Pouring concrete that fights cracking is possible if you follow my tips. Watch the amount of water added to concrete as it can cause shrinkage. Those "decorative" lines in your concrete are there as control joints to keep concrete from cracking. Rebar or reinforcing steel and a solid base will help your concrete fight cracks.
Handicap accessibility for your loved one with special needs requires planning. Handicap ramps should meet the needs of the individual. Building handicap ramps requires a little bit of your high school math. To build a proper ramp for people who are physically challenged, you may want to exceed minimum standards for ramps to make the ramp easier to navigate at your home.
Gravel driveways have a new update. Tar and chip driveways give the look of a beautiful gravel driveway with the strength of a blacktop base to hold the colorful stones.
Termites can attack any home. A termite-free house should still get one or two annual visits from a trained pest control professional. Inground termite colony elimination systems are a good way to protect your home. Putting gravel and having positive pitch around your home keep the soil drier, preventing termites from tunneling.
An invisible fence is very effective for pet control. They are not much different than the radio in your home or car. The wire transmits a signal to the compact receiver on your dog's collar. Training your dog to respect his new boundaries is the most important part to the success of the invisible dog fence.
Asphalt sealing will be successful only if you prepare the driveway first. Cleaning and patching asphalt cracks are the first steps. High quality asphalt sealers are the finishing touch.
Landscape edging of granite cobblestones will keep grass at bay and make a crisp lawn edging at sidewalks and driveways. Garden edging saves work. Edging of stone will keep your gravel and grass from socializing.
Roof repair of rotten wood should be verified before you allow a roofer to charge you extra when he installs your new roof. Ask him for a cost breakdown and monitor his progress. You can also address the cost in the bidding stage.
Ice dams can form on any roof under cold weather and snowfall. When gutters turn to solid ice and the barrier creeps up onto your roof, thawing will cause a deluge of ice dam water to leak into your home. Protect your roof with an ice dam membrane.
Sizing decks or a patio is like fitting furniture inside your house. I'll bet you've seen a deck or patios that were cramped and overly crowded during a party. Size your deck or patio construction to assure ample space - or as you start to place furniture on them, they will shrink faster that a cheap cotton shirt in a clothes dryer.
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