Outdoor Handball Court

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My husband and I are planning to construct an outdoor handball court on the grounds of our home in central New Jersey. We are having difficulty finding information on how to construct the wall for our court. We are building the one-wall style court. The dimensions of the wall are: 16 feet high and 20 feet wide. Can you provide information as to whether we should use concrete block or poured concrete? Jean and Don Pollock

DEAR JEAN: You can read my past column on Poured Concrete vs. Concrete Block Foundation Walls for the details, but the bottom line is you can use either material to build the wall. I would think that concrete block would be the better material to use as a good block layer could get the playing side of the wall in a uniform plane with great ease.

You can't say the same thing about poured concrete unless the poured wall contractor was using brand-new forms. If you look at poured walls closely, you will frequently see waves, bumps, lines where the panels touch and other imperfections. These high spots will cause the ball to bounce off the wall in an unpredictable fashion.

The first thing you need to do is check with your local zoning authorities to see if you can even build a wall this tall. Some zoning codes would never allow such a thing.

Your biggest concern is wind load on this wall. I am quite sure it will need to be an engineered wall that very well may have steel or masonry buttresses on the back side that will help prevent the wall from blowing over. Undoubtedly the wall will have horizontal and vertical steel reinforcing rods and if you do use concrete block, the cores of all of the block will need to be filled with cement-based grout or pea-gravel concrete.

The wind load during a hurricane or even a severe thunderstorm could blow over a tall wall like you plan with relative ease. You would be shocked to discover how much pressure is on large flat surfaces on a windy day.

Column N14

When to Pay for Remodeling Plans

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My husband and I are remodeling our home to accommodate for our new arrival. We've been working with an architect who is not fully licensed at this time. This individual has been drawing up plans for our new project. The plans are not yet signed and sealed as he wants to send them to a licensed architect to have this done. But he wants us to pay the full amount of the plans prior to getting them signed and sealed. We're not sure if we should pay for the plans until everything is finalized. Please let me know if we should pay for them up-front or if we should wait until the plans are completely done. Julie S., Orlando, FL

DEAR JULIE: Congratulations on the expanding family! The answer is very simple if you ask me. I feel you should never pay in full for something until such time as you are completely satisfied. The fact that the unlicensed architect-to-be asked for the money before the job is complete is very troubling to me.

Why should you not pay in full?

There are all sorts of reasons you should not pay in full until the job is complete. The money in your account is the only leverage you possess. The instant you hand over all of the money for the plans, you then rely on integrity, hope and good will to get what you want. This individual may have all of these qualities and more, but I do know he does not yet possess good business sense.

I can produce countless examples in the real world where you do not pay for things in advance in-full before you get them. There are many things where you do put down a deposit and possibly make timed payments as the work progresses, but to pay in full before delivery is a recipe for disaster.

Learning the hard way!

Here is a true story that just happened to the son of a close friend. This young man wants to become a commercial pilot. He signed up for flying lessons and all the necessary ground school training to get the commercial license. The cost was staggering - somewhere above $15,000. My friend co-signed a loan for his son with a bank, took the funds and paid the flight school for the flying lessons and schooling. They did this in advance to get a slightly reduced price. A month ago, the flight school went bankrupt and the son only had 10 percent of his training complete.

The son and father still owe the money to the bank and they have virtually nothing to show for it. A similar thing could happen to you. This unlicensed architect may have made an enormous amount of mistakes in your plans. It could take many hours of redrawing to correct them. Once he has the money, he may be reluctant to make the changes in a timely manner. One thing we know for sure is that his incentive to do so will be greatly reduced. In fact, he will find that the additional work will create a large mental obstacle as he feels he is not getting any money to correct his mistakes should they exist.

How would you like to use my specifications for your new home? I will gladly share hundreds of my tips and building secrets with you and your builder. Check out my New House Specifications. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!

At this point in time, you have enormous leverage. The plans he has been working on are of no value to anyone but you and your husband. No other homeowner would have interest in them as they are house-specific remodeling plans.

You simply tell this person that you are more than willing to write a check for 90 percent of the total due once the plans are signed and sealed by a real licensed architect. You then tell the architect-to-be that the remaining 10 percent of the money will be paid as soon as the building permit is issued. Keep in mind that the building department may request minor changes in the plans before a permit is issued. You still want to have some financial leverage in the event this happens.

Column N13

Hardware Show Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

Once again, thanks for your patience with respect to the creation of this webpage. The response to the talks at the Hardware Show was fantastic. The Hardware Show folks told us the attendance and feedback were off the charts. That makes me and the rest of the speakers feel great about the investment of our time and resources.

After each talk, people approached me in the hallway asking for more in-depth information. They realized, as probably you did, that it is impossible to cover the topics we did in just 45 minutes. Many people asked if I would think about putting on a two-day seminar.

The answer is Yes Look for an email later this summer about a conference I will host in the fall. You can help shape the conference into a perfect one by telling me what you want covered. My guess is that many people have the same needs and desires and the outline for the conference will be attractive to all. Send your suggestions to me at:

tim @ askthebuilder.com(remove the spaces around the "@" symbol)

Now, I am going to give you a recap on the speakers, then give you handy links to get the tools we talked about and some additional sweet tips.

First, you already know me and how to get in touch with me. I offer telephone consulting and you can call me for 15 minute Q & A sessions during the week.

Here are the six other speakers:

Janet Attard -- Janet owns www.BusinessKnowHow.com . She is a small-business expert and is very sensitive to the hurdles a small business faces as they try to satisfy customers each day AND then run a second business on the Internet. She has countless tools to help you run your business. I urge you to contact her and tell her you saw her at the Hardware Show. Here is a direct email link:

[email protected]

Don Crowther -- Don was the thin energetic speaker with a mustache. His blasts of information are all pearls of wisdom and he shares lots of them at www.GreatResults.com . Don is a Pay-Per-Click expert and has a fantastic Ebook that teaches you how to buy effective ads on Google and other search engines. Click Her to learn all about this Ebook. Don also does consulting work and you can reach him directly at:

[email protected]

Ken Giddens -- Ken was the tall gifted speaker who talks very smoothly and has a story every 5 minutes. Remember the one he told about the woman who was at a Catholic wedding and wanted to know where the lady next to her bought her shoes? That was hilarious! Ken is a Search Engine expert and is getting ready to teach a class in Atlanta. HE also does tons of independent consulting for those people who really want to learn how to avoid the search engine ups and downs. Contact Ken at:

[email protected]

Dan Murray -- Dan is one of the owners of Ravenwood Marketing, Inc. Remember him? He spoke the last day and spends (and makes) a lot of money on Google AdWords. I think it is safe to say Dan knows a little
bit about how to buy ads and make them work.

Dave Taylor -- Dave is easy to spot. He had the dark beard and has written 16 books about computers and the Internet. His latest book is due out in a few months. It is a book about how to get your website noticed by Google. Dave does all sorts of Internet consulting and he will gladly answer questions. Contact him at:

www.Intuitive.com

Jeff Walker -- Jeff was easy to spot. He also was a dynamic speaker who told you all about getting a buzz going when you try to interest your website visitors about anything. He is an expert at using email newsletters to get people to become raving fans of your products. Contact Jeff at:

www.SixinSeven.com

Handy Links:

Click Here for the link to Wordtracker. This is the invaluable tool that lets you see exactly what people are typing into search engines. You can buy daily, monthly or annual passes into this awesome data base.

Click Here for Don Crowther's Ebook about buying ads in Search Engines. It is called Pay Per Click Money Machine.

Click Here for the Power Point presentation for the last day's talk about Buying Ads in Google.

Here are some other valuable tips from Janet Attard:

Web Site Usability

If you get people to your web site, you want them to USE it. How it's set up can make the difference between customers that stay, find your information and products and take the actions you want (call, buy, etc.) and customers who click away. Here are several criteria to look at before signing off on the final design.

 

For all sites

  • Can visitors find information and products easily?
  • Is the navigation clear and consistent throughout the site?
  • Does the back button always take them back to the preceding page?
  • Can visitors bookmark individual pages?
  • Do the pages load quickly (10 to 20 seconds) on standard modem connections?
  • Can visitors easily find out who runs the site?
  • Can visitors easily find an email address to contact if they have difficulties using the site?
  • Are the most important elements of your site visible without scrolling up and down or from side to side on screens set to 600 x 800 size?
  • Does the site look good and work from IE , FireFox, Netscape and other browsers
  • Do you have alternate text tags under graphics (to allow visitors who are blind or who have graphics turned off to find important links)?

 

For eCommerce sites

  • Can visitors tell immediately what you sell?
  • Can they quickly find products and product descriptions?
  • Are there links to related products (accessories to wear with a ladies suit, for instance)?
  • Can they tell what to click on to place an order?
  • Can they find your phone number from every page in case they have a question?
  • Can they find your name and address, and fax number on every page?
  • Can they find an order blank in case they need to, or prefer to mail in their order?
  • Can they find your email address?
  • Can they find price information?
  • Can they find information about the company and its management?
  • Can they find any other important information you want them to have?

Copyright 2005, Janet Attard. May not be reprinted or redistributed without permission.

Stained Glass

Posted on by Tim Carter

This gorgeous custom-made beveled and stained glass panel is not sandwiched between the insulated glass. It lays on top of the insulated glass and is permanently held in place with caulk . PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Stained Glass Panels

DEAR TIM: We're buying two new smaller windows for a room in our house and want to add a custom stained glass panel to the assembly. One contractor says we can supply the stained glass and it can be installed in between the two pieces of the window's insulated glass.

Another contractor says this is a mistake and that the lead in the stained glass would affect the insulated glass seal and cause a window failure. What's the best way to accomplish what we want?

Is there a safe way that gives us the greatest flexibility? Alison, F., Toronto, CA

DEAR ALISON: It is a shame more people don't do what you are about to do.

New Can Look Old

I have two windows and two front door sidelights that have custom stained glass panels that were installed after the units were installed. Each time a visitor comes to our house, they think the stained glass is original and is 100 years old. The truth be told, the stained glass panels are new, but built with the same skill as the craftspeople of ages past.

Free & Fast BIDS

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stained-glass artists who can make spectacular windows for you.

 

The best part though is that by adding my stained glass after the windows are installed, I get all of the benefits of new high efficiency insulated Low E glass and the beauty that only custom-designed stained glass can offer. You will be able to get the same. Many window and door manufacturers offer a variety of stained glass as an upgrade option for new windows, but that doesn't appeal to me and it might not to you. I just don't want to see my windows in someone else's house if you know what I mean.

The first contractor who said the stained glass can be sandwiched between the the insulated glass may be correct. Anything is possible and if you saw how insulated glass was made, it is not hard to include the custom panel. But I can see all sorts of challenges to this method.

For example, the size of the stained glass panel would have to be extremely precise, so it matched the inner dimensions of the insulated glass. If the stained glass panel was too big, it would cause enormous problems and if it was a tad too small, the gap between the leaded glass edge and the insulated glass seal would look tacky. Then, there is the issue of thickness. If the custom glass panel were not the same thickness as the space between the pieces of insulated glass, the panel might rattle or look funny. If just one soldered seam in the custom panel is too thick, the insulated glass seal may get stressed or may not seal at all.

I feel the best method is to install the custom stained glass panel on top of the existing insulated glass on the inside of the house. This method is simple, takes minutes and gives you enormous flexibility.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stained-glass artists who can make spectacular windows for you.

For starters, the custom panel is made by the stained glass craftsperson after your windows are installed. The measurements are taken by the fabricator and there is little chance of a mistake. The full beauty of the stained glass panel is seen by you and is not blocked by the glare from another piece of clear glass. If you decide to move, you can quickly remove the stained glass panel and take it with you. No one would even know the window had stained glass in or on it.

The method of installing these stained glass panels is very simple. The actual stained glass panel is made one-quarter inch less in both width and height than the actual distance between the edges where the window sash ends and clear glass begins. This spacing allows the stained glass panel to have a one-eighth inch space between the leaded glass edges and the edge of the window sash.

You must clean the window glass both inside and out until you are sure the window is perfectly clean and dry. Then, clean the new stained glass panel as well. With clean hands, gently tilt the stained glass panel up against the inside of the window glass and use two small brad nails on each edge of the stained glass panel to pinch it against the window.

The small brad nails are driven at a low angle into the edges of the sash no more than one-eighth inch so they do not hit the window glass. The shaft of the nail touches the edge of the leaded glass and holds it in place, so the gap between the stained glass and the window sash is consistent all the way around all edges. If the window is painted, you use paintable acrylic caulk to fill the gap between the stained glass and window sash. If the window is stained or is vinyl, you use clear silicone caulk. Once the caulk has cured, use a needle-nose pliers to remove the brad nails.

Many people don't realize that caulk is an adhesive or glue. In fact, the chemistry of caulk is nearly identical to many common adhesives. Once the caulk is cured along the edges of the stained glass panel, neither the panel or the caulk will fall out. The stained glass panel is very secure.

If you desire to remove the stained glass panel at a later date, you simply take a razor knife and cut through the caulk. Just place the blade along side the edge of the stained glass panel. It takes just moderate effort to cut through the caulk to the window glass below. Don't press too hard as the razor could scratch the window glass. Once the stained glass panel is removed, use a regular straight-edge razor to remove the residual caulk from the window glass.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local stained-glass artists who can make spectacular windows for you.

Column 567

Garbage Disposal Smell

Posted on by Tim Carter
Garbage Disposal Smell

Garbage disposal smell originates down in the dark bowels of the machine. There are several ways to deodorize the disposal. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

"The spinning motion of the disposal blades throws a slurry of garbage up on the sides of the disposal chamber and..."

Garbage Disposal Smell Removal Tips

  • Fill sink 1/3 way with water before grinding
  • Pull stopper and turn on the disposal
  • A surge of water helps rinse sides of disposal
  • Use certified organic oxygen bleach and dish soap to remove odor

Related Links

Garbage Disposal Odor - Yucky!

Septic Tank Garbage Disposal - Yes, a Special One!

Tim Carter Short Video Showing How to PREVENT Garbage Disposal Odor

DEAR TIM: My garbage disposal stinks. My wife has been fighting with a stinky garbage disposal. It's relatively new (I replaced it for other reasons last year).

She's tried many different approaches to cleaning, and yet to her the smell returns. Before I pop the drain pipe and see if there's something accumulating down there, do you have any tips for cleaning a garbage disposal? Leo N., Seattle, WA

DEAR LEO: This is pretty simple to solve but because you now have an odor problem, it is going to take a little work. Let me explain what has probably happened over time.

Where Do Garbage Disposal Smells Come From?

The garbage disposal smells come from rotting food inside the machine.

This decaying food creates a biofilm inside surfaces of the garbage disposal.

What is the Wrong Way to Use a Garbage Disposal?

The wrong way to use a garbage disposal is to not use enough water before, during, and after grinding the food waste.

Many people simply throw garbage down into a garbage disposal, turn it on while some water is running through it and quickly turn the disposal off as well as the water.

Where is the Rotting Food?

The spinning motion of the disposal blades throws a slurry of garbage up on the sides of the disposal chamber and the small amount of water coming from the faucet doesn't always completely wash this organic slurry off the sides of the disposal.

Does Rotting Food Create an Invisible Gas?

Rotting food creates an invisible gas as well as a feasting place for nasty bacteria.

If this slurry of organic debris is not completely washed off the inside of the disposal, it begins to rot and this decomposition produces a foul gas.

If you do this enough times - meaning not rinse off the organic slurry, it can harden over time and then becomes a problem to clean. You have to re-hydrate the hardened slurry.

How Do You Clean Garbage Disposal Smells?

The best way to clean garbage disposal smells is to re-hydrate the food slurry. You can do this by filling your sink about 1/3 of the way, or more.

Once the sink is filled with clear water, pull the stopper allowing the water to enter the disposal. At the same time, turn on the disposal to swirl the water in the drum. Keep the sink water running as you do this.

Wait about thirty minutes and repeat the process. However, before pulling the stopper add a generous amount of liquid dish soap to the sink water. As the water flows into the disposal with the machine on, squirt more soap into the whirlpool of water.

Keep the water running so you have a soapy foam slurry inside the disposal.

You can also add certified organic oxygen bleach to help get rid of any residual bacteria.

How Do You Prevent Garbage Disposal Smells?

The key to preventing garbage disposal smells is to rinse the disposal well after each use. Once the food has been ground up, fill the sink 1/3 of the way up with clear water.

Remove the stopper, leave the water running and turn on the disposal. The swirling action of the disposal should remove all of the food slurry from the inside of the machine.

CLICK HERE for FREE & FAST BIDS from local handymen who can clean your disposal.

Column 566-A

Foam Insulation

Posted on by Tim Carter
spray foam insulation

Foam insulation fills every nook and cranny in a wall. It is typically installed by professionals and can be messy to work with. It is not really a do-it-yourself job. PHOTO CREDIT: Icynene. Inc.

Spray Foam Insulation

DEAR TIM: Is foam insulation as good as the manufacturers claim? Is 2 1/2 inches of foam better than 5 1/2 inches of fiberglass? Is it necessary to install 2x6 walls if you only need 2.5 inches of foam insulation? What about spraying the foam directly to the roof? I've heard if you use this on the underside of the roof instead of fiberglass insulation blown on the attic floor, you don't need to do ventilation under the roof? Is this true? Does it make financial sense to use it? Dan J., Cedar Rapids, IA

DEAR DAN: I used spray foam insulation on a job of mine about 20 years ago. A customer who owned a poultry slaughterhouse insisted on it as he used spray foam insulation in his refrigeration delivery trucks and on certain walls at the actual meat processing plant.

Back then at least in my neck of the woods, foam insulation was a commercial product and it was tough to locate an installer who would spray it in the wall studs of a home. Although I can't prove it, I might have been the first contractor in Cincinnati, OH to install foam insulation in a residential home. The person who did the installation told me at the time he had never heard of it being installed in a home before.

How does spray foam compare to fiberglass insulation?

Spray foam insulation is a superb product. As far as comparing thickness of foam to fiberglass, that is a simple comparison on a product-by-product basis. You need independent test results that confirm what the R-value is per inch of thickness of a given product. R-value is a measurement of thermal efficiency; it is a measurement the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value number the greater resistance the insulation has to the movement of heat.

Learn the secrets for successfully installing insulation with my Insulation Installation Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

So if you want a given R-value, then you simply specify a given finished thickness. Typically closed cell foam products produce a higher R-value per inch than batts of fiberglass.

Do wall studs affect the insulation?

As for wall thickness, there are other considerations such as plumbing stacks, wind loads, concentrated loads, etc. I believe that the wall stud you should use has nothing to do with the insulation. You will need to install whatever wall stud that meets the structural and mechanical needs of the home. Wall cavities do not have to be totally filled with foam insulation to perform well.

Because foam insulation typically can be significantly more expensive than fiberglass or cellulose insulation, you need to determine if it makes good financial sense to invest in it. If you install it and it has the same finished R-value as fiberglass and/or cellulose, then your heating and cooling bills will be almost identical. This means that it does not makes sense to install it as you save nothing to heat and cool your home.

Remember, your furnace and air conditioner can't see what is in the walls, but they do know what the total heat gain and heat loss of the house is. Yes, the foam insulation can cut down on air infiltration. But a properly installed house wrap and a case or two of caulking can do nearly the same.

How do you save money on heating and cooling costs?

To save lots of money on heating and cooling costs, you must significantly lower your overall heat gain and heat loss. This is accomplished by decreasing the size of your home or increasing significantly the R-value of the home's insulation.

But increasing R-value is not a silver bullet. As you add more insulation, the heat gain and heat loss does not respond in a linear fashion. It doesn't take long to reach a point of diminishing returns.

So before you make up your mind, talk with your HVAC contractor and ask him what the wall R-values of any insulation must be to significantly cause a reduction in the size of the furnace or air conditioning unit. That calculation takes just minutes to do.

Need help with the R-values of insulation? CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local companies that can insulation your house.

Once you have projected heat-loss and heat-gain calculations, you can then ask the foam insulation contractor how much it will cost to hit that target. Then start doing the math. See how much you save initially on the cost of the smaller furnace and air conditioning unit. Then see how much extra the foam insulation costs versus traditional fiberglass or cellulose.

Finally, ask your local utility company to see if it can project what the cost to operate different-sized heating and cooling equipment might be over a five-year period. Do the addition, subtraction and multiplication and see where you end up.

Column 565

Decks and Patios – Scale Building Plans

Posted on by Tim Carter
ipe wood deck

Here's a partial shot of Corey's IPE deck. Look at that craftsmenship. WOWZA!

The Plan

You've thought through your spatial requirements to accommodate the seating, pass-through space and furniture placement. You know how many people you'll likely need to make room for on your new deck or patio. See "Patio or Deck Plans".

Now the fun begins. The easiest way I have found to create a simple plan is to use 1/4 inch graph paper. This is pre-lined graph paper that has four lines to the inch. This type of paper is available at many office supply stores or where you might buy school supplies. Usually, it can be found in 8 1/2 x 11 inch size. This is large enough for our purposes. Buy a pad of this paper if possible, as one or two sheets will not be enough.

What scale to create your plan layout?

The next step is to create small colored cutouts of the pieces of furniture you intend to use. There is nothing hard about this exercise. However, you must decide upon the scale of the plan. I prefer to stick with 1/4 inch equals one foot. That is the size of the blocks on the graph paper, so it is easy to remember that each block on the graph paper equals a one foot square. You will use a separate piece of the 1/4 inch graph paper for your cutouts.

Cut out your furniture to scale

Take the measurements of your furniture and begin to create little squares or rectangles to scale. For example, most regular chairs measure two feet by two feet. Simply cut out a piece of the graph paper two blocks on a side and you have your chair. There is nothing to it! Do the same thing with all the pieces of furniture, including a grill if you intend to have one. If you are going to use a four foot diameter round table, you will find that a quarter (25 cents) is just about the perfect scale size. Check it for yourself. Trace around the quarter, cutout this disk and color it with a marker or colored pencil. I realize that this seems like child's play, but it does work and it is very effective. The coloring is very important. It allows you to see the cutouts on the graph paper. I suggest that you use a different color for the different types of furniture. Make the tables one color, the chairs another, and any benches or special pieces a third color. This will allow you to more easily place the cutouts without confusion.

Don't forget the hallways!

The rest of the job is easy. Take a new piece of graph paper and at the bottom, draw a line across the paper. This line represents the side of your house on which you intend to construct the deck or patio. If your house is irregularly shaped, attempt to duplicate the shape to scale. It will pay big dividends to take the time to do this. In the example at the bottom of the page, I have duplicated the rear of my house to show you what I mean. Locate accurately on the line any doors which you will use to enter or exit the patio or deck. OK, remember the 'hallways'??? Let's put the first one on the plan right now before we go any further. Draw a line from the door or doors across the new patio or deck (even though we haven't drawn it yet!!!) which will replicate the center of the path you will use to get to your lawn, garden, car, driveway, etc. Get the point??? If there are going to be any other pathways or 'hallways' draw them now. If you have decided that you want your 'hallways' four feet wide, draw a faint line parallel to the center line of your path two feet on one side or the other of the center line. Do the same thing on the other side of the center line.

Need help with planning and building your deck? CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local companies that specialize in decks and patios.

You should not place any furniture in these pathways. Surely you do not want to have to move them every time you walk out onto your patio or deck? OK, now start to place the cutouts on the graph paper in an arrangement that you feel will work. If you are happy with the arrangements inside your present house, simply copy them. Be sure to be realistic about the spacing between pieces of furniture. If in doubt, simply measure the distance between things in your present rooms. Don't forget to do it to scale. As a test, if you decide to use a four foot diameter table with four chairs, you will need a minimum of a 10 foot by 10 foot area just for these items! Also,that does not count one inch of space to comfortably walk around the table and chairs! Remember, you generally have to pull a chair one foot away from the table to be able to sit down. Check it for yourself.

The last part of your plan is to draw the outer boundaries of your deck or patio. This is entirely up to your tastes. You can simply draw straight lines, or you can add flair to your design by introducing curves. In any event, try to leave enough room behind furniture so that it is not at the edge of the deck or patio. Someone could scoot a chair or table backwards and tip into the grass or landscaping. Think of it, you have gone this far to create a workable plan, so adding a foot or two in either direction seems to make sense.

Before you put your plan into action, be sure to check and recheck your dimensions and the scale of the cutouts. Good luck with your plan!

Column B16

Patio or Deck Plans

Posted on by Tim Carter
patio paver colored concrete

The individual stones of this patio are fooling you. Three or four of each are actually part of a larger block of colored concrete. Photo Credit: Tim Carter

Develop Your Patio or Deck Plan Before You Build

Frequently, people begin construction of patios and decks without well thought-out plans. I have personally seen this mistake made hundreds of times. The mistake occurs for a very simple reason. Most people layout a patio or deck with string or pieces of wood in an effort to define the area. While this seems like a good idea, it can actually be very deceiving. A 12 foot by 14 foot deck or patio may seem like a large area. In many cases, a deck or patio this size is as big as the largest size room in the average house. However, you will be surprised to find out that you can barely fit a standard size patio table and chair set on a deck or patio of this size. Let's find out why.

trex-transcend-deck

Here's my own Trex Transcend deck. There's lots of railing. It didn't take long to understand how to do it with professional results. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

I have advocated good planning for many years. Good plans are the key to a successful project. A good plan is not necessarily a complicated one. I feel that a good plan is one that is well thought-out and that works.

The first step is to decide upon the use of the patio or deck. In other words, what do you intend to do on the patio and deck and how many people will be doing it? This step is the key to the entire planning process. You must know how many people you intend to have on the patio or deck for the majority of occasions. Knowing this, you generally try to provide seating for all of these people. This seating can take the form of benches, chairs or seating around a table. The seating can be any one of these choices, or a combination of elements.

Now that you have determined how many places to sit, you are ready to begin your plan. But first, I need you to go to your existing living or dining room. Do you notice the 'hallways' in each of these rooms? They are the pathways that allow you to move from one place to another within the room. You must create these same 'hallways' in your patio or deck. Don't forget these!

While you are still in these rooms, check to see how wide these 'hallways' are. Generally speaking, you should find that you have a minimum width of three to four feet. That is a comfortable distance to walk through. Verify this distance in your own home with a tape measure. Determine whatever measurement you feel comfortable with and write it down.

Furniture Selection

The next step is to determine what furniture you plan to use on the patio or deck. Quite possibly you already own the furniture. If not, go to a store and select the furniture that you intend to use. Don't forget to select any small tables that you intend to place around the patio or deck. Generally, these tables are used to place drinks or food on. Frequently, people overlook these tables. Now, make a list of the furniture indicating the quantity and size of each piece. Try to round off the measurements to the nearest 1/2 foot.

To learn how to apply your well-thought out plan to paper to create a scale building plan, read on here.

Column B16

Building a Screen Porch – Plan to Avoid Headaches

Posted on by Tim Carter
hodges bay antigua

You're looking at Hodges Bay through the screened porch where I spent lots of time working and sleeping! It was so glorious to be right next to the water. Photo credit: sleepy Tim Carter

I have built my fair share of wooden screened porches. They are truly enjoyable projects. One of the things I like best is the instant, or nearly so, gratification from the rapid construction progress. In other words, at the end of each day there appears to be a tremendous amount of progress. Being an impatient type of guy, I never received this type of fulfillment when building large room additions or custom homes. It seemed like things took forever. No doubt the homeowners often thought the same!

Great Porches are No Accident!

Have you ever gone over to a friend's new house? Especially if it is a market or tract home? If so, when you walked through the dining room I will bet you felt cramped. The table, chairs, buffet, china cabinet, etc. barely fit. Everything seems compressed. Do you know why this happens? Poor planning - it will get you every time. Your screened porch project must begin with an excellent plan. If it is a full blown set of beautiful blueprints, great! If it is a semi-detailed sketch on some 1/4 inch graph paper, that is fine as well. The point is simply that you must think before you act.

Two years prior to this article, I wrote some in depth information about this subject. It concerned patio and deck planning. Review the information at these two links: You may wish to look at it as it goes into great detail as to properly sizing a patio or deck. The same principles apply to screened porches, since they are simply decks or patios with a roof! The bottom line is that you must size the porch so that it is big enough to comfortably contain all of the furniture you plan to place within it. You must also account for interior hallways within the porch. Those are the pathways between doors and furniture.

Costing the Project

Before we go any further, we better make sure we have enough money. This is accomplished by doing a material takeoff. This is simply a list showing the type and quantities of materials. For example, you would calculate the cubic yards of concrete you need for foundation piers. What about treated lumber floor joists? What size and how many? You start from the bottom and work your way to the top of the porch. Are you beginning to see the value of well thought out detailed plans? I thought you would!

If you spend the time to produce detailed plans which show both the screened porch floor plan, side and front elevations, and a detailed typical cross section of the floor, wall and roof assembly, guess what? You can get the detailed material takeoff with complete pricing done for FREE in many instances! Most full service lumber companies have an employee(s) that does this all day long. You simply give them your plans and several days later or maybe a week, they give you your plans back with a detailed itemized computer printout of virtually every thing you need! My lumber company did this for me on every job.

What Next? A Building Permit

Just because you want a screened in porch doesn't mean you can have it. Many cities, towns and counties have zoning and building codes that must be followed. You will have to take your plans to the proper government officials to make sure that what you want to do is OK with them.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you decide to draw your plans yourself, make sure the government entity will accept them. Some building officials will only accept plans, or portions of plans, drawn by registered architects or engineers. Stop by the building permit office and ask what is necessary to obtain a building permit before you get too deep into the process. There is nothing worse than having the building department reject your plans. That can really ruin your day.

Now, if you're ready to actually build your screened escape room, go to " How to Build a Screen Porch" - Part I , Part II , and Part III. I'll take you through the paces to get your screened-in haven up -- and you in it --enjoying the fresh breezes, bug-free, with your family and friends!

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Lot Selection – 25 Tips – Part III

Posted on by Tim Carter
survey map

This is a typical plot plan survey document. You can see the property lines, the pins at all the corners and bends as well as the distances along the property lines. Don't even look at a lot unless you have this in your hands and you can read all the print on the document. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

 

See Part I of "Lot Selection- 25 Tips"

See Part II of "Lot Selection- 25 Tips"

Water

Do you need water at your site? Do you intend to drill a well? What will it cost? Is the water pure? Wells can be expensive. The water may be salty or have a high mineral content. Ask neighboring lot owners, if any, how their water is. Talk with local drilling companies and obtain cost estimates.

The best wells are ones that are pounded, not drilled. Drilling can sometimes fill the cracks in the bedrock that are the pathways for water to enter the well. Pounding a wall helps create more beneficial cracks.

Survey

Buying any property without a registered house lot survey is insane. Negotiate for the seller to pay for the survey. It is NOT unreasonable, since he/she should have to prove to you what you are going to get in the deal.

Only fools buy on the HOPE principle. Don't "hope" that your lot line is over there or that you really have 10 acres and the creek is on your property.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local land surveyors who can show you your exact land!

Access

Is the access to your lot excellent? Do you have to build a long, expensive driveway? Do you have to cross a stream? Will a fire truck, or moving van be able to get close to the house? Maybe access is too good. Maybe the lot access is too close to an intersection. What about adjoining land? Will you have to give access across your lot to logging companies who will timber Federal Lands next to yours? Trust me, you wouldn't be the first.....

Common Roads - Undedicated

Do you have to share a common roadway or driveway with access to another lot or a group of lots? This can be a nightmare. What happens if you are the first to build and subsequent construction activity ruins the road or driveway? Who pays? What happens if you want to seal the blacktop and your neighbor doesn't?

Panhandle or Flag Lots

These are what I call back lots. A narrow strip of ground allows you to get to and from the street. These lots can be mistakes. Utility trenches may end up beneath the drive. Your front yard may be in someone's backyard. I haven't seen a good one yet, but I'm still looking.

If you can't resist buying a flag or panhandle lot, be sure the handle or flagpole section is at least 40 feet wide. This gives you room to bury utilities on the sides of the drive and to plant some privacy bushes.

Easements

An easement is a legal permission slip, often permanent, which allows someone else to cross your land in a certain spot.

In certain instances, depending upon the type and size of the easement, it can be a BIG MISTAKE!

The lakefront house I owned in New Hampshire had an easement across it allowing my neighbor to drive up to the cul de sac. It's important to note that I had an easement across a portion of his land so I could get to the cul de sac as the top section of our driveway is shared.

Trex Transcend Deck

Here's my own Trex Transcend deck. There's lots of railing. It didn't take long to understand how to do it with professional results. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

Try to avoid lots that have easements. If you must have one, try to see if it can be on one edge of the property, not through the middle.

By all means purchase Owner's Title Insurance with your land. The title insurance policy can protect your investment should some future easement or title flaw come out of nowhere in the future.

Mineral Rights

Yes, your lot may have mineral rights! There could be oil or some other commodity product such as gravel near or beneath your lot. A friend of mine found out that his country lot was going to be next door to a brand new gravel pit. Now that could really ruin your day....

Tax Rates

Be sure to investigate the tax rate for your lot. Is it reasonable? How will improvements on the lot be taxed? If the land is currently zoned agricultural, it may have an artificially low rate. Once improved, you may lose the agricultural tax rate. Check with the local tax authority.

Encroachments

Guess what? Your fence might not be yours. In fact, your house might not be yours! It has happened. In fact it happened to me! Using stakes set by a surveyor, I once built a commercial building on someone else's land by 1 foot! It cost the surveyor $25,000 for a 2 foot by 100 foot piece of land! Encroachments can be expensive to fix. Attorneys almost always have to get involved to separate the legal issues. A survey performed before you buy will usually reveal them, but, as in my case, it is no absolute guarantee.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local land surveyors who can show you your exact land!

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