Churches throughout the Canton - Akron area and beyond will be invited to attend this Momentum Summit event to hear presentations by award-winning church architect Don Mahoney and pastor Eric Bahme, author of the Book "The MBE (Mission-Based Entrepreneur) Revolution". The speakers will share innovative new strategies for church design and church construction as well as capital fundraising, for-profit integration, and A/V technology.

About Building Gods Way - BGW has become a recognized leader in ministry design and construction through its extensive experience in working with hundreds of churches, Christian schools and colleges across the U.S. BGW's trademark programs based on Biblical stewardship and ministry on the construction job site have set them apart from other church builders and includes an unparalleled network of services, including church design, church building, leadership development, capital fundraising, for-profit integration, A/V technology and more. Visit http://www.bgwservices.com for more information.

Original post:
Building God's Way Announces Exclusive Partnership with Weaver Commercial Contractor in the State of Ohio