Going Green With Replacement Windows

by: Travis Guilbeau



As the cost of energy continues to rise, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their power bill and be conscious of the environment at the same time. While turning off the lights, using Energy Star appliances, and wearing an extra sweater instead of turning up the heat are all great ways to save energy, installing windows that are energy efficient is another great way to reduce your power bill and help out the environment.

But which windows are energy efficient, cost effective, and come in enough different styles that will fit the décor of your home? Here's a quick overview of some windows that will help cut down on the cost of heating and cooling your home, will look great installed in your home, and won't cost a bundle to have installed.

Maxuus 10 Glass System

When it comes to top of the line windows, the Maxuus 10 Glass System really does take the cake. This triple pane assembly filled with krypton gas does an amazing job of looking great in your home while keeping your home running at energy efficient levels. The combination of the triple pane construction and krypton gas has resulted in a window that is nearly 10 times more energy efficient than a traditional single pane window.

The key to this replacement window is the low emittance glass that keeps your house warm in the winter by trapping radiant heat, and keeps you cool in the spring and summer by blocking that same radiant heat from entering your home. When combined with an Advanced Easy-Clean system that cuts cleaning time in half, there's a reason that the Maxuus 10 Glass System is a leading replacement window for those looking for a green solution to their energy bill.

PlyGem Lifestyles Windows

Designed with heavy duty weather stripping to prevent air infiltration and high density insulation filled frames to prevent thermal transfer, the PlyGem Lifestyles replacement window is a great option when it's time to replace your windows and lower your energy bill all at the same time. Built to reduce condensation, enhance sound control, and provide ultraviolet protection, the PlyGem vinyl replacement windows also come with a lifetime warranty against seal failure and glass breakage that can be transferred to future owners of your home – a great way to decrease your energy bill and increase your home's value.

With windows that will work with all the rooms in your house, including a four season sunroom, the PlyGem Lifestyles Windows are a great choice to lower your energy bill while upgrading the look and feel of your home. What's not to like about replacement windows that come in a variety of colors, decorative grids, and sizes?

Cut the Cost, Not the Look

When it really comes down to it, getting replacement windows for your home is all about finding the delicate balance between the cost of the windows, the look of the windows, and the amount of money the new windows will save you on your energy bill. There are plenty of windows out there that can save you money on your energy bill, but they either aren't the best looking windows, or they cost so much to buy and have installed that you don't end up saving any money even in the long run.

The Maxuus 10 Glass System and the PlyGem Lifestyle Windows offer that delicate balance of energy efficiency, affordability, and a great appearance that will enhance the look and feel of your home. The only thing to do is find a local company that carries them and have them installed so that you can start reaping the benefits of a lower energy bill.



About The Author

Travis Guilbeau works for Creative Energy of Richmond, VA. Creative Energy is central Virginia's home improvement experts specializing in vinyl replacement windows and can be found online at: http://www.creativeenergyexteriors.com/. http://vistabuilding.blogspot.com/

Plastering Contractors Guide

The Plastering Course To Suit Your Needs
by: Kirk Smith



There are various types of plastering courses available in England. There are courses for beginners who want to pursue it as a hobby, or want to make it into a career. For tradesmen and builders there are advanced courses who want training for a career in plastering or even specialist plastering.

The Gold trowel Plastering Organization offers specialized courses for certified Plastering courses or Advanced Skimming courses. There is a complete 10-day advanced certified Plastering course which includes written materials and videos before and after the course.

The City Guilds has an entire training centre called Able Skills, where plastering is the main subject taught. There is a course to suit each person's needs, whether you are a beginner or coming in to learn some advanced technology of plastering.

The courses are planned with the needs of the students in mind. There are short courses and the timings are flexible. Courses are also held on weekends; as Able Skills is open all days of the week. Several qualification routes are also available, and there are trainers for every field.

They are all experts in this field and have worked several years within the trade. Each one is a qualified teacher as well, so that they can conduct examinations and assess and internally verify the qualification courses.

The students are provided with all the necessary materials and tools. At the training centre there is enough practical training given, and each student works on a portion of a wall or a ceiling. He learns practically everything that he has come to learn and once he leaves, he is in a position to tackle any situation back home.

The Hawk and Trowel Plastering Centre based in Brighton also provides a professional training facility for plastering. Here too there are weekend courses and all the work is taught through a pure practical training program.

The people who visit the courses are varied, from students to tradesmen, from home improvers to property developers. It is possible for anybody to learn the art of plastering. All that you have to do is attend a course and you might even change your career. You need not come in with any experience, only the will to learn and the plan to carry out successfully what you have learnt.

For each trainer there are seven students, so that each student has the privilege to enjoy individual attention. The trainers are highly qualified with plenty of experience to their credit. The atmosphere in these short training programs is relaxed and friendly. All in all it makes a good learning environment.

The topics that are covered in the training program are floor screeding, using the plasters , how to fix floating beads to reveals, how to fix different beads, the methods of boarding to bare wall areas, skimming and there are discussions on different backgrounds and types of finishes.

The six-week Plastering course will attain you a National Qualification in Plastering. The correct choice and use of tools and electrical equipment is also taught, which will be of help to all, when they work on their own.

http://building-foundation.blogspot.com/ http://carlsbadremodeling.blogspot.com/

About The Author

Kirk Smith

Read more about the hottest plastering topics right now by visiting http://www.learnhowtoplaster.com/. The internets leading plastering forum for plasterers. Check out the site right away and ask all the questions you like! Lots of info available.

Contractors Double Your Income

by: Pam Newman


5 Simple Ways to Double Your Income Immediately

So you think that you are just like your competition? Well, then it is time to differentiate yourself. As a contractor, you probably use the same types of materials as your competitors do…so how can you differentiate yourself? Service! Build it better and serve your clients better. You will come out on top. This may seem so simple, yet very few contractors really do things better than their competitors.

So what are 5 simple ways that can double your income? Here they are…

1. Use only high quality subcontractors. It costs you less in time and rework costs to use quality subcontractors the first time. You may think you are going to save a few dollars by hiring the cheapest one, but in the end we all know it doesn’t work out that way. We pay for what we get. What’s quality service and product worth to your reputation? Priceless!

2. Implement a service mentality. Everything you do is for the benefit of your homebuyers. Don’t keep it to yourself…tell everyone you know about the way you build your houses and the benefits that you provide to your homebuyers.

a. Don’t think there are benefits?? Think again…everything that you do in the construction of your homes can be portrayed as a benefit to your homebuyers. All it takes is a little creative communication.

3. Offer a referral program. People buy from people they know. How do you incentivize your homeowners to tell others? The first way is to build an awesome house and that will speak for itself…but add some icing to that cake by rewarding your homebuyers for their efforts to grow your business. It can be simple things like gift certificates, lawn services for a month, extended warranties, or other motivational offerings. It’s cheaper to reward your customers for promoting you than advertising to the general public!

4. Market your business consistently. Everyone expects you to have a website…so don’t let them down. You can have a GREAT website designed and hosted for a nominal amount that will bring great returns to you on recognition and sales within your community. Show the quality that you build into your homes and stress the benefits to your potential buyers in the most cost-effective medium available, the World Wide Web.

5. Network, Network, Network! Don’t keep your great offerings to yourself. Get out there and build relationships with those who can promote your homes! You can’t be everything to your business. So look at those you do business with (vendors, subcontractors, real estate professionals, etc) and see how you can build referral networks. This is the best way to cost-effectively cross-promote your businesses. Plus people trust referrals from others higher than self-promotion, so it is a win-win opportunity.

The returns that your business will get on these 5 tips will more than double your income if implemented correctly. You can’t sit back and hope that your business grows. You’ve got to make it happen! Success happens because of a well-constructed plan…not by chance. It’s a choice…you choose to make it happen, or not. What’s your choice? Go out and double your income now!

Copyright 2005 Pam Newman

About The Author


Pam Newman is a Certified Management Accountant, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Author and Speaker. She enjoys the opportunity to share her knowledge and passion with other entrepreneurs. You can visit her website at http://www.rppc.net or call 816.304.4398.

Hiring Home Contractors

by: Steve Gillman


Have you ever had a problem with a home contractor? You're not alone. A friend of mine paid over seven thousand dollars to have his roof repaired, only to have it leak the next time it rained. The contractor made excuses, but never did a thing about it - and my friend was an attorney! To make situations like this less likely, avoid the folowing mistakes when hiring a contractor.

1. Not being clear about what you want. When you don't know what you want, you might not like what you get. If you change your mind and change the job halfway through, the contract - and price - will change. Hint: it won't get cheaper. Be clear on what you want done.

2. Not getting it in writing. Hearing "I didn't say I was going to include the gutters," could be a problem, or you could point to the contract.

3. No dates in the contract. Do you want the job finished this year? Be sure you have it in the contract.

4. Too much money up front. Deposits are a reasonable request when contracts are signed. The home contractor may need money for materials prior to the start date. But never pay in full before the job is finished.

5. Unlicensed contractors. This can be okay, if you know what you are doing (and he does). A license doesn't mean you get expertise, but it does mean you get leverage. Contractors will right their wrongs to avoid losing that license.

6. Hiring the first in the phone book. Talk to friends who had work done, or to the owner of a hardware store. Get a recommendation based on a similar job to yours.

7. Assuming there will be no problems. Delays due to weather, employees quitting, and more will happen. A few problems is okay, but it's not okay if the contractor can't work out the issues to your satisfaction.

8. Expecting neatness. Guess what? It is sometimes more efficient to leave things laying where they'll next be used. There will be messes, so prepare accordingly. Cover up things if it will be a dusty job, for example. Also be clear in the contract that the jobsite will be cleaned up at the end of the job.

9. No penalties in the contract. It's one thing for a contract to say "Work to be completed by May 2nd." That helps, but it's better to add, "$100 per day to be deducted from the contract price for each day the job is unfinished beyond May 2nd. It's what I call a motivational clause.

10. Thinking contracts eliminate problems. Contracts help, but unreasonable people on either side of a contract can ignore them, or even use "literal readings" to make things worse. Find a home contractor you can work with, and keep your eyes open.

About The Author


Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com .