We blogged about an article today, the author is remodeling his kitchen and talked about places to splurge and places to save. The author also wrote this:

"It's difficult to make sweeping generalizations about kitchen renovations...other than the old 'add 50% to the initial estimate' rule"' ( http://bit.ly/RVQdoq )

Add 50% to the initial estimate? Has anyone heard of this? We're assuming this is referring to planning a DIY kitchen remodel; do you think so?

When we give an initial estimate, it only changes if the client decides to change the scope of the project. Our contracts are all-inclusive and guaranteed. This so-called "old rule" somehow never landed on our radar!

We'd love to hear your thoughts & experiences...We think if you have to add 50% to your initial estimate to get the real price, you need another estimate.

I noticed a spike in my blog traffic and found this article.

http://dsc.discovery.com/gear-gadgets/how-to...

My idea for this project evolved from our many road trips to remote and isolated places. I started to bring my laptop along for writing journal post etc. I have used the car adapter to charge the netbook while actually traveling but once we hit camp it seemed a bit wasteful to fire up the truck to charge things.

This charging station uses a 10 watt solar panel, a compact sealed gel battery and mini charge controller. The charge controller ensures that the panels output is regulated to match the demand in the battery. This allows for longer battery life. I did some basic modifications to allow me to add additional panels or batteries, via some banana plug ports. These ports also allow me to monitor voltages in various configurations.

We did some camping in Zion National park a couple of years ago and camped in the "generator free" section of the campground....That was Gasoline powered noisy generators....my solar unit was just the ticket. I used it every day to recharge the batteries for my digital camera...which is now its primary use on many of our trips.

I've also handled numerous calls from our tenants that have dealt with overflowing toilets, faucets leaking, washer hoses bursting, you name it.

So after my neighbor had to replace his water pressure regulator I decided to share easy plumbing tips that you can act on today or over the weekend that will help prevent water leaks:

+Test your water pressure with a $10 gauge and make sure it's not above 80 psi

+If your water pressure is too high have a licensed contractor install a regulator

+Adjust your existing water pressure regulator to reduce pressure to 55-75 psi

+Replace old supply lines with the steel braided variety

+Replace old shutoff valves in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms with quarter turn ball valves-they are easier to use and rarely break compared to older valves

It's much cheaper to avoid replacing a collapsing drywall ceiling then actually having to hire a contractor to fix it :)

For more pictures and a video on how to adjust the water pressure in your house you can visit my latest blog post http://www.homerepairtutor.com/water-leaks-3...

Have a great day!

#Bestof2012