Concrete is the oldest manmade construction material and the most widely used. Primitive examples of it date back to the ancient Egyptians, and today’s concrete is of course much tougher and more consistent than anything they used. Modern concrete is used to make building foundations and floors, sidewalks, highway overpasses, dams, and more, and average concrete has a strength of about 3,000 psi or so. Some of the strongest concretes even have a strength of 20,000 psi. Still, concrete isn’t indestructible; sometimes, it needs to be lifted, prepped for epoxy, or have its cracks filled in. Fortunately, homeowners and commercial…
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Easter will hop on by before you know it, but the spring season as a whole is the perfect time to make your home garden truly pop with color. In a recent survey, 42% of respondents who spend time gardening said they felt healthy and happy. If you need a bit of a boost right now, visit your local garden center and pick up the perfect Easter plants and bulbs to brighten your day and your yard. Azaleas While azaleas are mostly native to Asia, they have come to be known as the quintessential plant of the American South. Azaleas…
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There is something really enchanting about summer. Oh yeah! You can’t wait to — temporarily — cast away the winter blues and enjoy great times outdoor. Perhaps planning your traditional family or friends pool party with the summer barbecue and lots of drinks to keep the bellies happy. However, to ensure the pool party is a success, there are important considerations you need to make before opening the pool to ensure it’s ready for summer. This often means hiring professional pool opening services but with handy-skills and the right information, this is something you can actually do yourself. Skills you…
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When it comes to hiring electrical contractors, many choose to save money by doing some of the work themselves. Others hire family members or friends who are handymen to get electrical work done in their homes or businesses. However, to ensure that the electrical renovations are done up to the building code, it is essential to hire licensed electrical contractors. If you are having other professional construction done on your home or business, it is key to enlist the help of a general contractor and electrician. Non-professional handymen don’t offer warranties or insure their work. So, if there is a…
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Concrete ranks among the most important construction materials in the world, alongside metal and wood, and it is used all around the world to make objects such as sidewalks, highway overpasses, building foundations, and even flooring for a building’s ground floor (such as in a warehouse). Concrete is very tough and convenient to use, but even then, it is not indestructible. Old concrete may need to be touched up or replaced, and concrete services can be hired to help. Such concrete services can perform concrete raising for a sidewalk, or they can perform concrete grinding services for a building’s floor.…
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In the summertime, there’s nothing better than stepping into your backyard and going for a dip in your own backyard swimming pool. The benefits of having a pool are numerous: it’s a great way to relax, it’s a great way to spend time with your friends and family, you can transform your backyard space with a pool and lounge area and you even get some exercise while you swim. If you’re going to install a brand-new pool in your backyard, you’re going to need to install tile along the waterline and even along the pool floor. Tile is long-lasting, eco-friendly,…
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Aging at home is a popular option for many individuals and families. Faced with the variety of options that are available outside of the home for their loved ones, many adult children and grandchildren are realizing that they can just as affordably provide a way to get this care at home. Some of the transitions that need to be made when preparing to help someone age at home is adding ramps to allow easier access from the front driveway into the home and replacing loose rugs and carpets with wood, tile, or vinyl flooring. In a multi story home, of…
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A homeowner will need to keep constant track of their house’s state of repair, and this ranges from checking the pipes for leaks all the way to the siding, foundation, spray foam insulation and, of course, the roof and gutters. All houses have roofs, to keep warm or cool air inside and prevent outside sunlight, wind, water, and debris from getting inside the home. A solid roof is leak proof and tough, but if a roof is very old or suffers blunt trauma, then it is liable to leak warm or cool air and allow water to leak into the…
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We are living in a time when contractors are often in high demand. Whether they offer roof repair services or gutter installation, there are many times when contractors have wait lists that are weeks, sometimes months, long. As a result of this shortage and long wait times, many property owners can find themselves in a spot where they find it challenging to get the help they need. And when property owners are hiring someone, they too often do not know enough about the contractor they hire. Even though it can take a while to get the best worker to come…
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Mondays are the days you dedicate to planning your meals and grocery list. This is not my favorite thing to do, but it makes your life so much easier, healthy, and affordably. You started using a mini notebook a few months ago and it is handy in several ways. First of all, you record the weekly menu on the left side and your shopping list on the right side. This method allows you to easily look back at previous weeks for menu ideas. The notebook itself is small, portable, and easy to keep tucked away in the kitchen so it…