Deconstruction Contractor

Did you know that 1/3 of all garbage in our landfills is from construction waste - much of which can be reused/recycled? Kurt Buss does and he has decided to do something to reduce that number. Kurt Buss is a Deconstruction Contractor. He likens himself to Robin Hood, "I get the stuff from the wealthy because they are the folks who can benefit from the tax deduction and I sell it inexpensively or donate it to the people who can't afford to buy new goods to improve their homes."

Kurt began his deconstruction career working for Eco-Cycle, Resource 2000. He managed the recycling/sales yard for 6 years and helped Resource 2000 to grow into the company that it now is. The ReUse People of America reflects where Resource used to be 7 or 8 years ago. When asked if TRP is now a competitor for Resource 2000, Kurt explained "We are both non-profits, can mutually benefit each other and share resources. We compete for customers, yes, but even more so, we both try to work in conjunction with the City of Boulder to get more deconstruction work accomplished. Resource 2000 is geared towards providing a drop-off site for homeowners.

TRP works specifically with contractors for whole house deconstruction with the goal of keeping the house parts, door sets, etc., together. This process helps to maintain a more profitable inventory. We also donate material to Habitat for Humanity and places like that." The largest competitor for both non-profits is the bulldozer and the landfill. Until you take into consideration the tax deduction involved, it is cheaper to demolish and landfill the waste, than it is to deconstruct 5B4and recycle. The tax deduction is what helps to equalize the costs for the homeowner.

This of course requires additional planning on the part of the homeowner. TRP uses a third-party independent appraiser to first assess the value of the materials that will be donated to the recycling center. Everything is accurately inventoried from the demo sites which utilize the tax deduction. TRP recommends a certified contractor to perform the deconstruction. A large part of the cost is the contracted labor hired to take apart the house. The labor hours themselves are not tax-deductible but are largely offset by the tax deduction savings. Kurt personnally goes to the demo site the first few days to make sure that the most valuable materials are salvaged correctly for reuse.

This of course requires additional planning on the part of the homeowner. TRP uses a third-party independent appraiser to first assess the value of the materials that will be donated to the recycling center. Everything is accurately inventoried from the demo sites which utilize the tax deduction. TRP recommends a certified contractor to perform the deconstruction. A large part of the cost is the contracted labor hired to take apart the house. The labor hours themselves are not tax-deductible but are largely offset by the tax deduction savings. Kurt personally goes to the demo site the first few days to make sure that the most valuable materials are salvaged correctlB68y for reuse.

From TheReusePeople.org:

The example is a composite based on actual jobs and is used here to make an economic comparison between deconstruction and demolition. This composite is a single story, 2200 Square foot house plus garage, with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, raised foundation, composite shingles, single-paned windows, carpeting, hardwood floors, and a 12 x 40 wood deck. The costs do not include removal of concrete slabs, sidewalks, foundations or asphalt, but do include the site being left in a rake clean condition (no debris).

In the machine demolition scenario, the owner pays $10,100, but in the TRP deconstruction scenario, the homeowner receives $4,702 in after tax benefits. In other words, the owner would be financially better off to the tune of $14,802 ($4,702 received in tax benefits vs. paying $10,100 in demolition costs). Now for the disclaimers. Figures vary depending on location, age and condition of the home and materials, topography, type of siding and interior walls, distance from TRP, landfill rates, etc. Still, the economics almost always favor TRP deconstruction over demolition.

**Total materials (lumber, plywood, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, doors, windows, etc.) would generally appraise for $77,000 to $112,000 in good usable condition. Assuming a tax bracket of 33%(federal only - this will be larger in states with an additional income tax), the after-tax cash value, based on a typical appraisal value of $88,000, is $29,040.

The Reuse People of America began in April, 1993 with a drive for building materials to help the flood victims in Tijuana, Mexico. The drive, Project Valle Verde, was planned and coordinated with the mayors of Tijuana and San Diego, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the County Board of Supervisors, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, Waste Management, and the Building Industry Association. The success of Project Valle Verde demonstrated the need for used building materials and the impact of this need on our already overused and over committed landfills.

Today, The Reuse People of America has offices and facilities in San Diego, Orange/Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington and Boulder, Colorado. Kurt Buss manages the Boulder operations with a phone, fax, credit card machine, no Internet, no running water and his own personal laptop. "It's like Home Depot in the rough," says Kurt, "but you have to start somewhere." They are currently looking for new space to lease in the Denver-metro area. Their reason for moving is just to be nearer to a larger population that will come and purchase their materials. There is plenty of deconstruction work around but most people go with the 'fast and easy' demolition/disposal process instead of deconstruction, which takes more effort.

Kurt and his staff work hard to keep the product5B4s organized so that people can view all available merchandise. The Lafayette warehouse is open from Thurs-Sat. with some days being busier than others, depending upon the weather and the day of the week. Most customers are do-it-yourselfers and bring in their hand drawn pictures of what they need. The staff's job is to help the customer find what they need. I have found that this very organized, upscale junk yard is the perfect place to find something like a retro-50's table, for only 30 bucks!

On the days that the warehouse isn't open, Kurt is busy bidding on Deconstruction jobs. To keep the company running, they need to have 30 deconstructions/year. Once a job is contracted, Kurt is on the job for the first day or two to show the crew what is salvageable and how it needs to be saved. Kurt likes to deconstruct the most delicate materials himself, to be sure it is preserved for resale. The crews are hired by a certified Deconstruction Contractor and trained in the process in order to best salvage the goods for reuse.

"The most frustrating thing about the Industry, says Kurt, is getting people to do something new - an alternative to how they've been doing things. Younger people are more interested in recycling and reusing than the older business people. But every year there are more and more people that become interested." They key is educating the public - the more people who know that there are options, tB7Bhe more the industry will grow. Because of the non-profit budget they are operating on, they have found that word of mouth has been their best form of advertising. Kurt's regional office is a member of BGBG, The Boulder Green Builders Guild, a group of architects, builders, manufacturers, Realtors and other green-minded professionals. This group has been a good source of referrals for TRP as well as an aid in the education process.

The bottom line is that deconstruction creates jobs, saves money and will contribute to the health of our planet. It provides cheap materials to people who need them. The most important part of the process is planning. If you are interested in Deconstruction, contact someone like Kurt in your area who is a Deconstruction Contractor.

Kurt's Five Favorite Tools

1. DeNailer from ReConnx, Inc - made specifically for deconstruction, shoots nails out.

2. Milwaukee Reciprocating Saws - dependable

3. Dewalt Cordless drills 18V

4. Demo Saws for cutting loose from foundations

5. Makita Circular Saw<>

*Most often, battery operated tools are necessary because the power is shut off to the house. It's important to have power shut off before deconstruction so that you don't cut through live wires.

8 pieces of important Safety Equipment for Deconstruction:

1. Safety goggles - there is always stuff flying around

2. Hardhats

3. Steel inserts for shoes.

4. Sturdy work-boots

5. Particle masks/Cartridge filter masks

6. Electric wire tester to test for live wires

7. First Aid Kit

8. Common Sense

Jude Herr is the editor for Toologics.com, a Tool Blog which provides information, news and reviews about power tools for the professional tool user and craftsperson. Visit Toolking.com where they leverage their buying power to offer you the best prices on professional power tools and accessories. To contact Jude, go to JudeHerrHomes.com.

Appreciating Health and Fitness

Practically everyone wants to be fit and feel good. Getting there however is sometimes incredibly difficult for some. It is important to understand just how important a healthy body is to your overall state of mind as well as your physical health.

One of the major problems affecting the United States as well as the rest of the world is a burgeoning rate of obesity. The statistics show that obesity is on an incredible rise and may soon become the norm for the majority of people. This carries with it some serious health risks. Type II Diabetes has becoming increasingly common and other weight related health problems are skyrocketing as well.

It is easy to sit back and say that it won't happen to you or that you'll do something about it tomorrow. But the fact remains that obesity and ill health are a problem and it is vital to take the steps to correct it. Even if you are not suffering from any weight problems, you may not be as healthy as you think. Poor diets and lack of exercise lead to increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and a myriad of other silent issues that can sneak up on you.

What can you do to begin a healthy life5B4style today instead of tomorrow? Start by taking one day to catalog each and every single thing you eat or drink during that day. Also make a note of any exercise that you get during this time. At the end of the day, add up how many calories and fat you consumed. Chances are, the numbers will shock you.

The average woman needs between 1200 to 1800 calories per day. The average American woman typically consumes more than 2000 on any given day. Males need an average of 1800 to 2500, but once again, actual consumption rates are much higher. To put this into perspective, it takes 3500 additional calories to gain one pound. If you are eating more than 500 calories than you need each day, this translates into the gain of one pound a week.

Once you know how many calories you are consuming you can begin to craft a lifestyle plan that will help you get within your goals. Try cutting out sodas or drinks that contain empty calories. This is a great way to drop an extra five to ten pounds. Look at your exercise level and see how you can increase your activity slowly. Try walking instead of taking the elevator, or walking during your lunch hour.

Small changes are much easier to make and it makes it so much easier to start living a healthy life. Your body will have time to adjust and won't begin hoarding calories if you take this approach. Start small and generally increase your level of activity as the weeks go by. You'll be making4F1 steady progress towards achieving a healthy body in no time at all and the best part is, you'll feel great doing it.

Insight Bridge, the most complete online self growth website connects you to success secrets, self-growth lessons, goal setting techniques, personal improvement resources and self help advice to support your life goals and fulfill your dreams.

Tips to Paint Your Bathroom

Believe it or not - it is possible to give your bathroom a total makeover easily and yes, without adding too much expense too. Here are some really simple and inexpensive tips to get your bathroom redecorated by just painting it:

This is not a difficult job, and we will simplify it even more for you with easy to understand steps. Your first step is to get all your tools, namely a roller with pan, some roller covers, a bucket to help you rinse your paintbrushes and of course - two or three paint brushes as well! You will also need a couple of old newspapers, a stick for stirring and some cleaning cloths. Last but not the least; you need your favorite paint ready to start with.

Your second step is to remove everything from the room such as electrical holders, switches and all wall fixtures. This does not exempt curtain rods, or shower curtain rods, wall hangings, curtains, shades, and blinds, so do not leave them out.

Once you have done the removal bit, start cleaning the walls well by removing cobwebs or debris that is stuck around the walls. Wiping the walls with water and soap is also a good idea but remember to rinse properly and thoroughly.

When your walls are indeed spotlessly clean and quite dry as well, you can start with taping the wall edges. This means that whenever you spot that the wall meets any object like an electrical fixture or a tile or a rack, you have to put tape carefully around its edges.

Start your painting bout by stirring it well with a stirring stick that you would have bought from your store.

Then, you just have to dip your brush and start painting. Begin with the wall edges first. Once you complete your colorful border for the bathroom, you can let the paint dry. The drying bit would take about four hours so you can rest a while indeed. After the paint dries, put the second coat and let it dry for another four hours. Once the borders are dry, put paint on a roller pan and then a roller cover over the pan so that you can roll is a couple of times to remove any excess paint by squeezing it out.

After you remove the excess paint, start painting. After the whole wall is painted, remove the roller cover. If you want to clean the roller covers, go ahead. If you are not keen about cleaning it, toss it off and get a new one for next use, as these are cheap anyway. Remember, you have to wait for four hours before you go on with the next coat of paint on your bathroom walls. Two coats of paint would be fine for the bathroom. When the painting is complete, do not take off the tape at once. It is ideal to wait for a day or two because even when paint is dry, a couple of days are required for it to get set. Once it is set, go ahead, remove the tape and enjoy a completely new color theme of your newly painted bathroom!

http://fixsor.com/articles/tips_to_paint_your_bathroom_

Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips

Gym workout programs can vary dramatically from bodybuilder to bodybuilder. One gym bodybuilding workout for one bodybuilding enthusiast can deliver outstanding results while another gym workout can be a disappointment for another bodybuilder.

After thousands of bodybuilding fitness consulting sessions, and publishing a popular weight training guide, I constantly teach bodybuilders a results proven gym workout routine that builds muscle fast.

All you have to do is follow my 8 Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips and you will soon see your muscle building results double.

8 Gym Bodybuilding Workout Tips

1. Have a clear weight training routine purpose.

Upon entering the gym it is imperative to have a clear cut bodybuilding routine plan of action. You should know exactly what exercises you will perform, how much weight you will need to lift, and how many reps you must beat. Therefore, your whole bodybuilding routine is 100% planned, set in stone, prior to beginning your gym workout. You must walk into the gym with a definite plan, and purpose.

2. Be in a "warrior" high intensity weight training state of mind.

It is crucial to enter the gym workout focused. I can remember entering the gym and instantly beginning to perspire. I mentally had worked myself up into state of high intensity weight training desire. This is even before I lifted one weight. It is called focus, and anticipation.

Bodybuilding results are only seen when you force yourself to grow. That takes high intensity weight training, as well as ultra high mental focus. Your mind should be totally focused on conquering the next rep. It is important to imagine yourself forcing out that one additional muscle building repetition.

In an effective gym workout, your attitude, and drive will determine your altitude of muscle development.

3. Focus on effective pre- gym workout bodybuilding nutrition.

Make sure you ingest a small amount of complex carbohydrates, and protein approximately 2 hours prior to beginning your gym workout. This will assure you of getting the adequate amounts of energy producing nutrients to expel in your high intensity weight training session.

Another extremely important gym workout tip is to make sure you are properly hydrated with, preferably, water. You should be consuming at least one-half of your bodyweight in ounces each and every day.

Bodybuilding training preparations are similar to space shuttle preparations. Your goal should be to get your system ready for a high intensity weight training blast off.

4. Did you bring your bodybuilding workout log to your gym workout?

One of the biggest mistakes bodybuilders consistently make is neglecting to track their weight lifting progress. Without measuring progress, there generally is little improvement. How do you know what you are suppose to beat if you have no data? How can a department store set sales goals if they don't track sales? It is just absolutely silly seeing bodybuilders completing their gym workouts without recording any data. That what is not measured will not improve.

5. Gym workouts are for training, not socializing.

Remember, you are in the gym to get muscle building results. If you are talking and goofing around, how in the world can you be ultra focused on going to war with the weights? Get your work done, and then socialize if you wish. I tell my clients to stay focused, and don't allow distractions. Focus on conquering that near impossible, muscle growth repetition.

6. Use only proven bodybuilding program principles.

Don't listen to Joe Bodybuilders newest theory on building muscle. Stick to what has been scientifically proven to work. Beware of all the gym chatter floating around. To discover all of the most advanced proven bodybuilding principles visit my muscle building weight training guide presented in digital audio. Bodybuilding Done Right is a how to bodybuilding audio revealing the proven scientific bodybuilding program principle the pros use, but refuse to share.

7. Avoid Overtraining.

Once you have completed your pre-designed 100% high intensity bodybuilding routine, it is time to get out of the gym, and go home and grow. Hold yourself back from doing one extra set. Remember, more is not necessarily better. Stick to your plan. With high intensity weight training you need less volume of work. Any extra basic weight training exercises could be counter productive to your bodybuilding muscle growth.

Get out of the gym, and let your body compensate, and later overcompensate with added fat burning muscle tissue.

Also, make sure your body has fully recovered from the previous gym workout before you train again.

8. Begin the recovery process with optimal bodybuilding nutrition.

You have an hour after your high intensity weight training workout to replenish your glycogen levels, thus, aiding in the muscle building, and recovery process. Take in two parts complex or simple carbohydrates with one part protein. This is an important bodybuilding tip that has been proven to aid in the muscle recovery, and building process. So power your gym workout with these proven tips.

These are 8 important gym workout tips that should be followed. Following these bodybuilding workout tips will do wonders for your weightlifting, muscle building results.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners ***

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your eZine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way. Thank you!

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist

Copyright (c) - Wellness Word, LLC

9461 Charleville Blvd. #312

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

1-866-935-5967

Discover the newest bodybuilding breakthrough secrets in Exercise Physiologist Jim O'Connor's cutting edge 90 minute bodybuilding audio. He reveals the most effective, efficient bodybuilding tips for maxmimum muscle growth.

Shower Tile Designs

Ideas to help you create beautiful bath and shower tile designs.

One of the wonderful things about tile is the fact you have almost unlimited creativity. There are many types of tile and different ways to create your own unique bath and shower tile designs. From standard bulk tile to individually hand painted, no matter what your decorative style, youll still have many choices.

Before creating bath and shower tile designs, you must choose your pattern and tiles you want. When using tile to create designs there are three kinds of tiles you can use. There are field tiles, which are simple in shape. These come in many sizes and are great to use when covering a large area. The next tiles are the accent tiles. These tiles are designed with unusual shapes, sheens and textures. All it takes is a few of these to turn an ordinary tile pattern into something extraordinary. Last, the trim tiles are your border tiles. These are typically narrow and go around the edge to add to your design.

Tips for choosing bath and shower tile designs:

• Light airy tile choices make your room look larger. For a stronger effect use contrasting accent tile colors.
• Consider the entire color scheme of the room including counters, floors, and walls. Adjust your tile creation to create focal points or to compliment.
• Using two or three colors can create subtle, yet very effective results.
• Add color to your tile choice by using randomly spaced contrasting tiles.

Bath and Shower Tile Designs

Another important bath and shower tile design element is the grout color choice. The wide array of1114 grout color will make your patterns come together with a matching or contrasting color. When you choose a high contrast color of grout to the tile it becomes more visible. Contrasting a white grout with black tile will contract for a checkered look giving you a little extra design. It is also important for grout to be cleaned with warm soapy water and re-sealed often in regularly used areas.

Dont be afraid to be creative as you choose your bath and shower tile designs. The result will be a uniquely beautiful bathroom youll enjoy for years.

This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.

Choose The Right Fitness Equipment Apparel

Each day the world is getting more and more competitive. To keep up with this type of competition we as individuals need to focus more on our body's fitness. This can be as simple as going for a stroll, running along a beach, hiking in the mountains, or as serious as spending months and months in fitness gyms working out.

There are many different types of fitness activity. Some activities require certain fitness equipment, and there are other activities that dont require any at all; but there's more to fitness than that. Many people are also concerned with choosing the right fitness equipment apparel that will suit the activities and or exercise they plan to do. Choosing the right apparel is one of the first steps to getting fit. Today you can walk into any department or clothing store and find rack upon rack of fitness apparel. The apparel ranges from shorts, shirts, bras, shoes, equipment to fully tailored outfits. In general if people look good while exercising they seem to get uplift in energy and are able to exercise more effectively. When choosing your fitness equipment apparel, there are certain things you might need to consider.

If you want to achieve all your fitness goals you will need motivation in order to be truly committed to your goals. While doing your fitness activities there is a need to choose the right clothing that will work for you, not against you. You're bound to achieve your goals if you follow the principle that looking great has its advantages while exercising even if other people dont understand the correlation between exercise and looking good.

Since there is a vast array of exercises, you may like to choose the most common activity that you feel suits you. If your active and on the go then you may like aerobic exercises. For this form of exercise you will find a lot of suits, tights and small tops as well as comfy supportive shoes. These can be bought at your local department store or apparel and clothing store; or you can also shop online to pick up a few bargains from sites that offer them.

For yoga lovers, there are a wide selection of tank tops, pants, and lose fitting pants for men. Always experiment with color combinations so that you can get the most out of any existing clothes you may have. You may also want to choose colors that are subdued and relaxing for yoga. You may chose to go for matching outfits from shorts, matching top, bra or tank top. You may want to get dressed up to the max and exercise in style. Just remember even though you may be just going out to exercise or to your fitness activity, it really does help to look and feel good about yourself.

While you carry out your fitness regime, you can easily observe any changes in your body if you wear the correct fitting clothes. When you see instant results, you are more motivated and inspired to pursue such activity. By wearing form-fitting clothes it can help you in checking whether your body's in great shape or not.

When you go shopping for your fitness equipment apparel, try to find flexible clothing that will help you in carrying out all your physical activities efficiently. Dont practice carele5A4ssness by ignoring fitness accessories like fitness apparel. You don't want to be trying yoga in your tightest denim jeans do you? Try to be an educated buyer, dont fall victim to attractive advertisements. These advertisements usually offer expensive brands, which you can find at discount prices if you do some research before you go shopping. When purchasing your clothing, two very significant factors to consider are quality and price.

The next time you shop for the right clothing to wear for your fitness activity try some very flattering apparel for a change and see how it makes you feel while you exercise.

Tenzin is the author and webmaster of fitnessequipmentinfo.com where he reveals the latest on fitness equipment especially fitness equipment apparel. For a limited time, get his "Fitness" course free, with no strings attached. Check out Fitness Equipment Info now!

A Guide To Handyman

A handyman is a person who has a lot of skills that you may not even imagine. Most people cannot do all the jobs required for maintaining a house. We always look for some people who will do these little chores for us. For example, we look for a person to fix the shower or repair a broken cabinet. Little tasks like these will be on the list that we have on the door of the refrigerator. You may not have the time 2238to do such small work or you may not know how to fix them. In such circumstances, the handyman is the right person to just do that.

A handyman is competent and proficient enough to do those odd small jobs for you. Without him, you will find it difficult to maintain your house or your garden. Nowadays you hire a handyman through organized services that are available throughout the country. All you have to do is to contact a company offering such a service and request a handyman to do the task you want. When you approach a professional service you get a lot of benefits. The handyman who arrives at your home would be in proper uniform and arrives on time to do the task. Since they are company employees it is easy to track them and you get satisfactory service from them.

Some of the areas in which a handyman can work are maintenance of doors and fences, cleaning of gutters, maintenance of tubs and showers, and locks & deadlocks. Repairing the walls, decks, siding, grout and tiles can also be done. Odd jobs like pressure washing, weatherproofing, tile work, and some carpentry works can also be done through these professional handyman services. All you have to do is to call the company and tell the task that you want to be done. They would give you an estimate and you can request for the service. Payment can be made through cash, check or credit card after the work is completed.

Handyman provides detailed information on Handyman, Handyman Services, Starting A Handyman Business, Handyman Tips and more. Handyman is affiliated with Home Remodeling.