Natural Stone Path
A solid garden pathway to me means one with no soil in the pathway. I have been through botanical gardens where the pathway is simply gravel. There is nothing wrong with this as long as the gravel is very small - say 3/8 inch diameter AND ... [... more]
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Featured Products & Services
A Category Banner Ad is a traditional graphic ad that sits at the very top of any category page just under the Ask the Builder masthead graphic. The banner ads are 625 pixels wide by 90 pixels high. Your graphic team can develop any banner using ... [... more]
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Liens
Prior to the start of a project, ask your contractor to provide you a list of every person or sub-contractor who intends to work on your project. This list should contain the name and address of each person and what task they will be performing. ... [... more]
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Contractor Allowances
No builder or designer's library should be without Adding to a House written by Philip Wenz. Here is the ideal book for designers and builders who understand basic construction but have not had access to a single source of information that covers ... [... more]
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Natural Stone Pathway
The biggest problem in obtaining natural stone is usually the cost to ship the heavy material from the source to the point of use. For your garden path you should consider a stone that is thin yet strong. By doing this you will get more surface ... [... more]
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Affidavits And Liens
Building or remodeling on a piece of real estate has legal implications. Etched deep into our legal system is a set of laws designed to protect homeowners, workers and companies that supply material to job sites. These laws were enacted to create ... [... more]
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Patio Designs
No matter how many plants you have, fountains, etc., your patio will be a failure if it is too small. You MUST take the time and design it to accommodate the furniture and people that will occupy it. If your property has a slight slope to it, ... [... more]
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Allowances - The Financial Black Hole
The pricing strategy used in determining the allowance cost of an item can also be a problem area. Builders and contractors often receive special pricing from suppliers when they purchase items. Determine if the allowance number is based upon ... [... more]
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Pay In Cash?
The contractor must produce a receipt for the amount you are giving him. Make him sign the receipt in your presence and mark the receipt 'PAID'. Have his signature notarized. Obtain a signed, notarized affidavit from the contractor at the same ... [... more]
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Job Pricing -Time & Material Method
Finally, if you must do a job 'time and material' let me make the following suggestions. Obtain specific material costs and quantities. Obtain a list of workmen and the labor rate that each will be paid. Arrange for close monitoring to make sure ... [... more]
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Building A Path Of Natural Stone
Visit a local garden or zoo or some other place that has garden paths. Note how they have gentle curves. Look at the spacing of the paths and how close they come to objects. Take your time and begin drawing the path or pathways on your plan. Be ... [... more]
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Brick Patios - Two Methods Of Installation
Once the gravel base is in place, you top it with 1 1/2 inches of coarse sand. The sand is not compacted just yet. You smooth it off to the exact profile and the slope you wish the final patio to be. Once this is complete, you simply set the ... [... more]
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