Month: February 2017

Categories
Assisted living florida Assisted living for seniors What is an assisted living facility

Choosing an Assisted Living Facility? Ask Yourself These Questions

Assisted living port charlotte fl

When choosing a retirement community, it is important to schedule on-site visits and tours before making a final decision. Websites and brochures are useful, as they provide more technical information, but a guided tour will give you a better idea of what it would be like to actually live there. After assessing factors such as cost and other logistics, here are some simple questions to ask yourself when further considering living options.

  • Do I like the atmosphere?
    This comes down gut feelings and first impressions while touring the senior assisted living facility. Consider whether you feel at home within the decor and around the various facilities. Are they clean and well maintained? Observe the community’s residents – do they appear to be happy? Be in tune with how the staff treats you during your visit and how you feel following those interactions. If you want to take these observations beyond your own perceptions, chat with the residents about their own experiences. Collecting these informal testimonials is a great way to gauge how your personal experience could be.

  • Are there amenities to meet my needs?
    Especially if you use a wheelchair, walker, or have other mobility needs, checking that the retirement centers you tour have all necessary features is essential to your wellbeing. Look for accessible elevators, ramps and handrails in all buildings. For your safety, ensure that non-skid carpets are in place and that all floor surfaces are easily walkable. Within the residential rooms or apartments, make sure that the shower has a handrail or any other rails you may need, and check that the cupboards and counters are reachable.

  • Does this facility provide the services I want or need?
    Collect information to ensure that all of your physical and mental health needs can be met at this facility. Especially if you have specific medial needs, or need frequent medical attention, check that staff is available to assist you at all times and that your care plan will be kept in writing. Depending on your mobility needs or desires, transportation and the availability of on-site services, such as a pharmacy, is an important factor to consider.

  • Are activities available?
    An assisted living facility should support your lifestyle. For this reason, look for scheduled activities, social opportunities, and places to be physically active. While living in a retirement community, your personal interests should be supported. If this is the case, your new home will be a great place to meet others who share your same hobbies. Assisted living for seniors should still be stimulating and engaging to support resident health.

While this life decision can be overwhelming, keeping your expectations in mind will help you make the right decision. To hold yourself to these expectations, consider making a list of features you will be looking for in assisted living facilities. This is a decision that you do not have to make alone, so consider taking a loved one with you on the tours to help you ask these important questions.

Categories
Homes by westbay New homes tampa bay Tampa new homes for sale

5 Tips for Choosing a Home Builder

Home building involves planning your dream home and bringing it to life with the help of local custom builders. These pros specialize in creating personalized and unique homes. These builders know how to build better construction plans and what techniques to use for the best possible results. Custom built construction allows you as the homeowner to have a hand in designing your home. This lets you control what is and isn’t in the home so everything is just right for you and your family.

For those who admire traditional styles of architecture, there are custom Victorian home builders who specialize in these kinds of design and construction styles. You can also find custom home builders who specialize in ranch custom homes among many other stunning options. Regardless of the style chosen, working with experienced custom builders ensures a personalized home that suits the homeowner’s vision and lifestyle.

Don’t keep dreaming of your perfect home. Make it a reality today and find the local home design and construction pros who can make it all possible. Call for a consultation or an on-site review to see what they can do for you and your family.

New homes for sale

More and more home buyers are looking to new homes when they start a home search. At least 41% of the population in the United States say that they would rather live in a new home than one someone else has lived in. That translates intro roughly two out of every five people in the country. If you are considering going this route, your first step is to look for good home builders in your area. Some people worry about the process of choosing a home builder but the process does not need to be painful.

  1. Start with your budget. This should be the first step of any big home project, whether you are choosing a home builder or putting in a new landscaping job. You need to be thorough when you go through your finances. Look at your credit score and history and run your credit report. Take a hard look at how much you have coming in every month, how much you need to pay out in bills and how much you can put down. This may have an impact on what home builder you go with and what kind of home you can afford to build.
  2. Think about what your needs are today and tomorrow. You may not have children today but if you are planning on having them, you should work that into the plans for your new home. Think about why you are looking at new homes. People need different things from their homes at different stages of their lives. If you have kids but they are grown and have all moved out of your home, you may need something different than a couple who has young kids. You also may want to talk to modern home builders if that is the style of home that you like. Having a clear idea of what you wand need will make the task of choosing a home builder a lot easier.
  3. Make sure you can clearly articulate your needs and wants. You may know very well what you need and want from your new home but you need to be able to get your point across clearly and concisely to the home builder. If there is something that you really want in your new home, you need to make sure your home builder understands that. This is not the time nor the place to leave things up in the air or to make assumptions about what they know and do not know. Even the best home builder is not clairvoyant.
  4. Get a company that is known in your community. It is often good to go with local companies that have done a lot of work in your area. First of all, when companies do a lot of work in one area, they are probably not going to just do a terrible job and not provide customer service because word about that will spread and they will not be able to get any more business in your city or town. In the second place, if the home builder has done a lot of work near where you are currently living, you can drive by and check out some of their work. This is always a good thing. You do not have to share the same tastes with the home builder but they do need to create a space that matches the style you want.
  5. Make sure the home builder you hire has all of the right licenses and insurance. When you are choosing a home builder, few things are as important as this. Before you start talking to any modern home plans, you need to look into what licenses, permits and insurance are required by your state. When it comes to permits, most contractors do take care of this but that does not relieve you of your responsibilities vis-a-vis getting the right permit. If they drop the ball, you will be on the hook for the fines. If they do not have the right amount of insurance and something happens while your home is being constructed, you can be held liable. You really need to whatever they tell you.

Follow these five tips and you will find the right home builder for you.

Categories
Church pews and chairs Church steeples prices Second hand church pews

5 Tips to Help Your Church Steeple Keep Its Look

UPDATED 11/20/20

A lot goes into a Christian church. In addition to parishioners and a building, you need special things like a steeple cross. These can be hard to find, but sometimes a church will put one up for sale if they are upgrading theirs. Sometimes they simply fall into a state of needing more repairs than a church can offer. People looking for “church on Friday near me” want to see a church with a nice steeple. They look up “church service near me times” and would be disappointed if the church didn’t have a cross steeple to make it look stately and Christian. Every good church description includes a little bit about the steeple itself.

The church affiliation meaning is all about the specific type of Christianity the church teaches. The specific type may tell you what kind of steeple it needs. Some churches have small ones that are modest and don’t stand out. Some churches want a steeple that is large and ornate. Most churches want a cross steeple that looks good and can be seen by people in the area. It’s a way of putting the cross out there for all to see and to be inspired by.

Plan your steeple carefully. If you are constructing a new church or have to replace it, you need to be careful when it comes to your church steeple design. Think about your church steeple plans in terms of what is best for the church and the congregation. No longer is this the biggest building in town, in most cases, and the building itself may serve a very different function from churches in the past. Many congregations expect church steeple crosses to be put on their preferred worship site. You can work with designers and you can find church steeples prices that fit your budget. The spiritual function of the steeple should not be overlooked.

The United States is one of the most religious countries on the planet. By far, the most practiced religion is Christianity. At least 68% of people around the country say they go to church, if not every week, on occasion. At least 40% of people in the nation say they are very religious and say it has an important role in their day to day lives, according to a poll by Gallup. The church steeple is one of the most prominent and important features of a church.

For centuries, the church was located in the center of town. It was the biggest building for miles. People looked to it when they wanted to know the time or when there were problems the community needed to address. If needed, making steeple repairs was something the community came together to handle. In today’s more complicated world, the church is no longer at the center of town. It is important to find ways to keep your church in good shape and avoid needing steeple repairs. Here are some tips for that:

  1. Think about how large you need your steeple to be. Not every size steeple is appropriate for every church. Larger structures may require more steeple repairs but also, as important as this feature is, you do not want your building to be too top-heavy. Some church administrators will put a steeple that is just too large for the church building itself and the results are awkward and a bit off-putting, at best. Experts recommend getting a steeple that should be no more than 10% the length of the church itself.
  2. Put in something to protect your steeple from lightning. This is one of the reasons churches seek out steeple repair. In the meantime, you have a church steeple that has been burned by lightning. This is not the look you are going for. Most of the time, when lightning strikes a church, steeple repair is not even possible (sometimes it is) and the whole thing needs to be replaced. What you can do is install a copper or aluminum lightning rod that attracts the lightning and brings it safely to the ground. You can get help from the steeple builder for the right kind of lightning rod for your area. Do not skip this step. The United States has some of the worst weather on the planet and thunderstorms are a big part of that. You should also check with your city or town to get the regulations you will need to follow for this.
  3. Talk to cell phone companies. Your church is not a profit center, nor should you try to make it one but you may be able to get a cell phone carrier to install a cell tower in your steeple. By leasing your tower space to a cell phone carrier, you can offset the costs associated with building the steeple. Make sure you discuss this with the people in your congregation as it can sometimes cause more strife than it is worth.
  4. Think about fiberglass. New techniques for building steeples include using this versatile and easy to maintain material that has become more and more popular. You can get the look you want and it may cost you less as this is easier to install than other materials. Some people worry that the fiberglass steeple will not look as good or will look cheap but they can have any look you want.

Your church steeple can be what you need it to be with these tips.

Related Topics:

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Door replacement glen ellyn il Roof repair Siding

The 8 Reasons to Get Vinyl Siding

Door replacement wheaton

Homeowners who are looking to put siding on their homes have a lot of options. The United States Census Bureau has reported that vinyl siding is the most popular of the house siding materials on the market today. Developed in the 1950s, as of 2012, at least 33% of all new homes had it. Experts in exterior design say they do not see any slowing down in its popularity.

The vinyl siding of today is a far cry from what was created in the 1950s. Technological advances in manufacturing have greatly improved all types of house siding and vinyl siding is no different. Changes in this technology that have been introduced over the last ten years have created a renewed interest in the material.

There are a lot of good reasons to choose this kind of siding if you are looking to add siding or switch out the siding that covers your home. Some of them are:

  1. You have a lot of options. People are not always aware of the fact that vinyl siding is one of the most versatile house siding materials on the market. It comes with a wide array of siding colors, trim and textures. Other accessories can be added to change up its look. Moreover, you can get vinyl siding that looks like other materials. These include slate, wood and stone. The color of your vinyl siding will last a long time.
  2. Vinyl siding lets you show off the best features of your home. You can have your vinyl siding designed to show off the best architectural features of your home. It can be used to look good on any style of home. In fact, many historical home renovations are using vinyl siding because of this aspect of the siding material.
  3. Vinyl siding lasts a long time. In terms of dealing with the elements, vinyl siding is one of the best house siding materials on the market. It is able to handle heat, moisture, cold and high winds. It does all of this without losing its original shape and appearance. It even is able to maintain its performance abilities over a long period of time. It has been designed to withstand winds of 200 miles per hour. The United States sees some of the most violent weather on the planet so house siding materials that can stand up to this kind of wind are very appealing to many homeowners. Most vinyl siding manufacturers offer lifetime warranties because of this durability.
  4. It is environmentally friendly. More and more homebuyers and homeowners are looking for green options for their homes. While it may not seem like it, vinyl siding is one of the most green house siding materials around. It will outlast most other siding materials or home cladding materials. This includes brick. Another feature of the home siding material that makes it more environmentally friendly is its insulation ability. The insulation provided by vinyl siding makes the home a lot more energy efficient. This helps homes with this kind of siding become Energy Star rated homes and lowers the energy bills of the homeowner.
  5. It is easy to install. Out of all of the house siding options, vinyl siding is one of the easiest to install. One of the reasons for this is that it can be put over the siding that is already on the house. This makes it a good retrofit option. The ease of installation makes it a lot more affordable because of the savings on the costs of labor.
  6. It is very easy to maintain. You do not need to paint vinyl siding. It only needs some cleaning with water and some kind of mild soap. It is also impervious to damage from insects, rotting or cracking.
  7. Vinyl siding is affordable. Most of the affordability of this kind of home siding comes from the fact that it can be installed over other siding materials that might already be on the home. The life cycle cost is much lower than for other house siding materials.
  8. Vinyl siding makes the home safer. First of all, it can stand up to wind. Second, it can stand up to fire. Vinyl siding is one of the new house siding materials that meets the requirements set down by the National Fire Protection Association.

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Categories
Amish rabbit hutch Custom sheds Playsets wooden

Outdoor Furniture Can be Practical and Picturesque

Garden shed

If you love spending time in your backyard, you might have considered adding a gazebo or pavilion to give you additional space for outdoor living and entertaining. For gardeners, wooden sheds and tool sheds can be useful for storing everything you need, all together and handy, and out of the rain. Or you might be a backyard chicken enthusiast, and are looking for a coop to get started. Amish built sheds and furniture are a great choice, because they’re durable and lasting, and carry the stamp of quality workmanship that is instantly recognizable. There’s a variety of styles to choose from, including cedar sheds, pergolas, gazebos and even barns.

Amish built sheds and furniture
Amish furniture and buildings are still made by hand, the traditional way. They have a unique and distinctive appearance, instantly recognizable. The simple and solid designs have been handed down the generations, and the quality of the workmanship ensures that each piece will last for a long time.
Historians and dealers “discovered” Amish furniture in the 1920s, along with the revival of early American folk art. Amish sheds and furniture are however not a revival but a living tradition that reflects everyday functionality and simplicity in its design.

Gazebos are picturesque and practical
Adding a handcrafted gazebo or pergola to your yard adds a touch of the picturesque. It’s also very practical, allowing you and your family to spend time outdoors even when it’s raining. It’s a great place to settle down with a book on a summer afternoon, to entertain friends for drinks in the afternoon, and for all kinds of adventures for the kids.
Amish furniture and sheds are built to last, and you will be using your cedar sheds and custom gazebos for years and even decades to come.

Ordering an Amish built shed
Amish furniture is made from several different typed or wood, each of which has its unique coloring and appearance. These include oak, cherry, hickory, walnut, or maple. If you decide to buy an Amish built shed, it will be custom made, according to your specifications. The whole process can take three to four months.
When ordering a shed, you should specify the dimensions according to present and future storage needs. Designers suggest adding 25% more space to leave room for future storage needs.

When buying outdoor living furniture, such as storage sheds, pool houses, gazebos and pavilions, cedar sheds, playhouses and outdoor furniture, you want something that is both sturdy and appealing. Amish built furniture will give you years of service and aesthetic value.

Categories
Crib mattress fitted sheet Waterproof fitted sheet single Waterproof mattress sheet

3 Baby Items that Parents Started Using

Pink fitted crib sheet

Let’s be honest. Babies have the sweet life. They get to sleep constantly. Party and stay up all night. They get full and constant attention whenever they demand it. Then on top of all that, they get great products too? The funny thing is, before you know it you might end up using some of the products yourself. That’s when you know you’ve spent too much time around your baby’s things. Here are 3 baby items that are so great parents and other adults use them too.

  1. Baby Food
    That’s right, there are people out there eating baby food. But let’s be honest, you were probably not that surprised. We’ve seen it on tv shows like “Friends” for years now. Some people make a big deal of it, and others enjoy baby food like it’s no big thing. Some enjoy the food as a little snack with a low calorie count, and some get nauseous just thinking about it. To each his own.
  2. Baby Wipes and Lotions
    Everyone wishes that their skin could be as smooth as a baby’s. Their soft doughy complexions are ironically the goals of many women (and some men) out there. This shows in how the products we use on baby skin are also things we all love to use on ourselves as adults and as parents. Baby wipes do wonders for removing makeup from our and clearing out some of our pores. In addition, lotions that we normally apply on babies also apply well on our own dryed out skin and protects us from uv rays too. We may not be as smooth as our children, but with these products’s help we are getting close.
  3. Waterproof Mattress Protector
    Lastly, kids can pee in their little beds for up to many years after they’ve left the baby phase. In fact, 15% if them wet the bed up to when they are 5 (and some keep going from there). If you don’t want to have to worry about these night time incidents, then it’s best to invest in waterproof sheets. You can start off with baby crib sheets and work up from there if need be. The weird thing though, these sheets are amazingly comfortable and easy to clean. Before you know it, you’ll be buying one for yourself just for the comfort factor, and that’s ok! So get under those waterproof mattress protector sheets, put your head over your pillowcases, and enjoy the sweet relief of comfort.

Parents spend a lot of time with their babies. While it’s true that kids grow up taking and mimicking personality traits they got from their role models (aka us), the parents do some copying too. So enjoy those baby food snack sessions, use those baby wipes to remove your makeup and pursue an ever clearer complexion, and have fun rolling around in your new waterproof mattress protector. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying quality products, so bask in them.

Categories
American red cross donations Clothes donations Clothing donations

Clothes Donation Easy, Convenient, Necessary

Donate clothes to red cross

We are often amazed by the great tragedy that befalls others in this world. We worry about people in other parts of the country or in other parts of the globe. What’s worse, we want to help, but we don’t quite know how we can do that. We think, “What can I do to make a difference?”

The problem is that when we ask that question we produce it with a sort of bias. When we ask what can I do, we are thinking that the only thing that can be done is actively being there to help. The thing is, that’s not the only option. Now you ask, “What is this option that everyone can take part in at this very second? Even me?” American Red Cross Donations. That’s what.

Participating in things like American Red Cross donations can be a great help at the end of the day. For instance, when natural disasters happen and victims lose their homes and property, what are they to wear? If you were to donate your clothes than these survivors could know that there are still people out there who care. If you and your family were in trouble wouldn’t you want the same? Clothing donations are the least that a person can do in order to help others.

In addition, we American consumers are so wasteful with our clothes when we could at least give away what we don’t want. Around 20 billion garments of clothes are used by Americans in a given year. On top of that, we also throw away 10 pounds of those clothes per person in the same year. If we took the time to pick out the clothes we didn’t want and donate them instead of throwing them out, we could be helping those in need.

Also, some feel that it’s too much of a hassle to give. Well, the clothes that we have laying in our closet can be given to a Red Cross pickup or a clothing donation center. Not only are there multiple centers around the country, but in some the accessibility of these organizations is even more convenient than we think. There are even some that go around to houses to pickup the clothes. Helping others has never been so convenient.

Look into American Red Cross donations. These organizations are there to provide care for those who need them. If we all just took the time to donate a little to organizations like this, we could ensure all families were taken care of.

Categories
Chair rentals nj Party rentals new jersey Table rentals nj

Let’s Get this PartyPlanned?

Table and chair rentals

No matter the time or season there always seems to be an occasion on the horizon worthy of some celebration. And whether it’s a wedding, Bar Mitzvah, graduation, or sweet sixteen, a party is usually in order. If you’re the guest of said party, then all you have to do is show up and enjoy the festivities and food. If you’re the one throwing the party, however, there may be quite a bit of planning ahead. But with a little organization and coordination, putting on a memorable celebration doesn’t have to be a looming stressful nightmare. Here are three steps to follow to get this party started without the stress.

1) Figure out Crowd Size

Many variables come into play when organizing a party, but at the root of just about all of them is the number of people in attendance. For instance, catering will largely depend on how many mouths there are to feed, and you certainly don’t want a shortage or excess of party favors, if there are any. This is why the first step of throwing a party should be to determine who your guests will be, and how many of them there will be.

The guest lineup and size will vary based on things like the type of celebration, size of family, and even budget. Though it’s unfortunate and sounds a bit crass, not all of your acquaintances will make the cut. At some point the amount of guests needs a ceiling or the party runs the risk of becoming too expensive, too crowded, and/or potentially controversial. Not everyone gets along, after all. Once you and whoever else is involved in planning the gathering come to an agreement on who is and isn’t to be invited, the rest of the planning can commence with a bit more clarity.

2) Choosing the Right Space

Now that you know how many people will be at the party you’ll have a better idea of how large a space will be necessary to fit everyone comfortably. In warmer seasons and areas with nicer weather, an outdoor location is often a good solution for just about any party. The number of weddings held outdoors has been on the rise. An outdoor space offers fresh air and guarantees that noise or overcrowding won’t be an issue.

However, before you rent an area at a park or throw a backyard party, consider that the weather isn’t always predictable or on your side. Event tent rentals are a good solution to this issue. Tents can vary in size and height, offer shade from the sun and a cover from rain if it falls. Tents also provide a place to hang lights to keep the party going when it gets dark out. But if the outdoors isn’t the best fit for your party, consider renting a room at a country club, hotel, or restaurant. There are plenty of places such as these that are perfectly designed for celebratory gatherings.

3) Getting the Party Equipment Together

Once you have a crowd size and space in mind, the last big step is deciding what and how much stuff you’ll need for the party. This includes catering details like hors d’oeuvres (and what allergies to look out for), dinner options, and dessert, as well as the party equipment itself like tents, party favors, props, chairs, screens, and much more. If the party is themed, choosing these supplies is a bit easier.

While some of these party supplies can certainly be purchased, it’s often best to seek a party equipment rental company who specializes in providing the proper equipment for a fair price. These businesses streamline the process of ordering the main party equipment so that you won’t typically need to rent from several different places. Instead, you can one-stop-shop at a single provider. For instance, if you need to rent a tent, tables, chairs, and lights, it’s easiest and cost effective to get them all from one provider.

Beyond these three steps are often little details to consider and deal with. However, this is a good general outline to follow when it’s time to start planning a special event. And when it comes to renting equipment, choosing a caterer, and deciding on the space, always keep cost and value in mind.