I have an idea for a new business, do you think it is a good idea.

By on March 30th, 2008

I have invested in property and as a result have thrown myself into all kinds of DIY and refurb projects. I have found that prior to trying to sell a property there is a lot that can be done on a shoestring budget that will dramatically add value to the property, or at the very least increase its saleability (simple redecoration and dressing the property with modern furniture so to “sell the lifestyle”).

What I plan to do is set up a business as a ‘house doctor’. My business would provide free consulations and then for & fee of between approx. £1000 and £3000 would carry out the agreed work (to include-painting, freshening up of bathroom/kitchen grouting, replacing light fixings, door handles, other fixings etc. and fully dressing the property including curtains, bedspreads/dressings, throws, cushions, vases, decorations etc etc etc).

My initial leads will come from estate agents who have clients that are struggling to sell.

What do you think of the business idea.
Was also thinking that long-term I could sell franchises - with the franchisee benefiting from training (in the selling part, not the DIY), discounted suppliers, etc etc.

Do you think that this type of franchise could be a success.

“|”|”|”please help im after a new kitchen and wondering is it cheaper to buy a kitchen from france|”|”

By on March 9th, 2008

hi all im after a new kitchen and someone once told me that diy products are cheaper in france.if so what direction shall i head in thanks.thanks all im based in london
hi the post about italian kitchen what part of italy should I go to.thanks for your time all

Garage facelift You would probably ask yourself why

By admin on January 23rd, 2008

Garage facelift

You would probably ask yourself why do you need a facelift for
your garage. It is only a garage! But what if you have a
two or more cars garage? The garage doors take up a
significant portion of the front of the house. What is the use in
having a great design for your house but having only generic
garage doors?

Nowadays the garage door trends are to incorporate the doors
into the design of the house. For example you could choose
carriage-style doors(look like they open like old-fashioned
doors in carriage houses, but they open like normal garage
doors) or you could choose wood carriage doors. These wood
carriage doors are reminiscences of the horse-drawn carriage days
and they are very popular. You don t need to go as far as to
order custom made garage doors because you can find more
appealing garage doors at most home improvement stores.

In addition to the doors, the floor of a garage gives style and can
integrate to the overall aesthetics of your house. You could try
interlocking garage floor tiles that come in multiple colors and
patterns. They are made of polypropylene and are easy to
install and clean. Another interesting and practical flooring is the
coin shaped G-flooring.

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Tags: kitchen designer, kitchen remodeling, Home Floor Plans, kitchen redesign, cabinetry, kitchen backsplashes

Five steps to a clean garage workshop You

By admin on January 20th, 2008

Five steps to a clean garage workshop

You park your car in the driveway and you still have to work on your
projects in the back yard. If you don t use your garage for
its designed purpose, why not turn it into a tidy workshop?
Here are five steps to turn your garage in a perfect small home
workshop:

1) Create your own workbench from an old door,s ome
sawhorses or scrap wood.

2) Mount a pegboard on the wall to store your tools. It would be
a great idea to mount it above your workbench. Strategically
place pegs according to the type of tools you will be placing on
the board. After hanging your tools, trace around them with a
marker so you will know where each one goes.

3) Use old jars for holding nails, nuts, bolts and screws.

4) Make a storage box for the rags because they tend to accumulate
in the working area.

5) Use a small tackle box for transporting items such as screws and
nails as you move around the shop.

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Tags: kitchen backsplashes, kitchen sinks, remake kitchen, new kitchen, interior design, Kitchen Design Firms

Understanding Modular Kitchen Cabinets With some modular cabinets

By admin on January 4th, 2008

Understanding Modular Kitchen Cabinets

With some modular cabinets in your kitchen, you can be better equipped to have finished cabinets in a short period of time, and you can be allowed to take these steps yourself with modular kitchen cabinets.

Modular can mean a rather uncomplicated system to building a whole new way to perceive a household for yourself, a truly inspiring aid to the lifestyle of your choice, and allowing for you to make the most out of your abilities of self reliance and maintenance abilities.

There are many steps in acquiring the best modular kitchen cabinets that you can find, there are many good deals out there on this kind of equipment, and with a few good tips on where to look for leads on your search for the best manufacturer or brand of these kitchen cabinets.

When you wish to find a local retailer that will give you a good price, you may want to consult a newspaper or local phone directory for outlets with sales, or perhaps the Internet can serve a purpose allowing you to find a kitchen cabinet for you.

Seemingly complicated at first to wrap your understanding mind around, with time and patience in figuring out how to properly approach the way of putting this item of functional furniture together, and allowing you to understand how uncomplicated creating the home decoration that you desire will fit into your perspective of things. Making your home a comfortable place for you to enjoy all the moments you experience there, and indulge your home project with these interesting items.

Some quality time is all that is really necessary in creating a whole new way to look at your kitchen’s ability to handle the activities that will comprise the usage that will be inherent in its’ utilization, making you confident that your kitchen can handle all the obstacles that tumble through, and to allow you to understand that your kitchen cabinets can be a useful outgrowth of your skill in utilizing working pieces of furniture. It is all up to you to choose whether you wish to indulge these urges for difference.

A listing of the kind of tools that you will need are also a way in which to further understand the activity of maintaining your own furniture, and one of this modular variety of easy to keep together functional furniture can help with any aspect of life that could use extra storage, allowing you to have more space to work with no matter what your lifestyle may entail. With a modular cabinet in your kitchen; you can be assured of the best compromise between cost, effort, and quality in these functional pieces.

There are many variations on this theme of assembled furniture that has been very popular for many years, inspiring the spirit in every individual with an urge to construct many different aspects to their lives, and you could be one of those people that finds this to be an interesting point for any unproductive downtime that you might have on your hands. It is possible that you may just require more than one of these many items to make these worthy projects to indulge in.

Tags: kitchen redesign, kitchen furniture, kitchen planning, Kitchen Design Articles, kitchen remodel

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Table Styles Your farmhouse kitchen

By admin on December 18th, 2007

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Table Styles

Your farmhouse kitchen deserves a little TLC. In fact this is really the most important room in your home. It’s where you’ll feed and entertain family and friends. And the modern farmhouse style is nothing like the past had to offer.

A Gun barrel Refectory Table is a beautiful solid oak table that is large and noticeable and there are several different leg styles to choose from. Rectangular in shape depending on the size you should have seating for anywhere from 4 to 12 people

And of course the simple table is the perfect choice for everyday use in your country kitchen. The close plank table top with pleated ends makes this a lovely table to look at. Simple oak is always elegant!

The modern wood butcher block table has turned legs and a smooth top and is an excellent choice. The Windsor style chairs add the finishing touches with the spindle backs. The natural finish blends with any color scheme and it adds the finishing touches without being overbearing.

Today’s farmhouse kitchen isn’t the same as the kitchen of yesteryear. In fact it is a whole new contemporary look and feel. And you might be surprised to discover it is growing in popularity.

It’s a style that blends with almost any dיcor and color scheme and it’s the perfect table for large dinner parties. Modern farm is get’s noticed especially once you add the trimmings like a bright red tablecloth.

And don’t forget to incorporate the great outdoors. A beautiful natural fern, some twig flatware, a set of bamboo placemats. They’ll all look great on the table.

Don’t confuse farmhouse country with French country. They are two different styles. French country is more formal than American country and it’s true country where as French is more a city version of country.

French country is always warm and inviting with soft colors and styles. Where as American farmhouse is much more rustic, more natural, with lots of wood and bold choices. Dried flowers, fresh egg baskets, or rooster placemats are all great examples of farmhouse dיcor.

You’ll need to determine what size table you’ll need. Start by measuring your kitchen and the space available for a table, then decide how many people you want to be able to serve. Remember you can choose a table that can be made bigger just by adding panels a very popular style on the farm.

Your farm table should be solid wood, have a heavy look and feel to it. Even a modern style should steel have a rustic edge to it. Choose from pine, oak, mahogany, or maple. All look great and are available.

You’ve got all kinds of terrific selections online and there are plenty of great buys. In fact you can save as much as 50% without even trying. So no matter what your budget is you should have no problem finding the perfect table.

There are plenty of farmhouse kitchen table styles to choose from. So which is right for your kitchen?

Tags: Kitchen Remodeling Advice, remake kitchen, kitchen backsplashes, Home Floor Plans, kitchen designer

Three Online Sources for Dishwasher Parts Sometimes, fixing

By admin on December 14th, 2007

Three Online Sources for Dishwasher Parts

Sometimes, fixing your own appliances is not difficult and can save you a great deal of money on service calls. If you want to find dishwasher parts to replace minor problems or fix major ones, you can find affordable, quality dishwasher parts from several online providers.

A-1 Appliance Parts A-1 Appliance Parts gives customers a wide variety of appliance parts to choose from. Dishwasher parts are easy to find with A-1 Appliance Parts’ database search feature. On their home page, you can search by your dishwasher’s model number or more specifically by the part number if you know it. A more general search begins with the appliance type, in this case a dishwasher, down to the brand then to the specific part you need. This way even if you do not know the model number of the part in question, you can still find the dishwasher part that you need. They carry parts for dishwashers made b y GE, Maytag, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire as well as repair manuals to help you in your do-it-yourself dishwasher repair project.

A-1 Appliance Parts assures their customers that they handle each part carefully. They promise personal, live operators when you call during regular business hours. Your dishwasher parts exchanged through A-1 Appliance Parts will come with a one-year warranty. If you get your dishwasher part only to realize you do not need it, you can return it within 30 days for full credit as long as it was not installed or ordered as a special order.

Appliance Aid

This company found on the internet also offers an extensive selection of dishwasher parts. Models they provide parts for include Whirlpool, Kenmore, Kitchen-aid, Maytag, Magic Chef, Performa, Jenn Air, Kelvinator, Hotpoint, GE, Moffat, McClary, Tappan, and White Westinghouse. Their website allows you to search by brand and part descriptions or by part number and model number if you have that information. Many links are shared with A-1 Appliance Parts.

Part Store Another website to find your dishwasher parts is www.partstore.com Part Store carries all the major brands. They also offer the option to buy compatible equivalents that could save you money on your do-it-yourself dishwasher repair. They have an extensive database to determine if the dishwasher part will fit with your specific model. They have an easy return policy where you call for an authorization number to return the part within 30 days. However, the warranty on their parts is only 30 days unless there is a warranty from the manufacturer. Returns must not have been installed and must be in resalable condition. Credit is given once it is received and determined to fit these conditions.

For the handy person who would like to repair the dishwasher on his/her own, the World Wide Web offers many opportunities to find dishwasher parts at affordable prices. These three sources are a good starting point to find the dishwasher part that you need.

Tags: appliances, kitchen remodeling ideas, kitchen appliances, kitchen islands, decorating

Tips For Buying A Dishwasher Over half the

By admin on December 9th, 2007

Tips For Buying A Dishwasher

Over half the households in America have a dishwasher. In fact you are probably already quite familiar with the use of one and you probably already know how much time can be saved using one. If you don’t own a dishwasher, here are some great tips for buying a dishwasher.

Dishwashers can vary in price from a couple of hundred dollars to over a thousand. The more you spend doesn’t mean the cleaner your dishes will be. It simply means you’ll get more bells and whistles. You can buy a dishwasher that will keep your family dishes clean for around $200.

Many older homes never had a place for a dishwasher but as more and more people remodel their homes they are making way for a built in dishwasher. And the industry is quick to take note with many different manufacturers offering a variety of different models to fit almost any type of kitchen and any budget.

ASKO, Miele, and Bosch are just three that have been setting the standard. In fact that bar is getting pretty high to jump. We are seeing ultra quiet machines with sophisticated controls, highly efficient machines with complete stainless interiors and they are only costing around the $1500 mark. This is a very niche market.

But what should the average consumer look for? Here are some great tips!

1. Quiet

These days everyone wants a dishwasher that purrs like a kitten and hardly makes a sound. Silence is truly golden. Families are tired of listening to dishwasher pumps drone on and they are tired of having to yell or talk over it. Modern technology has meant a considerable improvement in the noise level of the modern dishwasher. 2. Energy Efficiency

The 1990s saw federal regulations that set standards for new dishwashers. But today’s dishwashers far exceed those standards. The manufacturer’s quickly recognized how important this was becoming to the consumer and thus a great deal of energy was used to build a dishwasher that was exceptionally efficient. 3. Stainless Steel Tubs

Many makers are not building with a stainless interior. Although they certainly can’t compete in price to a plastic tub what they can offer is a quieter machine, a machine that is more durable and easier to maintain, and a machine that is much more efficient in drying. 4. Capacity

A conventional dishwasher is 24 inches wide. There are larger and smaller models on the market so if the standard size isn’t going to work shop around. 5. Styling

Controls have become much easier to use over the years and styling has become more stylish. Lines are sleek, buttons are classy, and the overall look is elegant, sleek, and polished. The 21st century dishwasher has a whole new look.

Whether you’ve owned a dishwasher before and you are in the market for a replacement or this is your first purchase, just follow these 5 tips for buying a dishwasher and you’ll have the best dishwasher that your budget can buy. There’s no reason to have dish pan hands these days!

Tags: Home Floor Plans, decorating, cabinetry, kitchen remodeling ideas, kitchen backsplashes

Apron Kitchen Sink: Simply The Best A kitchen

By admin on December 3rd, 2007

Apron Kitchen Sink: Simply The Best

A kitchen sink is one of the most versatile and functional appliances in our home. No home would be complete without a kitchen sink. There are even a lot of puns and proverbs concerning the kitchen sink. A kitchen sink is usually not even thought about until it isn’t working properly. We use a kitchen sink to wash our delicates, to clean our veggies, and to wash young babies bottoms. However, a rising number of people actually do think about that kitchen sink. They want a kitchen sink that symbolizes the beauty and style of their individual personality. Many people are choosing the current crטme de la crטme of kitchen sinks: the apron kitchen sink.

So what is an apron kitchen sink? Well, the answer is brilliantly simple. The name reflects exactly what the sink looks like: an apron. To understand the apron kitchen sink, we must first understand what most kitchen sinks are designed as. Most kitchen sinks are purely designed for functionality. Clean first item, clean second item, and repeat until all items are indeed clean. When finished, leave room; forget about that kitchen sink.

Many people are choosing to change that simplistic process. By adding an apron kitchen sink, that process takes on a whole new meaning. Now that kitchen sink is admired for the beauty it truly is. An apron kitchen sink adds a whole new element to the whole house. Not many appliances can make that claim. So let’s explore exactly what an apron kitchen sink is.

A normal kitchen sink fits into a hole in the countertop. The sink can be either under or over the countertop. The only part of the sink that is seen is usually the rim and the basin or basins. Of course, the faucet and any type of add-ons are also visible. You have a kitchen sink that is protected on all sides except one, the top.

Now comes the beauty of an apron kitchen sink. This type of sink has all of the same benefits of the average kitchen sink, however, you get the added bonus of the front side of the sink being completely bare. The countertop has been cut away so that the front of the kitchen sink is visible. So why do this? This type of kitchen sink is highly functional, versatile, and decorative.

An apron kitchen sink adds a new dimension to those normal, everyday kitchen sinks. You get all of the functionality of a kitchen sink with the added bonus of having that extra surface for decorative purposes. Of course, that decorative front can be of your own personal design. It is obvious that an apron kitchen sink offers the owner to add a small touch of extra personality to their home.

Tags: new kitchen, Kitchen Appliance Trends, kitchen islands, kitchen remodel, countertops

Make a list of what you want to

By admin on November 1st, 2007

Make a list of what you want to do in your kitchen. Create a project
binder with a tab for your appliances! This will assist you in organizing
everything when you meet with your designer, builder, and appliance con-
sultant. Remember that pictures are worth a thousand words !
Take your notes, along with a sketch or layout of your kitchen, to a
kitchen designer or a reputable appliance showroom representative. Here
is where good collaboration will produce fantastic results. A discussion
with these professionals will help clarify and prioritize the appliances that
fit your project.
Here are some questions that many people face, so we ll address these
in this series:
Who do I go to for professional assistance?
What do I look for first?
When should I select my appliances?
Why look at one brand verses another?
How do I get the best kitchen package that is just right for me?
Who do I go to for professional assistance?
The best place to begin is with a magazine publication and industry
professional. Pick up a copy of K+BB Kitchen & Bath Business magazine.
Visit a local Kitchen Design Professional in your area. You can visit a the
National Kitchen and Bath Association, for a local designer and NARI,
National Association of the Remodeling Industry, for a local contractor.
Spend some time (a few hours) with an appliance expert to learn more
about technological advancements, styles and options with different
brands. Important to note here is service too!
What do I look for first?
Many people want to begin at the dishwasher or the refrigerator for dif-
ferent reasons. The best place to begin is with the cooking area. The other
appliances can then be selected to complement the cooking package.
Many appliance lines have a complete suite of appliances that blend
together very nicely. However it is not always necessary to stay with the
same brand of appliances. There are many appliances on the market that
fit well with each other while offering the best features for your cooking
style and space.
When should I select my appliances?
The appliance selection should be done at the same time as your
kitchen design. This is very important to your kitchen designer. You should
review appliance selections at least 6-8 weeks prior to needing the appli-
ances delivered and installed. Special order products may require longer
lead times.