Tips For Building Your Own Home Bar

Is your home the place where your friends and family tend to gather for sporting events, card games or just a great place to hang out on a Friday night? Why not consider building a home bar to add a little flare to your entertaining? Building a home bar is a great addition to any home, but deciding on building a bar is just the first step. Many decisions have to be made throughout the building process to determine what the bar will look like, where is will be located and just how much money you want to spend on such an endeavor.

In many homes the bar is located in the basement in a large rec room. If you have the space to do this, it makes sense to locate the bar there, but it is entirely up to you where you locate it. If you are not handy with tools, it's likely best to hire a contractor to build a proper home bar that you will be proud of, however if you do have some technical skill, building a bar doesn't have to be difficult. It is possible to even purchase a home bar kit that can make it much easier to build. Most people however prefer a more custom bar that fits in with their current decor

Many types of home bars exist to suit any decor including Tiki Bars, Tuscany Bars or a Renaissance Bar. For those in warmer climates, a home bar could even be installed outdoors, around a pool or on a deck. For most people that live in parts of the country that have cold winters, an indoor home bar may be more appropriate. Depending on the current decor of your home, some bars work better than others, but if you are looking to build a themed room, any style will work.

Once you decide on style, now comes the important decisions of what your home bar will include. A simple bar does not need to include electricity or water, but both these utilities will greatly improve what you can do with the bar. With electricity and water your home bar can include a sink, a beer fridge, an ice maker and even a kegerator. With all these elements you can have a fully stocked bar without having to make trips to the kitchen for ice, water or cold beer. For those that want to provide their guests with an authentic bar experience, installing an LCD TV on the wall can add to the ambiance and a pool table would also be nice if space allows.

Once your home bar is finished, all your friends will want to spend their spare time lounging around your bar, having great conversation. Of course during those big games like the Super Bowl or NHL Playoffs, your home bar is sure to make it a fun time with cold beer and good friends.

Autor: Doug Seymour

Building your own home bar can be as simple or as challenging as you would like. Consult tiki bar plans if you are interested in designing and building a world-class tiki bar. If you would rather purchase a tiki bar kit or need the right decor to complete your bar, check out the Tiki Bar Shop.

Added: February 4, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Over Boarding a Ceiling - A Short Explanation

I often overboard lath and plaster ceilings this is because the customer does not want to pay for the time it takes to pull down and old ceiling and clear it up. Due to lath and plaster ceilings normally being full of rubbish and the dust created is unbearable I normally recommend the overboard option.

So With an overboard if the ceiling is lath and plaster I would use 9.5mm plasterboard this would allow for the just not being level as the plasterboard will "go with" the joists. It is also easier to lift 9.5mm board above your head for tacking.

So the first ting I normally do I find the joist the best way is to smash a hole in the ceiling with a hammer and have a look, once you have found a joist they are normally 401mm or 601mm apart.

I go round and mark on the wall where all the centres of the joists are then I get a chalk line and run it form one side of the ceiling to the other this will accurately mark the ceiling with the joist centres. This does take a fair bot of time but saves an age of time in the long run.

With all the joist marked measuring and cutting the plasterboard is easy as ll you do is measure to the lines and cut. Most rooms are not square so you will find that you will need to do some awkward cuts but that's is just the way it goes.

The tools I use are two props or dead-men which can be bought very cheaply drywall screws a cordless drill for screwing the screws. A chalk line along with a tape measure and stanley knife.

Remember that all the screws need to be flush with the board otherwise when the ceiling gets plastered they will catch their trowel and it will leave the screw proud.

Autor: Verdon Hackett

Verdon Hackett is the proud owner of http://www.plasterersforum.com

The Plasterers Forum was started in 2006 and has grown from strength to strength its a very busy community giving out some of the best information on plastering.

The plasterers Forum is a leading authority in the plastering industry.

Added: February 2, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Buying Your Own Heating and Cooling Equipment For the Do-It-Yourselfer - Questions Answers

Buying your own heating and cooling equipment for the first time can be a bit daunting. Your research may have left you doubting, probably because the advice you have received to the negative came from those who have a financial stake in your decision.

Regardless of what you decide to do, always remember that YOU control your money. When someone says you can't do something, step back and think about the why. If it is because legally you can't, then Ok. But, if it is because "that's not the way it is normally done", really step back and ask yourself why. If you stop to reflect on the naysayers, you will probably find that they are connected to the total potential outlay of your funds for your project.

Big Box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's have not exploded across the country because homeowner's "Can't" do-it-themselves. These stores are great examples of a shift in how people are taking control of their home projects. If you need or want a new faucet for the kitchen, or a new water heater, you go to one of these outlets and purchase the product yourself. You then have the option and personal choice to install it yourself, or contact a plumber who will be happy to install it for you, on a "Time & Material" basis. You can buy and install windows, doors, siding, roofing, plumbing, and lighting. These stores will sell you big scary tools that can cut, maim and if used improperly, can even end your life. But, most people who opt to do-it-themselves, have a respect and understanding that there is a responsibility that goes along with the use of these tools.

So how do the above statements relate to your ability to control all or part of your home heating and cooling project? Just like the example above, there are some risks involved when doing any project. Education and preparation are the tools that reduce risk, not only with HVAC, but with any project.

Some questions you need to ask yourself and answer: Do you control your money? Yes!

Of course you do. Who's name is on your checking account, credit card or deed? Yours! Not ABC Heating & Air. With that said, why shouldn't you be able to decide exactly how you want to proceed?

Is it legal for you to buy your own HVAC Equipment? Yes!

HVAC contractors will try to tell you that it is illegal for you to purchase this type of equipment. Here is something for you to think about. When you buy equipment from your local dealer and he installs it, you have purchased that equipment. I always laugh at that one. When you buy HVAC equipment from online sources, you are essentially buying from a contractor, so what is the difference?

Do you have the ability to install your own Heating & Cooling Equipment? Yes!

Here is where personal responsibility and preparation come into play. Because of the technical nature of Heating and Cooling equipment, you may not be able to do every aspect of your project, and will need to rely on possibly some help from a local technician or installer on a "Time & Material" basis. But, if you again think about the extreme savings that you can realize from doing as much of your project as possible, you will be surprised at how much control you have. When your local all inclusive contractor gives you a price, let's say $8,000 to replace your system, not only are they factoring in PROFIT, but within that you are paying for lots of things that even the least of us in relation to being handy can perform. Can you move the product to it intended location? Sure. You can prepare indoor and outdoor sites, lines and wiring and many of the most minor portions of the project that are built into the PROFIT. Why should you pay for those things?

Given the opportunity to save $1,000, $2,000 or more, is that important to you? I would think so!

When I talk to clients, I am sometimes amazed at how little thought goes into that question. That question has the ability to solidify or separate you from the original idea of doing-it-yourself. Because, if you are only interested in picking up the phone and contacting someone who will do every aspect for you, then you have answered your question. It is not fair to think that you can have both. But, if you understand that the reward of saving thousands of dollars, comes with the responsibility to take some control yourself, then you are ready to proceed. I don't know about you, but if someone told me that if I did the parts of my project that I am capable of doing, and that may require a little work on my part, and, that I could put $2,000 in my pocket, my response would be "SIGN ME UP!"

RECAP:

Do You Control Your own Money? Yes!

Can You Buy Your own Equipment? Yes!

Can You DO-IT-YOURSELF? Yes!

Can You Hire Local Talent to Help? Yes!

Can You Save Thousands of Dollars? Yes!

Then Why Aren't You?

Autor: Jay Boyd

Jay Boyd owns his own heating and air conditioning store Home Air Direct where he helps the do-it-yourselfer save money. His blog site Ask Boyd contains numerous tips and stories involving the HVAC industry.

Added: February 1, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/