Attractions and Accommodation in Aberdeen

Aberdeen is situated in the North East of Scotland and it has flourished thanks to the discovery of Oil in the North Sea. That has brought a lot of business to Aberdeen and the area is becoming a popular commercial and tourist area.

Transport

There is an airport in Aberdeen, situated to the north of the city in Dyce about a 10 minute drive from the city centre and easily accessible by bus. There are a number of domestic and international flights available with flights to France and Spain as well as other European destinations.

The main train station is a short walk from the city centre and there are direct trains from Aberdeen to major cities such as London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are also trains to several of the smaller towns in the Aberdeenshire region.

Attractions

Many people use Aberdeen as a base to explore the local area, the whisky trail and the castle trail are both in Aberdeenshire. Both of these offer you the chance to see dozens of historic castles and whisky distilleries, with the unofficial whisky capital of the world within driving distance in Dufftown.

The local attractions in the city centre include the Maritime Museum, which looks at the effect that offshore project have had in shaping Aberdeen. In the summer the beach area is popular with tourist for a stroll and there are various vendors and activities which are run seasonally, ideal for families.

There are also plenty of activities to enjoy in the region with golf courses surrounding the area including the oldest course in Aberdeen The Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. If you want to watch a football match the Aberdeen F.C play at Pittodrie usually on a sat afternoon.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Aberdeen is usually reasonably priced with a four star hotel usually under 100 a night. The Copthorne Hotel and Simpsons Hotel offer some of the highest standard of accommodation in Aberdeen. Both have a four star tourist board rating and are within walking distance of a range of attractions.

The best value budget hotels are the Travelodge and Thistle Caledonian Hotel both of which are situated in the city centre. They offer rooms starting at 60 a night and are furnished with all the basic amenities that you will require for a comfortable stay.

If you are looking for accommodation in Aberdeen then go to hotels in aberdeen.org they have a good selection of hotel, guest houses and self catering properties available to book online.

The author is an experienced traveler and resident of Scotland, he runs several affiliate marketing based travel sites in the UK which include Rooms in Scotland.

How to Find a Excellent New Home Builder

Looking for a good home builder or contractor, isn't an exact science, but hopefully, by the time you're done reading this article, you will at least have a better idea, what you will be looking for. Let's get started.

As a general contractor, the most important thing that I would be looking for any new home builder, would be experience. You can't sacrifice price for experience. If you're looking for the cheapest contractor, there's a good chance that this person will be lacking experience in home building knowledge.

How long has this person been in business? Just because you're new home builder has only been in business for five years, doesn't mean that he isn't capable of building your home. The same holds true for someone who has been in business for 30 years. Just make sure that these people have actually built homes in the past.

What is their attitude like? This is the second most important thing and I tend to focus on this more than experience, sometimes. If you don't get along with the person, you're not going to have a pleasant home building experience. If you think that there lying to you, scammers or generally don't feel comfortable with them, but they seem to have the most experience and build more homes in your area than anyone else. I wouldn't think twice about getting rid of them and finding someone else.

Last but not least, you should contact some of the people that they have worked for in the past. Talking to past clients, is going to play an important role in making your final decision. You need to find out, if these home builders, treated their clients fairly and were they generally happy with the overall outcome and performance, not only of the homebuilder, but each one of his subcontractors.

I would recommend writing out a list of questions and offering your new home builders past clients a free meal. Offer to take them out to dinner, lunch or breakfast, this way you will have their undivided attention and get the low down on your potential future home builder, it could be the best money that you ever spent.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link San Diego Home Repairs

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Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Why Should You Install a New Bath Tub Surround?

Many homeowners are being forced to deal with costly bathroom remodels for their aging bathrooms. The major expense is incurred with bathtubs and their surrounding tile walls which have historically been the wall coverings of choice in bathrooms across the country. Although tile was a durable choice for the time, over the years it has cracked, rusted, and lost its nice shiny look. Besides, some people are still living with the ghastly color schemes, like pink and green, that were popular back in the '50s.

Homeowners now have quick, easy, and less expensive options to removing old tile, grout, and caulking. They can now purchase bathtub surrounds and liners and just cover over the problems. Surrounds come in a number of different colors and finishes, so you're sure to find something that will add a positive look to your dcor. They are made from the durable plastics acrylic and PVC and receive rigorous testing to make sure they won't crack under impact. They are guaranteed not to stain, chip, or crack during normal use.

You'll find it easy cleaning your new bathtub surround. That old hard-to-clean grout will be history. It will have been replaced by a smooth finish that wipes clean in a jiffy. There are even automatic shower cleaners on the market that claim that a couple of sprays a day are all it takes to keep your tub looking clean and new.

Another reason people are opting for tub surrounds is that they are so easy to install. You will find that home improvement stores carry a variety of surrounds that you'll be able to install in just one day. You'll only have to remove the faucets in order to slide the surround right over the existing surface. Replace the faucets and seal the edges with caulk, then all you have to do is let the caulk cure, and your bathroom will have a whole new look.

Using these wonderful new products saves a great deal of hassle for homeowners. You no longer have to do without a bathroom or share one with others for days on end in order to do a remodel. Besides, a tub surround is a much more cost-effective way to eliminate the eyesore of old tiles, and the installation process is both quick and easy for most do-it-yourselfers.

Even if you consider yourself mechanically challenged, you can hire a professional to install a tub surround for you. A company rep will come to your house and take measurements before ordering your surround direct from the manufacturing facility. Although it will take a couple of weeks for your installer to receive your custom surround, the installation will be super quick. Whether you install a surround yourself or hire a professional to do it for you, you'll be happy at the difference the bathtub surround can make in the overall look of your bathroom.

Visit us for more information on Premier Bath Tubs and refinishing a bathtub.

Fixing Ceiling Cracks - Home Repair Advice

It's not uncommon to find cracks in your plaster or drywall ceilings. It's not uncommon to find cracks in your wood ceilings either, but this article is about plaster or drywall ceilings that have small or large cracks in them and what actually causes the cracks and how you can repair them.

Believe it or not, most cracks in your ceilings and in your walls, on any drywall or plaster home interiors, are going to be the direct result of structural movement within the house. This could be from a small earthquake, the framing components are starting to shrink, as the lumber starts to dry it out or it could even be from your house settling. Larger cracks might signify problems with your foundation or even your soil.

If you have a large crack in your ceiling, and this would be something that you could stick a quarter into, you could have a structural problem and I would recommend contacting a home repair contractor in your area to evaluate your situation.

You realize that you have cracks in your ceilings and they're not very big, how do you repair them. The easiest way would be to apply a paintable caulking into the cracks and repaint the area. This could save you some frustration in the future, especially if the crack starts to become larger.

The best way to fix the crack, would be to apply some fiberglass drywall tape and then apply a standard drywall joint compound to finish the ceiling correctly. If your ceiling has acoustic or wall texture, you will need to reapply to finish over these areas to match your existing ceiling correctly.

If you have hairline cracks, I wouldn't even worry about them, unless they become larger. However, you could always apply a little bit of caulking and repaint them.

I would like to remind you something that I already said before in this article, if the cracks are larger than the width of a quarter, you might want to contact a building professional. You could have some serious structural damage occurring in your foundation or framing.

Ceiling Repair Advice and Tips

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Reliable Home Repair Contractors

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Green Bathroom Renovation on a Budget

As the global economy reels, and foreclosure rates continue to set new records across the country, more Americans are using green bathroom renovation to save water and energy use as well as a reduction in sewage and gas production. Contrary to the belief by some that green remodeling is expensive. The initial cost may be expensive, but the savings in water and energy bills are immediate and the benefits, lasting. Here are tips on how to create your next eco-friendly bathroom on a budget.

Save money by installing a low-flush toilet
Think of this this dirty estimate. According to the EPA, about 4.8 billion gallons of water are flushed down the toilet every day. To break it down for your share of the billions of water going down the drain everyday, American Water Works Association, an average household uses 20-28 gallons per day just to flush the toilet. Therefore, toilets are the singular and most important way that water goes down the drain. That's why in 1999 the Energy Act, mandated residential toilets to use only 1.6 gallons of water per flush compared to 3.5-5 gallons of water per flush toilets. Cut back by installing an ultra-low-flush toilet.

Dual-Flush Toilets save water bills
As the name implies dual flush toilets offer two types of flushing modes, one mode for number one and the other mode for number two. One of the modes uses only 0 .8 - 1.1 gallons of water per flush.

Save water bills by installing low-flow shower heads
The next water guzzler after toilets and washing machines, are showers heads. By installing new low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators homeowners are reducing their consumption by as much as 50%. In addition and equally important is that the cost of the energy that is used in heating the water is also reduced. Reduction in water use benefits the environment and puts quite some green in your wallet.

Be thankful for a tank-less water heater
Here are reasons to be thankful for tank-less water heater after your eco-friendly remodeling.
1. Tank-less water heaters never run out of hot water- you save energy because of not losing heat in the water tank.
2. Immediate and constant flow of hot water
3. Low energy use means low carbon emissions.
4. Besides energy efficiency, tank-less water heaters take up less space, are easy to maintain, and more convenient to operate.

Use skylights or compact fluorescent lighting
Indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. By installing skylights, you enjoy the twin benefits of fresh air and huge savings on energy bills. There are also available today, varieties of electric bulbs or compact fluorescent bulbs that save money and the environment.

Use recycled or recyclable materials
The complaint used to be that recycled and recyclable floor materials or even counter-tops are not available. Bathtub refinishing for instance, saves beautiful antiques, bathtubs and counter-tops from ending up at the landfills. Additionally, bathtub refinishing is about 20% of the cost of tub replacement.

Get greener cleaners
Now that you've taken the time to renovate your bathroom in the most eco-friendly way available, with the resources available to you, don't undermine your environmental gains by using cleaning products containing VOC's. We recommend that after your green remodeling, that your indoor-air quality by using non-toxic organic soaps and cleaners.

Wilson Uche Ukah, is the President of Refinishing Stars, a bathtub refinishing company serving the bathtub reglazing needs of homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Refinishing Stars, refinishes bathtubs, sinks, and countertops for hotels and motels nationwide. He writes regularly on green remodeling. Wilson can be reached at http://www.refinishingstars.com or sales@refinishingstars.com

What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

This is one of the biggest problems in business today. You have some work done on your home in good faith that the contractor knows what he is doing. When all is said and done you have a problem that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I really don't care how long it has been since the work was done. If you have a problem the least that your contractor can do is answer the telephone.

Some companies go out of business and others get to busy to respond to your problem. You will hear the old excuse "That's not my problem" or the ever popular " I didn't do that". I have been in business for over twenty years and had very few problems. Of course I built things to last as long as possible.

Keep in mind that some contractors are a one man operation and they might be on vacation. Some contractors do not answer their phones over the week ends or after business hours. So don't sink the ship to fast.

Do not call the Contractors Licensing Board or the Better Business Bureau unless it has been at least a few working days. I would give it at least a week or so. Oh yeah don't assume that the contractor got your message. Call a few times at the least.

It has always made me mad when I have to fix someone else's problems. I get the call when the other contractors won't respond. I listen to the home owner with regret for being in a business where I am considered a crook. This is one of the reasons why contractors in my business get out of it.

If you have the contractors address and they aren't responding by phone you can always send them a letter by certified mail. Request a return receipt. That's your proof that the company received your letter. Keep a copy for your files.

The good news for a home owner when a contractor will not respond to your calling them is the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most states have a complaint department of some sort that will listen to your complaints. Does this mean it will get resolved? NO there are no guarantees here.

If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.

This will get your contractors attention and there is a great chance they will respond now. If there are enough complaints against the contractor and they do nothing about them the contractors board will take their license away.

If your contractor does not respond after all of this. There is very little you can do about it. Hire someone to fix the problem and look at it as a very important lesson learned.

If your state doesn't have a contractors licensing board contact the Better Business Bureau or your local government for their recommendation. Ask some of your friends if they have had any problems like this and how they handled them.

For some more tips about hiring contractors go to
http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm

Greg Vandenberge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

Framing Your Wood Shower Pan

Whether you live in a home that has a bathtub or a shower, there is a good chance that structural framing could be damaged if there was any water leaking around the plumbing fixtures. The damage should be repaired before framing your pan.

If you're replacing a bathtub and installing a new shower this is going to require constructing a wood shower pan. Now building a wood pan will require a level floor surface, shower damn and blocking.

Now let's start with building the shower damn. You're probably wondering what is a shower damn and what does it have to do with the wood shower pan. The shower damn is actually the area you climb over when entering into the shower. This part of the shower pan enables the water to flow off a shower curtain or door into the shower pan and down the drain.

The shower damn needs to be at the least 6 inches tall and would be best if it was at least 8 inches. You can use a 4 x 6 or a 4 x 8 for the wood shower damn.

Next we need to block the perimeter of the pan area in the wall framing that we will use for our shower walls also. These blocks should be at least 12 inches high. This would require using 2 x 12 lumber for blocking.

After you block the perimeter of the shower pan and installed the shower damn you are ready to have to shower water proffed with a process known as hot mopping the shower pan or using a vinyl liner.

Well I hope this gives you a better idea of what's involved when framing shower pans during the house framing process.

Greg Vanden Berge has been building and remodeling for over 30 years and his information has proven valuable to most contractors and homeowners all over the world. He usually tries to write at least two articles a day on home improvement or remodeling problems.

Greg is in the process right now of working on a home inspection website that will revolutionize the home inspection business. He is also working on a book to help homeowners and contractors as well as other home related professions in dealing with the home inspection process.

You can visit the home inspection website currently under construction at Home Inspection Help