Six Secrets of Custom Home Builder Designs

When looking for a custom home builder and making the design of your new home, it's always good to follow the following tips to help you make a home that will fulfill all of your fantasies.

Keep it simple:

Look for a designer that keeps it simple. Brainstorming and sketching can be more valuable than fancy software when you are making decisions about what your home will be like. Make lists of features together with them, going over things that each room will feature and get it out of your head and onto paper and the design.

Some features are bigger than others:

Start with a clear idea that not all of your fantasies regarding a custom home may be possible, and try to decide which features are worth placing over others. If you try to get every single last idea you have into your home, you can easily inflate and go over budget. For example, if you want both a home theater and a game room, it could be worth thinking about whether it's necessary to have both of those, or just one of the two.

Design for the long term:

You may be single, or married without children right now, but what of the future? You situation and your plans may change, and you want your custom home design to be able to accommodate that! Be sure to include enough room and space for you future family to grow into. Also, think about people who may come to stay over with you on the holidays, or friends of your children, etc. It pays to think of all those details now rather than later.

Stamp your personality:

The whole idea behind designing a custom home is to make it a part of you, and an expression of who you are. Everything you have been dreaming about having in a house of your own can be a reality. If you want to have a bathroom bigger than the main bedroom, you can. If you want to have a balcony that looks out over the living room, you can!

Don't forget good old fashioned function:

Even as you try to cram all the possible features and benefits you can into your home design, don't stop thinking about how it's all going to work! Keep the bedrooms away from high-traffic or recreation areas, and let the kitchen flow into the dining room. Your custom home builder will be able to help the most with this as they have all the experience about where everything such as pipes, wires, etc. needs to go.

Think about location:

The inside of your custom home is not the only thing you need to think about. Lots of things depend on where the lot you're going to build on is, like architectural style, how much space you have available to you to use, what utilities you need to build into the house and which you can get from the surroundings, etc. By making your custom home fit into the surroundings, you make it a valuable part of the community as well as a great home for yourself.

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Whom Will You Consult on Home Extensions and Renovations?   

Uses of Cable Gland

When a wire or set of wires or cables need to be connected to the main machinery or equipment, they are routed through a connector or cable gland. They serve to fix the cables to the equipment and reduce the impact of repeated bending and flexing of cables and also provide relief from strain. They can also seal the cables which pass through heavy-duty bulk-heads of ships and aircraft. Several types of materials may be used to manufacture cable glands, including non-conducting metals like stainless steel, aluminum etc and they may also be made of tough, durable plastics which are suited to outdoor locations.

Nylon cable glands are best suited for use where there is risk of flammability, since nylon has a very high resistance to burning. It melts in the presence of high temperatures, providing some level of protection. Nylon cable glands are produced in a variety of colors to distinguish their function.

Spiral type cable glands have excellent locking and sealing qualities and can withstand a wide range of temperatures, with some of them being able to resist extremely high temperature intermittently as well.

Other types offer explosion protection and gas-sealing features which are suitable for use in hazardous industries.

Some special applications may require additional protection like a lock-nut and washer to give better sealing.

Most manufacturers must comply with the international protection standards like the IPR or International Protection Rating scale. This scale provides different values for different qualities that can be measured such as immersion in water up to certain depths, heat resistance up to certain temperature, etc. The threading variations are also standardized according to metric or other calibrations. This makes it convenient for purchasers to find the right kind of cable gland to suit their requirements. These standards also allow parts to be replaced quickly and accurately as they can be ordered according to the correct specifications.

Cable glands also have clamping facilities which make them highly effective in providing the correct grip and sealing irrespective of the number of cables that are passed through them. Color coding is also available with different manufacturers, with distinctions being made between outdoor and indoor applications. To provide additional sealing and locking facilities, cable glands can have their own set of gaskets in different or similar materials which provide safety while being tightened so that the gland is correctly positioned and it continues to sit in that position.

Depending on your requirements, you can purchase cable glands from your local hardware or electrical goods stores. However, if you have a bulk purchase, you can order them directly from the manufacturers on-line after consulting their catalogs. Many manufacturers offer free shipping, bulk discounts and free samples for better selection.

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Getting The Most Out Of Conservatories   Why Should You Use A Residential Architect?   

Eight Tips for Making Your Dream Home Addition a Reality

1. Consider the Neighborhood's Character

A great home addition requires an understanding of your street, neighborhood and town's distinct character. What makes homes from one neighborhood different from those in another? Are the homes Colonial or Federal? Striking or subtle? Your addition design, no matter what kind it may be, should consider the uniqueness of your street and neighborhood.

2. Think of the Surrounding Resources

When designing a home addition, consider your property's orientation to its resources: its orientation in relation to the sun, shade, your neighbors' homes, the street, etc. Your home addition can either block and hide or expose and accentuate the resources surrounding your house.

3. Fitting in With Your Home

Sometimes homeowners get excited about the prospect of an addition and think of it as a chance to design the home they never had. This is one of the most attractive reasons for building a home addition, but don't forget the rest of your home in the process. The best home designers try to make home additions either indistinguishable from the larger home, or different but complementary. Your home addition doesn't need to look identical to your house, but it should fit in with its style.

4. "Good Bones"

The phrase, "good bones" is used in Realtor circles to describe buildings that are structurally sound. A properly engineered home is absolutely critical, especially if you're thinking of selling your house at some point in the future. Make sure to keep the foundation and engineering of your new addition in mind when talking to designers and remodelers.

5. Choose the Materials Carefully

The selection of materials for your home addition is very important; after all, they can't be changed later. Make sure to put some thought into choosing materials, whether it is for the roof, windows, doors, siding, etc. The choice of material for the exterior, public façade is especially important since it's a primary feature of your home's curb appeal. But the materials used inside are equally important since the colors and textures will go a long way towards creating a comfortable space for your family.

6. Your Identity Should Also Determine Your Addition's

In order for a home addition to be truly special it should speak to who you are and how you live. Your family's activities, rituals, habits and passions should inform the design of your project. Letting your designer know about your habits and special tastes is the best way for them to make sure you're happy with your addition.

7. Have a Little Fun With It!

Understandably, people often choose relatively traditional home addition designs. Sometimes it's not worth taking the risk of a radical design choice. But don't forget to still have a little bit of fun with your new home addition. This could mean anything from installing a fire engine-red kitchen range in an otherwise conservative color scheme to designing a special niche in a wall for family pictures. Home additions have so much potential because they give you the chance to really put your mark on your home. You won't get this chance often so have fun with it!

8. Get to Know Your Designer/Remodeler

Your designer and/or remodeler is going to be a big part of your life for the duration of the project. Get to know them! They should be committed to building the best home addition possible for you and your family. Though you might not expect it, your relationship with your designer or remodeler is a pretty personal one. After all, they're going to be spending a good deal of time in your home.

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   4 Tips For Hiring The Best Home Builders   

Causes of Air Movement Within Building Envelopes

Moisture and Condensation Control looks at how the design of the thermal envelope plays an important part in being able to eliminate moisture movement in various building assemblies. There are three different components that we need to consider when examining the performance of an assembly. These are vapour barriers, air barriers and thermal barrier (insulation).

Before I address these three components, we need to look at how moisture is created and moves across building assemblies.

The basic rule to be kept in mind is to keep the outside out and the inside in. This will eliminate most problems in buildings. There can be some major issues which are caused by air leakage. This can be deteriorating for the building components and create health issues for the building occupants.

Many building performance problems can be traced to air leakage through the building envelope. These problems range from high heating costs and poor temperature control in occupied spaces, to rain penetration and the deterioration various components within a building assembly.

Why does moisture move from inside to outside?

Moisture exists and hence can be moved in two forms. Most air actually all air, has a certain moisture content referred to as relative humidity. Humans need a certain amount of humidity to survive and live comfortably, in heated indoor air to maintain a healthy environment (otherwise we get nosebleeds, etc.). It is important to control moisture in that regard.

So, moisture exists as microscopic parts of the air itself. This moisture can be moved right through the building envelope like ghosts move through solids...), as well as through cracks in the building envelope.

When moisture inside the building escapes through defects in the building envelope it condenses, freezes and causes damage inside of the wall. When there is an excessive amount of moisture present in the building, the amount of moisture exfiltrating the building increases accordingly. Hence the more moisture the higher the potential for damage.

The three main causes of Air Movement within the Building Envelopes are:

Pressure Differential Temperature Differential Wind Air pressure differential is the key force that drives both air leakage and vapor diffusion through the building envelope.

Some of the major areas where air leakage can occur are chimneys, bathrooms, electrical outlets and anything relating to mechanical services is a major contributor to air leakage like any opening s such as doors and windows, joints at windows and different assemblies like the joints between the foundation and the floors. The foundation junctions, foundation slabs are all places where moisture can accumulate. This is inclusive of the basements due to pressure differential.

Air leakage can occur at several different places.

What drives pressure differential?

The air pressure differential is driven by, or relies on several key factors and components. If there is no pressure difference between the interior and exterior, there will not be air or vapor movement across the building envelope. That is the case in the summer when the pressure differential in the summer is basically the same inside and outside the house. This is due to windows left open and the exchange of air from outside and inside, therefore any moisture accumulation and vapor does not have time to get into the wall.

In the winter however, when you start to close the windows, the buildup of heat within causes pressure differential. The reasons for this are:

temperature differential (hot inside, cold outside heat always travels from the hot area to the cold ones.) stack effect (warm air rises) wind pressure (windward pressure, leeward suction) fan pressurization (kitchen, bathroom and furnace fans)

So, air pressure differences of the building envelope follow the different effects. In the stack effect, when warm air rises to the top, it builds a negative effect on the bottom of the building. Therefore, the negative pressure brings in air from the outside. This is not the same at the top of the building which needs to expel some of the warm air. Therefore, there is a stack effect that can create positive and negative pressure differentials. The higher the building the greater is the stack effect.

Wind can also create stack effect. It basically works the same way and moves the wind horizontally on the windward side of the building. This causes a combination of positive and negative pressure on the outside and inside of the building. When the wind flows over the building it causes a negative pressure on the outside and a positive pressure on the inside of the building.

Fan pressurization creates a situation all around depending on the type of fan. In case of an exhaust fan it would push out the air and create a negative pressure inside the building. The top will bring in pressure from the outside and create a positive pressure. Fan pressurization has the effect of bringing in the outside air but the opposite can create a negative effect.

The stack effect is when warm air rises and the taller the building the more will it be affected by stack effect. The movement of air within the building is determined by no open areas and the number of floors in the building.

At the bottom of the building there will be more negative impact to the bottom of the building. The air does not circulate around. The stack effect does not play much of a role in smaller buildings.

Stack effect is a bigger problem the higher the building. Look at high rises with "problems". Usually, it is evidenced at the top floors of the building. First as there is more driven warm moist air trying to escape through the upper part of walls.

Fan pressurization depending on the direction of air movement from the fan, a house can either be pressurized or suck air in from outside. If there is mechanical equipment to push out air for instance an exhaust fan in the bathroom, then you will be exhausting it and that goes on to create a negative effect and cause infiltration of outside air.

In the case of a supply only, the heat recovery equipment will cover bringing the air but also exhausting the inside air, so it is less of a problem. However, in some cases of a furnace it can cause a positive impact on the building.

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Home Improvement: Ideas for Using a Sunroom   What Is Antimicrobial Cladding and What Can It Be Used for?   

How to Choose a Custom Home Builder

When the time has come for you and your family to move into the house of your dreams, there is a tremendous amount to consider. Where you will live and the logistics of moving are important, but they are not as important as how you go about selecting the right custom home builder. Finding the one that fits your specific need is a critical decision. Costly mistakes and miscommunication can be avoided if you choose the right home builder. But how do you make the right choice? Below are things you should consider as you look to choose a custom home builder.

See their work

As you set off looking for the right home builder for you and your family, we first recommend taking a look into their design portfolio. Ask for lots of pictures of previous work. No matter if you like the design style in the photos or not, being able to see their work will help you understand the quality of their work. You may not necessarily like some of the design styles of their previous customers, but you at least get an idea of the home builders' capabilities. If possible, look to see if they have any video work too. Sometimes this gives you a better idea of where the project started and where it ended up.

Ask for references

As you start seeing some of the work the contractor in question can do, you next step should be to ask for references. Talk to as many people as you can that has worked with your potential home builder. Ask about how well they stayed on budget, what the communication process was like and if they would use the builder again. Knowing answers to these three simple questions is a great way to narrow your choices.

Know their capabilities

Beyond seeing the finished work and talking to reference, sometimes you will find custom home builders that can not only execute a home plan, but can also create a home plan. It is a luxury to be able to find custom home builders that can take your idea and turn it into a home of your dreams. These professionals usually have architecture and engineering degrees, both of which is a plus for you.

Ask Questions

The contractor wants your business. Although they build new homes regularly, they know that the experience can be your first and only time. Find one that is easy to communicate with and that is open to answering all of your questions. Be attentive to those that offer a variety of ideas based on their previous experience. They may know something you haven't necessarily thought of just yet. Having options when it comes to constructing your custom home is an advantage.

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Should You Buy A Model Home?   

Make Your Dream Home a Custom Built Reality!

Every homeowner wants to have a dream house; sadly enough, not everyone gets to fulfill such a dream. In many cases, there is no choice but to live in an ordinary home with a generic layout and design that has already been used on hundreds of other houses. Wouldn't it be nice to truly live in a house that has been custom-built according to an owner's specifications? According to most home builders, it is indeed possible to live in a custom-built house more easily than might be thought.

Tract vs. Custom Home

One of the downsides of buying a tract house frequently is poor quality materials and craftsmanship. In most cases, inexpensive and low-grade material is used in order to minimize construction costs and maximize a builder's profit margin. To reach the number of units to be constructed, labor hours required to finish each project are reduced, which results in poor workmanship as employees have a shorter amount of time to complete the tasks. The net result is a poor quality house with inferior material and results.

With a custom made house, features and specifications can be individually chosen and tailor fit according to the number of rooms, the size of the living area, the size of the garage as well as the interior and the exterior design, among to name a few. The quality of the material being used as well as the quality of the work can be monitored as the project progresses.

Custom Home Considerations

Many things need to be considered when considering a custom-built home. Following are a few of the steps that need to happen to achieve the desirable outcome.

Choose Site - Before coming up with a design or a plan, the first thing to do selecting a lot for the building. The location, size, type of soil, and prevailing weather conditions of the area have a lot to do with the design. The architect will create a design from these factors, so it is important to first secure a site before anything else. Set Budget - Building a custom home is not for the faint-hearted. Unlike tract-built houses, custom ones cost more due to the labor cost as well as the material cost. When pursuing a custom design, establish a budget and have the architect develop a plan to suit those needs, adding some lee-way since the cost of material often fluctuates. A project could be delayed due to lack of financing for extra items that are needed further into the building process. Choose Architect - The architect has one of the biggest roles in the project, so selection of a competent and skilled one is really important. Ask for referrals from friends and co-workers; before hiring one to create a plan, look at any previous designs to see if that work is appropriate for the desired building appearance. Create Plan - Coming up with a custom design should be a collaboration between the architect and the client. The architect should come up with a plan based on client needs. For example, the number of rooms, the size of the garage and other such requirements as well as the look and feel to be achieved enters into such a plan. Once the requirements have been established, the architect should then come up with a design and present it to the client for approval Hire Contractor - The contractor has a large influence on the outcome of a project; therefore, it is important that the contractor have sufficient skilled manpower to implement the established master plan. Before settling on one, have several make bids on the project. Look at how long each one requires for completing the project and what the final cost should be. If possible check the quality of previous construction to see which home builder can deliver quality workmanship. Once a decision is made, conclude the project with a contract.

A home is where most non-working time is spent, time to relax and time to be comfortable. This is an important structure to every individual which is why it is only proper to invest the proper amount of time, money and effort to build the home that is desired and deserved. Don't wait another minute - contact a home builder today who can turn your dream home into a custom-built reality!

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   5 Questions to Ask a Custom Home Builder   4 Tips For Hiring The Best Home Builders   

6 Points to Consider Before Building Your Dream House

Planning and building a house from scratch provides a unique opportunity to design the house of your dreams. . The most important thing is therefore to figure out what you want! In the initial planning phase it is important to let your imagination run a little wild. The reality of matters will catch up with you soon enough!

Before making any irreversible decisions it will not hurt to go through this list of items.

1. Materials

Which building materials would you like to use in your new home (and which are a big NO)? Wood (softwood, hardwood, plywood, composite, etc.), plaster-board, steel, concrete, glass, tile, rock, clay, earth? Picture your toddler with his tongue on the material you have chosen for you floor. Does it make you feel OK or slightly nauseated?

Even though we associate steel, glass and concrete with industrial buildings, these materials can make an interesting contrast in a home, perhaps in combination with more traditional materials for this type of buildings.

Consider this; do you want your home to stand out or merge into the environment?

2. A question of style

Describe your preferences regarding style with 3-5 words (for example minimalistic, futuristic, simple, fresh, urban, rural, naturalistic, rustic, traditional, organic, modern, classical, industrial, etc). Choose words that speak to you.

It could be wise to sit down with a pile of magazines and cut out pictures of solutions you find appealing.

3. Design decisions

Do you like walls to be straight or arched, 90 degrees on each other or in freer constellations. When it comes to design, the shape of the roof is essential. Do you imagine flat, gabled, hipped, arched, or some combination thereof to support a style?

4. Spatial qualities

Do you want some of the rooms to have higher ceilings than normal, for instance the living room, kitchen, family room, hallway, or other? Make some sketches (on a piece of napkin if you want to feel like a real architect) to illustrate what you like.

5. Rooms

Make a list of which rooms and functions you'd like to incorporate in your new house. How many bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, and so forth do you need? Do you wish to build a basement, garage or car-port, or an apartment for outlet?

6. The site

Practical stuff like where to situate the building on the site, distance to neighbours, vegetation you wish to keep, etc, need to be taken into account. The size of the building site might determine the size of the ground floor, which will determine how many floors you need, and so forth. The planning department in your municipality will help you figure out the status and formalities.

Whether you intend to do everything yourself, hire an architect for the planning and contractors for the building, or go to a house-catalog company for the complete deal; the better prepared you are - the better the result will be!

How To Save Money on Construction   The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Whom Will You Consult on Home Extensions and Renovations?   

Popular Styles Of uPVC Conservatories

There are several styles of uPVC Conservatories that you can get. The conservatories are created for indoor gardening where people can grow plants and other vegetables and also they can be used for relaxing while enjoying the controlled heat from the sun.

Some characteristics of the style include the steep pitched roof style and use of ornate and finials along the ridge of the roof and they also have facets that can be 3 or a choice of 5 according to ones preference.

Another popular style is the lean-to conservatories which are also referred to as traditional sun lounge conservatories. These conservatories are very flexible with their designs and are some of the cheapest form of conservatories. They are ideal for bungalows or houses that have low eaves because its roof is often attached to one of the house walls. This also makes the conservatory very accessible from the house. Another style of conservatories is the lantern conservatories which have lantern roofs. Lantern roofs have two tiers but the levels are separated by a row of smaller windows across. Lantern conservatory roofs are ideal for large conservatories.

There are also gable fronted conservatories which have their front elevations imposing and its windows going all the way up to the apex of the roof. These types are common and go well with older styled properties and not the modern styles of houses.

Edwardian Conservatories are some of the common conservatories. They are designed with a flat front and can be in the shape of a square or rectangular. Each side of the roof slopes backwards to the center ridge of the conservatory creating a unique contemporary architectural design that fits well with most styles of houses. Other people say that this style is a modern replica or interpretation of a regal that was used a long time ago in Britain. Due to its square or rectangular design, the Edwardian Conservatories offer a more spacious area than most of other uPVC Conservatories.

This style of conservatory is similar to the Victorian conservatories just only that they are flat fronted while the Victorian conservatories have an angular front. Victorian Conservatories are also some of the most popular conservatories for several reasons One of the reasons as to why they are popular is because they way the bear ornate cresting and finials shows just how they have been inspired by a Gothic architecture. They are also very adaptable since they can be design to suit bespoke and even a combination of other conservatory designs. For large or smaller gardens, Victoria Conservatories create the perfect conservatory designs.

The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Should You Buy A Model Home?   5 Questions to Ask a Custom Home Builder   4 Tips For Hiring The Best Home Builders   

Using Dry Ice Blasting to Prep Your Concrete

Concrete surface preparation is one of the most critical components in a decorative concrete installation process. It is obvious that decorative coatings will adhere better to a clean surface than one contaminated with oils, glue, dirt, previous sealers etc. However, prepping also opens the pores of the concrete allowing coatings to penetrate deeper into the surface. Proper cleaning and preparation before installation will also prevent inconsistencies and flaws in the surface coatings over time.

There are several methods that can be used to prepare a concrete slab for decorating including sand blasting, diamond grinding, steel shot blasting, etching compounds and more. An effective, albeit expensive alternative to these is carbonic ice blasting. Dry ice blasting is not as widely recognized in the concrete world for its ability to prep surfaces, but can be just as efficient.

How it Works: Dry ice is a pure, solid carbon dioxide that doesn't melt. To make it, carbon dioxide must be converted from a gas to a liquid. Then, as the liquid CO² is exposed to normal air temperatures some of it freezes into a snow. This snow is pressed into small ice pellets or blocks, which are then used in dry ice blasting machines.

Using an air compressor, the ice pellets are blasted onto a surface at high speeds to strip a variety of coatings. As the pellets meet the surface, they go through a process called sublimation, transforming immediately from a solid to a gas and expanding up to 800 times their size. The expansion of the gas allows the particles to penetrate deep into the surface, while the incredibly cold temperature freezes and weakens grime's grip on the surface. With such deep infiltration, decorative products are able to adhere better to the concrete surface, increasing the durability of the coatings.

Advantages: Because the pellets immediately sublimate upon contact with the surface, the process is non-abrasive and there is minimal clean up. There is no dust or chemical residue to dispose of, unlike when using sand blasting or chemical strippers. The process is non-toxic, making it user friendly and safe for the environment and the high pressure can reach places brushes and chemicals sometimes can't. Dry ice blasting is a time saving option; blasting will leave the surface completely dry so there is no wait time between prepping and applying a decorative coating. At -109° Fahrenheit the dry ice is also able to kill mold and bacteria, making it a disinfectant and an excellent cleaning solution, even on walls stained with products like graffiti.

Depending on the dry ice blasting machine used, the unit may be entirely self-contained. Some machines do require a compressed air source. Most blasting machines are available to rent or purchase, with the option of paying a professional to come and do the work for you. One of the limitations of this technique, in lieu of pressure washing, sand blasting, or other preparation procedures is the expense. Cost for dry ice blasting your concrete can cost anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot. Depending on the location of the job site and the availability of a machine and dry ice in the area, renting can be around $1,500 a week. Dry ice pellets used in the machine, again depending on the location, can cost about $.30-$.40 per pound. Buying a machine can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $40,000. However, if you're saving time and money and achieving better longevity in your concrete coatings, the initial expense might be worth it in the long run to you and your customers.

The Different Types of Cladding Used In Construction   Home Renovation Services   Why Should You Use A Residential Architect?   Garage With Apartment: What Are Its Benefits   Whom Will You Consult on Home Extensions and Renovations?   

Garden Canopy Tents Are Used For More Than Leisure

Garden canopy tents feature prominently in many outdoor and warm weather activities. They can serve as comfortable protection from the sun, a private hideout, an outdoor dining area for grill outs and more. They are popular because they are easily portable, durable, provide enough protection for the purposes and yet permit fresh air through if the owner desires. The same traits that make these tents so popular in the garden also make them useful in rescue relief efforts.

Catastrophic events leave many homeless each year. The victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and even terrorist attacks are left without basic needs such as food, clothing or medical treatment in some cases. Their needs are so urgent there is usually little time or notice, and the tents similar to those used in gardens provide the necessary shelter from the sun or wind or rain for relief workers to begin seeing to the needs of the victims quickly.

Outdoor first aid stations are often set up under the shelter of these portable tents. This is the first line of treatment where victims can be assessed quickly and it is not an operation that should be done under the baking sun or in pouring rain. Hot food or emergency food is served from centrally located tents to both victims and relief workers alike.

Search and rescue efforts can and are often dispatched from a central temporary tent. Administration of large scale disaster relief takes coordination and a centrally located temporary shelter is ideal for this coordination. Such tents can house a variety of needed services and can be quickly dismantled and removed when unneeded, ready for the next relief effort.

The Pakistan floods this year have affected millions and killed at least 11,000. Along with the loss of life there is a critical shortage of health and hygiene supplies and such tents can be used to distribute the necessary items. The floods have placed the population of Pakistan at risk for epidemics and the lack of clean drinking water affects millions. Temporary relief measures by world wide organizations often employ garden tents to help distribute necessary supplies.

3 Realistic Reasons Why You Might Need a Survival Kit   Smart Buy - Home Weather Station To Help You Plan Your Day   The Climate of Belarus   Dealing With the Summer Weather   Why Own a Wireless Weather Station?   Disaster Early Warning System - Can We Build It?   

Be Careful: Wandering Off Is A Risk For People With Alzheimer's!

A very dangerous side effect of Alzheimer's disease is the disappearing act. Thousands of families deal with a loved one with Alzheimer's disease going missing every year (according to the US Alzheimer's Association, 6 out of 10 people with the disease wander!). Many people with Alzheimer's disease come to a stage in their illness where they can't think clearly and start wandering off. They may become distracted and leave, or try to follow a familiar route somewhere instinctively, or find themselves in a place they don't recognize, such as a hospital, and want to get back home, and wander off without someone knowing. What to do to help prevent the wandering of a person with Alzheimer's?

It's important to first acknowledge that this type of safety risk has a high chance of happening, and then plan to avoid it. The Canadian Alzheimer's Association states in its research that there's a 50% chance of a person with Alzheimer disease or related dementia, lost for more than 12 hours, of being found injured or dead from hypothermia, dehydration or drowning. With these bleak statistics in mind, make sure you start keeping track of the very regular habits of your loved one.

Does your loved one get lost and confused in crowds? Do they take a walk every afternoon? What errands do they run, and what days? How do they travel, by car or bus? What medications do they take, and when? These are all great questions to help you determine the wandering risks.

Start by ensuring their wallet and/or purse is full of information such as their address, phone number, and ID. Make sure they have a bracelet or tag with them, at all times, to show they have Alzheimer's disease and/or memory loss.

As a caregiver it is best to know their common route especially in early stages. Accompany them often on their walking and errand routes, so you're sure they know where to go instinctively. Make sure to accompany them to such places as busy malls or doctors' offices. If the person with Alzheimer dementia is appearing not sure of their driving skills, and route-finding skills, find them another way to travel and stop them from driving. (Feel free to contact me for ideas on this.)

In later stages, a very good way to safely care for your loved one with Alzheimer's is to supplement your care hours with an in home companion. Many home care businesses provide 24/7 caregiver services, and you can take advantage of someone being present at any time of the day including during the night, when restless wandering may happen. Also, keep updated and clear photos of your loved one, and provide it to hired caregivers, along with other detailed personal information necessary for best care. Lastly, you may want to consider making a distinguishing mark on the soles of their shoes and photo copy the bottom of the shoes. This may help in tracking efforts if need be.

A most important action to take is to register your loved one with the nation-wide RCMP and Canadian Alzheimer Society supported program called Safely Home® Register at www.safelyhome.ca. For $35 your loved one gets an ID bracelet and ID cards, you'll get a caregiver handbook, and you can update your loved one's file as needed.

Keep your loved one's tracks covered, and you'll have solutions before a problem occurs!

How To Go About Registering A PRO Domain

If your address on the web is unique then you can have an effective web presence or identity on the internet. The website needs a domain name which will have to be accordingly registered. Before registering the domain name, it is essential to check its availability first of all.

Since there are a large number of online businesses these days, a number of domain names already have been taken up. Hence adequate research will need to be conducted to find a suitable domain name online at different sites available.

Hiring Services of an Accredited Registrar All that you will need to do is get details in specific categories and search words to find a domain name. You will need to also find an accredited domain name registrar. This will help in registering a domain name that is unique. Besides this multiple domain names can also be registered or transferred as well.

Some of the registration services offer free services along with every registered.pro domain name. For example forwarding URLs, status alerts, locking of domain names, registration change, domain masking, forwarding domain name, web hosting at a discount, DNS control etc. Depending upon the country, the domain name can be selected and registered. To identify domain names, advanced tools are provided by the services. It is crucial to make an effective first impression on the web and this is not easy.

Domain Name for Top Level Businesses Your website can go a long way with a.pro domain name which is a great one. Top level businesses, CEOs, employees, consultants, accountants, teachers and professionals require a top level domain name for building presence on the net. This domain name is an indicator that you are a professional with a license and are most trustworthy on the web.

In other words,.pro also means being proficient, proactive, promoter, progressive and prolific. The.pro domain name allows you to become an authority on the web and at the same time promote and advertise services and products. Charges for domain name registration can be paid for a year or depending upon the terms of the domain name registration service.

Identifying Domain Name Availability Online Once the domain name is registered it is possible for your business to have its very own place online. Visitors can come and look up the site and also develop trust in it. The best place to look for a good domain name registration service is the internet. There are numerous sites dedicated to the purpose and accordingly you can research and find out which of the sites is suitable enough for you.

By conducting a cost comparison it is very much possible to get an affordable service as well. Many of the sites also have a sign up form which is easy to fill if you do not have a domain name and want to host a website. It will help in identifying domain name availability and when an ideal domain name is identified it is registered accordingly.

What Is the Structure of a Domain Name?   How To Get a Domain Name and Hosting For Free For 1 Year   The Domaining Home Business Model for Entrepreneurs   Secrets To Having A Successful Online Domain   Need a Great Domain Name - Ask a Domain Name Generator   

What Are The 3 Most Important Things I Need To Start My Online Business?

Of course, you need hosting, a domain name and an autoresponder. But there are 3 more fundamental things before you even get to those.

1. Too many people focus on their own business when communicating with visitors and subscribers. They should have their business focused on their customers. You need to work out a picture of your ideal customer. That picture will include their needs and wants. However, you have to respond to real customers' needs and wants. You can only do that if you survey them or ask them directly as to what they want you specifically to provide for them.

2. You need a strategy for your business to deal with what you need to do now and to take you into the future. Look at where you are as you start your business and then where you want to be in a set time in the future. Work out your traffic and product creation strategy. As said, create products your customers want from you, so also have a strategy for communicating with them as personally as possible.

3. Decide what processes you will have in place. For example, what actions will your traffic strategy be composed of and how will those actions be linked together to produce the results you want. So, if you were to use social media: what sort of information would you provide and what would be its focus. Have the strategy laid out so you can see the links through the process you are using.

Why Local Mobile Marketing Matters For Your Business   A Program That Can Automatically Send Email on Your Behalf   Choose The Right Autoresponders Service   Autoresponders Make Your Email Marketing Effective and Easy   Email Campaign Software - A Must For Online Business Part 2   Using An Autoresponder For Your Business   

Antiquated or Automated

Here are some common client relation tasks along with some suggestions for how to manage them.

Account Setup So you've sealed the deal and a new client is on board. Congrats! Now it's a series of mundane tasks to get their information on file and further educate them on how your company operates. These tasks can be automated. If you can't afford the latest software and devices, at least streamline these tasks into a series of succinct steps and draw from templates to avoid redundancies.

Birthdays and Anniversaries The jury's still out on this one. More and more small companies are gaining access to the systems of big companies and are following suit with automated birthday cards and the like. I am not a fan of this. I think this is where small business can shine. If you're a small business you know your client personally. A birthday card with a personal message makes much more sense than an automated template from an online supplier. If you go one step further and hand write the envelope the greeting will feel all the more fuzzy.

Education By now, you likely have a system in place for educating your clients on industry trends and special deals. (If you don't, email me now because you should!) For many of us this "touch" has taken the shape of a quarterly mailer or a monthly ezine. Set a schedule, create the content and automate the distribution.

Concerns About a Current Project I am fast learning that when concerns arise around a project that it is in MY best interest to pick up the phone. Nothing escalates a situation quicker than a barrage of misinterpreted emails. Even if you have discovered that the client is a nightmare and you'd be happy to see them go, pick up the phone and do your best to close the job on amicable terms. You never know who they know and you never know what the future holds. If you're planning to "fire" your client, keep the tone positive by offering them solutions (ie contact information for your competitor!).

Why Local Mobile Marketing Matters For Your Business   A Program That Can Automatically Send Email on Your Behalf   Choose The Right Autoresponders Service   Autoresponders Make Your Email Marketing Effective and Easy