A countertop is a flat surface, use it to count the money, for business other needs, or food is prepared or served. Countertops available in many colors and styles, Italian marble can be customized to make exclusive counter tops. Onyx marble possesses rigidness and hardly allows any stains to settle down on its surface. Onyx marble wonderful to look at, the various shining varieties of marble enhances the look of the interiors.

The durable marble that is used in making the countertops makes them well-suited for kitchen and are impervious to stains, heat, water etc. The marble countertops are elegant and can be cleaned very easily. They are polished regularly to maintain the sheen of the natural stone, bringing a new dimension to the decor. They can be used in the kitchen for cutting vegetables, making preparations for the food and even to serve the food.

You can use table top to make your countertop more exclusive and beautiful. Some other imported marble like composite marble can be effectively used to make decorative table tops that complement the home or garden decor. Featuring artistic designs in bright colors, marble table tops can be assembled with a variety of bases ranging from wrought iron to cast stone sculptures. The timeless beauty of marble, with its elegance and durability, makes it a preferred choice for making decorative table tops.

The marble table tops can have immense shapes and sizes. Some of these include: rectangular, octagonal, round/circular, oval/elliptical, square and much more. These table tops in varied shapes give the home decor an ethnic appearance with a variety of floral, geometric, chess or abstract designs that can even be studded with semi-precious stones.

You can buy best suitable marble for your Countertops and Table tops by RMR Marmo.It is the largest imported marble showroom in Delhi and have wide range of imported marble to make your countertop and table top more beautiful.

tkumarr associated with marble industry and also working as an seo

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/design-marble-countertops-by-italian-marble-1764555.html

After working in the Dry Cleaning Industry for over 25 years, I have found the most popular Exhaust Fans used are purchased from Grainger. This company has many very fine qualities that I have come to appreciate. Their customer service has always been excellent. They have large selection of Exhaust Fans. The quality of their products are very good and their product warranty has always been excellent. After all these years installing fans in Laundries and Dry Cleaners, I have never thought of using any other brand. I have learned through the years how to match an Exhaust Fan to the Dry Cleaning plant or work area. If you use the formula that I use in this article you will find that the work area will be as cool as possible. Here is an example of how to match the Exhaust Fan with the Dry Cleaner. 

Let’s say you find a space to lease in a shopping center that is 25 feet wide by 80 feet deep. The total square feet of the lease space is 2,000 sq. ft. Usually the front sales area is heated and air conditioned. That means that you will need to remove from the 2,000 sq. ft. your sales area of 25 feet wide by 15 feet deep which totals 375 sq. ft. This leaves you with 1,625sq. ft. The boiler room is 10 feet by 10 feet (100 sq. ft.) and the restroom is 6 feet by 6 feet ( 36 sq. ft.) which will total another 136 sq. ft. that is not figured in to the cooled area.. That gives you a final total of 1,489 sq. ft. of floor space in the work area to exhaust and cool. To get the cubic feet of the work area you will have to measure from the floor to the roof deck. I say the roof deck because I never recommend installing ceilings in the work area of a Laundry or Dry Cleaner. This will keep the heat lower in the room and makes the work area much hotter. Multiply the 1,489 sq. ft. by the 15 ft from the floor to the roof deck and you will get a total of 22,335 cubic feet of area to exhaust. Divide 22,335 by 1 ½ (the amount of minutes per air change) and get the total number of cubic feet of air to remove every minute, or 14,890 CFM. Under these conditions, I would install an exhaust fan that is rated at about 15,000 CFM. The most common exhaust fans that I have found used in many Dry Cleaners are Grainger Exhaust Fans. There are Grainger stores in most of the large cities in the United States, which makes it very convenient for purchasing fans and parts. I have also learned of a way that any customer of Grainger, even if you have never bought from them before, can get a 10% discount on their fans. If you e-mail me at Aaron@SwampCoolersOnline.com I will let you know how that you can get the discount at any Grainger store in the country. If you use the formula above you will find that the heat will be removed from the Dry Cleaner work area very efficiently. With good heat removal and cooler working conditions your employees will feel better and make you more money.

I have been installing Grainger Exhaust Fans for decades. If you have any questions about them or would like to get a 10% discount on any exhaust fan purchase at Grainger go to my website for more information.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/using-grainger-exhaust-fans-in-dry-cleaners-and-laundries-1776937.html

In areas that have a very high young population, such as areas near Universities – around Juja[JKUAT University] , Lower Kabete[University of Nairobi-Lower Kabete Campus], or Kahawa[Kenyatta University],1 bedroomed units will have a very high demand due to the large influx of parallel degree students. These are also in high demand near major towns and tourist locations such as Mombasa whereby holidaying tenants can rent for a short period of time.

Comparison on Rent.

In a 50 by 100 plot, you can put up to 7 No.  I bedroomed units per floor for 5 floors=35 units.
At a modest rental income of minimum KES 8,000 per month this brings the amount to 8,000 x 35=KES 280,000.
The same area can contain 4 units of 2 bedroomed each x 5 floors =20 units.
At an average rent of minimum 12 k per month this brings the total to 12,000x 20 =240,000 per month.
These rental incomes are on the lower side-it you put quality finishes, the rents can double.

Comparison on cost of Construction.

With high quality finishes, the construction cost also increases significantly. With modest / low cost finishes, the construction cost per square meter is KES 17,000.

The average size of a 1 bedroomed unit is 35 square meters.
For the 1 bedroomed units in the 50 by 100 feet plot, this will be 17,000 x 35 units x 35m2[floor area of 1 unit] =KES 20,825,000.

The average size of a low-cost 2 bedroomed unit is 60 square meters.
For the 2 bedroomed units within the 50by 100 feet plot, at a construction cost of KES 17,000 per square meter, this brings the total to 17,000 x 20 units x 60m2 = KES 22,100,000.

Conclusion.
So for roughly the same cost of construction, the 1 bedroomed houses will offer more rental income.

However, 2 bedroomed units have a higher demand than 1 bedroomed units hence a more stable income.

Frank Gichuhi
www.a4architect.com

+254 721 410684

Frank Gichuhi
www.a4architect.com

+254 721 410684

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/rental-units-on-a-50-by-100-feet-plot-1-bedroomed-vs-2-bedroomed-1781215.html

It’s astonishing but true, older boilers can be as little as 60% efficient and even many reasonably modern boilers are still only 70-75% efficient. The best of the modern condensing boilers convert more than 90% of their fuel into heat, compared with a wasteful 72% (or far worse) for the average boiler in UK homes. One top of the range boiler that you can consider is the Worcester Greenstar condensing boiler which has a SEDBUCK A-rating for their efficiency and because they are more than 90% efficient. Depending on the size of your house and the state of your boiler, if you change it that might save you and estimated £240 a year.

Incentive: There is now an incentive to change your boiler. The government has launched the boiler scrappage scheme where 125,000 households can get £400 towards the cost of upgrading their boiler (if G-rated or equivalent or worse) to a high efficiency A-rated one or a renewable heating technology. This will help to save in the region of 140,000t CO2 per year – equivalent to taking 45,000 cars off the road. There are currently around three and a half million homes in England with the very least efficient type of boiler (G-rated or worse).

Check if boiler is G rated.

A simple test for gas boilers is to see if it has a permanent pilot light -if it has then it is very likely to be a G-rated boiler. If it is gas fired and over fifteen years old it is likely to be eligible. If it is oil fired and over twenty five years old, it is likely to be eligible.

The clear answer is if your boiler is not an Energy Efficient boiler – SEDBUCK A-rated you should be considering changing your boiler.

Anayo Keane-Etumnu is an expert plumbing and heating engineer writing articles to educate the general public.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/should-i-change-my-boiler-1766779.html

Tool shed planning must include a list of tools you will need, what you already have and what you will have to get.

Making a shed could seem to be a really quite simple undertaking, but messing up on some particulars can cost you down the road in either time or cash. With smaller plans such as constructing a shed people are under the false impression that since it’s a smaller item it means smaller disasters.This might mean with poor support the building could collapse. An additional disaster when constructing a tool shed is not concentrating on where you are erecting it. If you are not going to be in a position to work on constructing the tool shed for any period of time, then you must store the resources inside a safe covered space. I hope you discover plenty of useful shed- constructing tips here.

For creating a storage shed wood is the commonest substance. Keep away from purchasing unseasoned or green lumber, it can shrink, and split as it dries. To protect the lumber from rot, decay, and bugs apply pressure treatments. An excellent price conscious selection is pressure treated pine, that is stronger and much more heavy- duty than redwood or cedar. In case you have pressure treated timber to construct your shed foundation, wear gloves plus a dust mask, when sawing. Sawing needs to be done outdoors whenever possible to avoid indoor build up of airborne sawdust from the treated lumber. You must make a foundation base for your tool shed, even if you purchase pressure treated wood on your shed base.

Shed creating tips for protection consist of following the safety advice of the producers, providing proper supports when utilizing power tools and saws, tying back your hair if it is long, avoiding wearing jewellery and loose clothing, as well as wearing eye protection during the complete building procedure. To alleviate design efforts and fees, try to find a level place. Sheds aren’t tough to construct as they are typically a simple building. Equipment shed designs may give you a solid concept of how and what equipment to buy and fundamental construction directions.

Sheds don’t need to be icy, damp, draughty or rickety. Grow to be a professional in tool shed building while using the appropriate Tool shed Building Plans & even start creating additional incomes selling your finely crafted Sheds. Jam full of more than twelve, thousand shed plans, blueprints, illustrations and woodworking patterns from every thing varying from small clock houses to large storage space and garden sheds.

If you found this useful and would like more information on Free Shed Plans check out my website http://freeshedplans.us/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/free-shed-plans-and-tips-for-building-it-1771807.html

Almost all Dry Cleaners use Evaporative Coolers, or Swamp Coolers as some call them, in their plant or clothes cleaning area. Using refrigerated air conditioning would be far too expensive for them. Their steam boilers are putting out hundreds of thousands of BTU’s of heat into the work area. To remove this much heat using air conditioning would cost thousands of dollar per month. Because of this, the work area of Dry Cleaners should have an Exhaust Fan that is capable of making a complete air exchange about every 1 1/2 minutes. Let me give you an example to help you figure the correct size exhaust fan for your Cleaner.

Let’s say you are leasing a space in a shopping center that is 25 feet wide by 80 feet deep. The total square feet of this lease space is 2,000 sq. ft. Usually the front sales area is heated and air conditioned. Next, remove from the 2,000 sq. ft. your sales area of 25 feet wide by 15 feet deep which totals 375 sq. ft. This leaves you with 1,625sq. ft. The boiler room is 10 feet by 10 feet (100 sq. ft.) and the restroom is 6 feet by 6 feet ( 36 sq. ft.) which total another 136 sq. ft. usually not figured in to the cooled area.. This gives you a final total of 1,489 sq. ft. of floor space in the work area to exhaust and cool. To get the cubic feet of the work area you should measure from the floor to the roof deck. I say roof deck because I never recommend installing a ceiling in the work area. This will keep the heat lower in the room and makes the work area much hotter. Multiply the 1,489 sq. ft. by the 15 ft from the floor to the roof deck and you get a total of 22,335 cubic feet of area to exhaust. Divide 22,335 by 1 ½ (the amount of minutes per air change) and get the total number of cubic feet of air to remove every minute, or the CFM. Under these conditions, I would install an exhaust fan that is rated at about 15,000 CFM. The most common exhaust fans used in Dry Cleaners are Grainger fans. There are Grainger stores in most major cities in the United States, which makes it convenient for purchasing fans and parts. I have bought exhaust fans from Grainger for years. I have learned of a way that any customer of Grainger, even if you have never bought from them before, can get a 10% discount on their fans. If you e-mail me at Aaron@SwampCoolersOnline.com I will let you know how that you can get the discount at any Grainger store in the country. 

Next, you need to make up the exhausted air with an Evaporative Cooler. These work great in dry climate areas. But even in more humid areas they will give some cooling. You may only get a 10 degree temperature drop in a humid area, but on a 95 degree day, a light breeze of 85 degree air can feel good while working over a hot press. On a Dry Cleaner plant you will usually find them using a large commercial Evaporative Cooler. For the work area that I sized above you will need to install a 15,000 CFM Cooler. Keep in mind when you look at Coolers, they usually give the CFM ratings in free air. Since you will probably have a duct system cooling the work area, there is static pressure or restriction on the air flow from the Cooler. If you use a 15,000 to 16,000 CFM Evaporative Cooler, you will probably have a good match with the 15,000 CFM exhaust fan. The static pressure of the ductwork will generally drop the CFM rating by a couple thousand CFM. The reason this match is good is because you want a slight amount of negative pressure in the work area, or in other words a little more air exhausting from the room than is being supplied into the room. The most common Evaporative Cooler used in Dry Cleaning work areas is the Champion 14/21 SD or the Essick 14/21 SD. These are the most common because they are the most inexpensive models sold. If you are willing to spend a little more money, I recommend going to a Cooler that will last far longer. The Champion AS150 or the Champion AS15012 are better built and longer lasting Coolers. Should you want a better explanation of the reasons why they are better Coolers, you can type these Coolers into a search engine and find articles written about them.

I know there is a lot of technical information that would be boring to some people, but if you are wanting to cool a Dry Cleaning plant I recommend using this information. I have installed exhaust and cooling systems in Cleaners for decades in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. These formulas and equipment have worked great. I hope these tips I have learned will help others in the future.

I have designed exhaust and cooling systems, including duct system layouts, on Dry Cleaners and Laundries for over 25 years. These include Comet Cleaners and One Hour Martinizing, each having hundreds of franchise stores throughout the nation, as well as many privately owned Dry Cleaners. You can go to my website or e-mail me at Aaron@SwampCoolersOnline.com if you have any questions on sizing Exhaust Fans, Evaporative Coolers, or duct systems in a Dry Cleaning plant or work area.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/sizing-exhaust-fans-and-evaporative-coolers-in-dry-cleaning-plants-1772792.html

Planning on installing a new deck or sprucing-up an existing one this season? If so, you’re not alone. Decks are still among the most popular home improvements. So, what’s hot in decks this summer? Here are some of the top deck trends right now:

Railings – Once merely a functional safety element, railings are now doing double duty as design statements. Railings are often the first thing one notices about a deck, so manufacturers are offering more aesthetically pleasing, architecturally interesting options. Hot railing trends include decorative balusters of aluminum, iron or even cable, glass panels and railing systems that combine materials for durability, as well as visual effect.

Multiple Levels – Designers are using multiple levels to create virtual rooms for outdoor use.   A main deck might function as living and dining space, while a smaller, lower level addition serves as a kitchen area, and another level might host a hot tub. Multi-level decks facilitate multiple uses and add visual interest to the overall deck structure.

Indoor Luxuries, Outdoors – Homeowners want to bring the same luxuries they enjoy indoors outside onto their decks. In response, builders are adding touches like built-in fire pits and fireplaces, full kitchens with professional grade gas grills, spas, built-in benches and cabinets, shade structures and lighting to deck designs.

New Shapes – Piano-shaped, arrowhead and even oval shapes are appearing in back yards across the country. Modern materials, improved building methods and the creativity of designers and homeowners have permanently changed the shape and size of the great American deck. For added pizzazz, you can incorporate a pattern, such as herringbone or checkerboard, into the deck surface.

Composite Materials – While some homeowners prefer wood, composite materials continue to gain popularity. Not only are they durable and often eco-friendly (as many of them are made from recycled materials), composites can now mimic the much-loved look of wood.

Mike Blank, CGR CAPS is the owner of MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC based in Lancaster County, PA. With over 30 years of Carpentry experience, Mike is past Chairman of the Lancaster BIA Remodelers’ Council and a multiple BIA Design Winner. You can follow his blog here.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/sizzling-summer-decks-1767050.html

Making a decision on a concrete company is not always an easy one.
There’s are a lot of information you are going to to need to make an educated choice.
For example:

* How do they come recommended to me?
* How long have they been in business?
* Are they licensed,bonded and insured in the city I live in?
* Can I see previous work they’ve done
* What type of mix are the going to use
* Do they warranty their work if so, for how long.

As an owner of a concrete company and a tradesman of over 18 years in Ohio,
These are some of the basic questions that I feel need to be answered before you make your decision.
I suggest receiving at least three estimate from companies in your area. Referred to you by
a trusted source is even better.They must be licensed,bonded and insured and give references upon your request.

When comparing the estimates it is important to pay attention to the type of mix you are being quoted.

Depending on your area and whether you are in need of interior or exterior concrete the mix should be adjusted accordingly.

In Ohio Exterior mix ,such as driveways,patios porches should be no less than 6.5 sack or 4000psi.Interior concrete
no less than 6 sack or 3000psi. Concrete helps to beautify our homes and whether it’s to park our vehicle on or to put our outside furniture
on it lasts a long time. Choose your contractor wisely. I hope this information helps you.

author, writer,conservationist

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/concrete-company-hiring-guide-1769453.html

Points to consider in making maximum return on Investment on a 50 by 100 feet plot: A comparison between Bungalow and Maisonette types for sale.

Developers are busy putting up bungalow type houses for sale in the 1/8th 50 by 100 feet plots in towns such as Kitengela and Ongata Rongai in Nairobi, Kenya..
These houses are going for between 3.5 million to 5 million each, depending on several factors such as the floor area of the house and quality of finishes and workmanship.
Most of these houses are 3 bedroomed with an average floor area of 100 m2.

Definition.

Bungalows are single dwelling residential houses that have only 1 level-ground floor. Maisonettes are single dwelling residential houses that have two levels-ground floor and 1st floor.

Bungalow

Savings on Land.

In the construction of a bungalow in the 50 by 100 plot, the floor area is spread laterally on the ground. For example, a 100m2 house will have all the floor area on the ground floor level. This means that I the 50×100 plot, there will be less out-door space since the house covers a large space.

Maisonette in Nairobi

In the maisonette type design, the house floor area is spread vertically. If the total floor area is say 100m2, 50m2[living room, kitchen, dining room] will be on the ground floor and the rest of the 50m2[bedrooms] will be on the 1st floor.
This means that there will be more ground floor space in this design. This saving of space can be utilized to either give the unit more garden space or to construct a similar unit. If the house is for an individual for his own use, he can use the extra saved ground for garden space or for future development. If the house is being constructed by a developer for sale, the developer can construct a similar sized house and sell it. This way, he will have reaped more benefits since in the single 50×100 plot, he has developed 2 units as opposed to the bungalow style which can only accommodate 1 unit.

.

Foundation.

The foundation for a maisonette is cheaper since the area is reduced by half. For example, for a 100m2 floor area maisonette, the foundation area will be 50m2. For a 100m2 bungalow, the foundation floor area will be 100m2.

Roof.

In a 100m2 floor area bungalow, the room surface area will be approximately 150m2. In a 100m2 floor area maisonette, the roof surface area will be half the bungalow roof area-around 75m2. This means that there will be savings in terms of roof material, ceiling and timber roof trusses.
Cost of construction.

The cost of construction of a bungalow of 100m2 floor area will be the same for construction of a similar sized maisonette

Advantages.

In the maisonette design, there will be extra costs incurred due to the first floor suspended reinforced concrete slab. This extra cost is cancelled out by the savings incurred due to use of less roof material, less foundation floor area, and the saving of ground floor space to cater for an additional house within the same plot.
Maisonettes also give a sense of more security than the bungalows since the bedrooms are located upstairs which is inaccessible by burglars. Most burglars use the soft spots of a building to gain access such as the roof and windows. Since the roof and windows are over 5 meters above the ground, this deters criminals from choosing maisonettes.
Maisonettes look more imposing than bungalows hence a definition of class.
Therefore, maisonettes will give a better return on investment since they still leave more space for further development in the same 50 by 100 feet plot size as opposed to bungalows which use up a lot more ground space, more aesthetically appealing and are less prone to burglary attacks.

Frank Gichuhi.
Architect.
www.a4architect.com
+254 721 410684

Frank Gichuhi.
Architect.
www.a4architect.com
+254 721 410684

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/points-to-consider-in-making-maximum-return-on-investment-on-a-50-by-100-feet-plot-a-comparison-between-bungalow-and-maisonette-types-for-sale-1770233.html

How to design for a Jacuzzi in your house.

The name Jacuzzi originates from a family of Italian brothers who originated from Italy and settled in California,U.S.A in the early 1900s.

the Jacuzzis

The Jacuzzi brothers were aeronautical engineers who designed propeller engines for air-crafts. They left aviation engineering and concentrated on agricultural engineering in the design of agricultural water pumps.

The Jacuzzi whirlpool bath was invented in the early 1940s by Candidi Jacuzzi, a second generation Jacuzzi. His son suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis and used to receive hydro-therapy from the hospital. He designed a portable pump that could be fitted inside a bathtub to give the hydro-therapy.

In the late 1960s, Roy Jacuzzi, a third-generation Jacuzzi toyed with the idea of marketing the pump-fitted bath tub dubbed the ‘Roman Bathtub’ to cater for the growing need for leisure .
Although the larger Jacuzzi family thought this idea was a little weird, the sales grew and soon the bathtub was designed to be a bit larger so as to fit in 2 people. The designed improved farther over several years and the Jacuzzi s became larger and larger.

The laid-back culture of California became a very good launching pad for the Jacuzzi more so as famous movie stars popularized it further in their quest for opulent and glamorous lives.
In 1979, the Jacuzzi s sold the company to Kidde Inc. which was later bought by Hanson PLC in 1987.In 1996, the company strengthened itself further by purchasing a leading Canadian swimming pool manufacturer, Haugh’s Products Limited and diversified and improved the designs further.

Currently, Jacuzzi is the world’s most recognized whirl pool brand name.

Space requirements.

A standard Jacuzzi comes in dimensions of 1.8m by 1.8m by 0.8m height.
The bathroom area should therefore be large enough to fit in this size and leave enough room for circulation and dressing inside the bathroom.

A bathroom size of 2.8 m by 2.8 m is sufficient enough to fit in a Jacuzzi and leave enough space around it.

Location.

The Jacuzzi can be located next to a large bay window in the bathroom.

Jacuzzi in the bathroom

For a room that has a lot of privacy such as an upstairs room, the window can be designed to be large to bring in a lot of light and give a panoramic view of the outside.
For privacy purposes, the window glass can be frosted or obscured or one-way. Since a Jacuzzi is a place where people spend a considerable amount of time inside, it should have good wide panoramic views so as to avoid monotony and boredom.

Jacuzzi s can also be placed on the out-doors.

Out-door Jacuzzi

Installation.

The floor area is screeded and raised 100mm form the floor level with a bed of cement-sand mortar.
The Jacuzzi is placed on top and screwed to the ground.
The connecting plumbing pipes are fixed to the house’s water pipes and the pump is connected to the electricity point.
Ceramic tiles are then fitted around the wall to a height of 2.1 meters above ground level so as to protect the wall from moisture .
The ceramic wall tiles can be designed to a pattern and colour of your choice.

newly installed Jacuzi

Jacuzzis in Kenya cost around KES 60,000 and are available in hardware shops such as Doshi in Industrial area.The price depends on the size and shape. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Frank Gichuhi.

Architect.

www.a4architect.com

+254 721 410684

Frank Gichuhi.

Architect.

www.a4architect.com

+254 721 410684

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/how-to-design-for-a-jacuzzi-in-your-house-1765032.html