Welcome to What's The Story Jerry, info and information about  baby boomers lifestyle, vacations, ladies swimsuits, look great in a new string bikini fashion, sexy women, lingerie clothing, bikinis, habits, jobs and ideas with other , baby boomer news and trends in family  and careers and middle age retiring . This older generation continues to keep open the discussion of rising health care costs and medical bills. the gens travel more frequent than their parents did and spend more of their income on leisure and traveling on vacations. In the opinions of many from New York City and New Jersey including all metropolitan areas of America, people want more answers and usually ask what's the story and is it made in America and Jerry searches for answers to these concerns. Our generation may be financial planning for retirement and most of the population has their own stories or your story showing reports of paying income taxes and interested in politics, voting and political candidates for elections. Many Americans take family vacations to Aruba, Caribbean and Florida to relax. Jerry’s travel tips and photos and information of  jazz musicians and events and bikini models that are sexy in the city wearing swimsuits. Also  construction photos, flowers, beaches, islands and photography to. food,
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Jerry’s Do It Yourself Help

Do It Yourself  Home Improvements Tips and Help

As a construction professional having close to 40 years experience in all phases of residential and commercial construction  I have acquired a vast understanding of remodeling and new construction methods and techniques. Doing and learning with hands on jobsite experience of remodeling, renovations, building and all trades involved in the building industry I have experienced the best and correct techniques for completing projects. Professional advice and help for the do it yourselfer giving information , tips and steps of instructions of how to do it right if you have the skills neede for carpentry, masonry, electrician, and plumbing skills. If you are searching for the correct way to approach home improvements and remodeling help follow the guides and installation advice supplied . Quality home improvements are an asset to your home and will build equity in your properties value .

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Retro, DIY and Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Today kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular of home improvements for remodelers and do it yourselfers. Updating your kitchen can vary in price from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars and designing choices are almost endless. On older kitchens and cabinetry you may be limited to space and have design limits as old house layouts had different priorities than the kitchens of today's trends. Many older homes had an eat in kitchen with smaller work spaces and limited counter surfaces for cooking, food prep and did not provide space for modern appliances. Remodeling a kitchen requires planning, designing and a budget of which all are equally important to complete the project. Do it yourselfers have the advantage of supplying their own labor stretch their dollars to increase the scope of remodeling. Many homeowners make the decision to update their kitchen when an appliance breaks or sink & faucet needs repair, replacement, or new replacement flooring installed. The reason this is usually the start of thinking of remodeling is because a choice must be made on the type of appliance, size, color and if the new one will match the older existing fixtures. This stage is when it is usually decided on starting a budget of how much is affordable for the appliances and improvements.

There are many inexpensive ways to update and refresh the look of older kitchen cabinets. One of the simplest and inexpensive ways is to simply change the cabinet door and drawer hardware style or change the backsplash area color. If the old kitchen cabinets are made of wood or plywood it should be possible to refinish the existing cabinets by stripping or sanding the old surfaces and adding trim to door fronts and painting or staining the new finish and adding new hardware. This is one of the best ways to giving your kitchen a new look on a low budget. If refinishing the old cabinets it is easier to modify or add some new cabinets in an island, peninsula or tall pantry storage cabinet. This is the perfect time to change the countertops to allow you to change the size and style of sink and faucet. Just installing new countertops will give the appearance of a major update and allow you new design and color choices to decorate around. Do it yourselfers may be capable to replace the old countertops or install ceramic tile on the old counter surface and backsplash area, this again gives new life to an older looking kitchen.

Another choice is to replace the kitchen cabinets and countertops totally. Limitations will be dependent on your dollar budget and will determine the quality and choice of materials used. Kitchen remodeling is also a favorite project for do it yourselfers and if installed correctly will give years of satisfaction to the family. Many choices will need to be made on items like new appliances, cabinet colors, wood type, style, countertop material, plastic laminate, ceramic, solid surface or granite tops and choosing the related materials as windows, treatments, flooring, lighting, and decorating accessories. One of the best ways to help in making choices is by visiting appliance stores, kitchen cabinet showrooms, plumbing supply stores and home centers. Don't be afraid to ask for help from salespeople and designers while visiting home improvement stores as this is normal procedure for these businesses. Sales people in this field understand that most customers visit their competition before deciding and the purchase is usually made after multiple visits to their showroom rather than on the first visit. The more educated you make yourself and information you collect, the better you will understand the value of your purchase.

Fall Outdoor Home, Garden and Tool Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

As fall and winter approach now is the time to maintain the exterior of your home, service & store outdoor power equipment and garden tools. Properly storing and maintaining these items in the fall will get you off to a quick start in the spring. Protective winter home maintenance will help your home withstand the forces of nature in the winter ahead. Whether you choose to do it yourself or hire a professional to perform the work, use the lists as a guide of tasks to perform.

House Exterior Winterizing Tips

• Inspect roofing and siding for damage, check flashings, clean out gutters and leaders and make sure they are secured properly and make sure splash block are in place for proper drainage.
• Test outdoor GFCI receptacles and check covers.
• Start and test generator power if you have one.
• Repair entrance or deck stairs
• Check weather stripping around entrance doors and garage doors.
• Check windows for operation and closure, caulk and paint, remove screens and store for winter.
• Install storm windows if you have them.
• Check fuel levels if you have oil heating and keep clear access for refueling.
• Turn off outdoor water faucets and remove hoses and drain.
• Trim tree branches close to gutter, roof or house so animals can’t enter at soffit area.
• Check outdoor light fixtures and replace bad lamps.
• Clean and cover out door air conditioning units. Remove window type a/c units or cover in place.
• Check fireplace chimney for obstructions or blockages.
• Clean/check kitchen and bathroom ventilation exhaust fans.
• Clean dryer vent and damper of lint and check operation.
• Clean outdoor gas grill and cover.
• Winterize sprinkler irrigation system.
• Winterize pool and ponds.

Garden Supplies and Tool Maintenance

• Clean hand tools (shovels, edger, rakes, hoe, etc) and apply a coat of light oil (or spray with WD40) to steel surfaces to prevent rust.
• Remove all water hoses & sprinklers, drain and store.
• Remove water and liquids from hand sprayers and power washers.
• Clean, sharpen and lubricate all cutters – hedge trimmers, pruners, loppers etc.
• Gas powered tools - clean, sharpen and lubricate, remove fuel or run to empty.
• Lawn mowers - sharpen blades, change engine oil, clean, lubricate and check air in tires, run till fuel empty.
• Store fertilizers and chemicals in a secure dry place and protect liquids from freezing. It’s best not to store dry fertilizers from season to season as they will clump up from moisture.
• Empty clay flower pots as they will crack in freezing temperatures.
• Take down and store hanging plants.
• Store wheel barrow upside down if kept outside.
• Clean and store outdoor furniture.
• Before bringing in houseplants check for rodents and insects.
• Clean out dead flowers and vegetable gardens.
• Start, test and run snow blowers for winters use.
• Check snow shovels and ice scrapers for use or replacement.

Qualified Home Remodelers & Builders

As a home owner looking to make improvements to your house - whether it be simple- carpentry, plumbing, electrical, masonry, painting, roofing, landscaping, or major home remodeling like building an addition, renovating kitchens or baths, building a deck, replacing windows or doors, new flooring, ceramic tile, or building a new house. i urge you to seek out qualified professional remodelers that can supply references and samples of their work. Price alone can not qualify a contractors ability to perform the quality of workmanship you are searching for. Your home is a large investment and you should have pride in the products you install into your home. For do it yourselfers - do not attempt a project larger than you can handle. An incomplete project or one that takes months or years to finish usually shows the signs of  poor workmanship & inexperience and will not be an asset to your homes value, but rather be a deterrent to buyers if you choose to sell your house. Home improvement tips & information will be added as received.

Home Remodeling Pictures  and Construction Photos

Hardwood Floors, Colors, Designs & Patterns

Hardwood floors have become very popular in recent years and different from the past, hardwood flooring has become a customized design statement rather than just an alternative type of flooring for ease of care. Older wood floors were traditionally of red or white oak and commonly 3" strip material and usually ¾" thick boards. Patterns were usually found in more expensive homes only and for the most part strip flooring was installed parallel with the length of the room. The older installed wood floors were nailed in place on site as raw lumber then rough sanded and then finish sanded with a walk behind flooring machine and the stain applied followed by a varnish or polyurethane coating which required regular paste waxing and buffing to maintain the sheen. Today's wood floors are usually of a prefinished board ranging in thickness from 3/8" to ¾". Many more species of woods are readily available in wood flooring at affordable prices making them very popular in home remodeling and new construction.

Choosing the type and color of wood flooring for your project is only half of the decision, the other half is selecting the style of board, board width and the direction which to install the strips or planks. Darker colors give the room a formal appearance and will define the room size visually, while lighter colors will give the appearance that the room is larger and allow other items in the room to stand out. Wood flooring species include red oak, white oak, ash, birch, maple, pine, cherry, walnut, teak, rosewood and other exotic woods which are more expensive and harder to find. Keep in mind that woods as teak, cherry and rosewood naturally darken with age and will be more prominent in areas exposed to daylight. The most common hardwood or softwood board widths are 21/2" - 3" strips, 4" to 7" planks, or smaller parquet style squares. The different board widths and the direction in which they are installed can dramatically affect the total appearance of the room by either highlighting the floor pattern or keeping color and patterns subtle. Along with those choices you may want to add patterns inlaid of different wood species, colors or different material such as ceramic tile to accent an area or border.

Installing the wood flooring diagonally makes a statement that it was installed professionally rather than just running boards parallel with walls which is the least expensive method of installation. By adding borders or different inlaid patterns is a way to express your personal touch to the room's décor. Using different colors of prefinished wood is the easiest way to add accents and details and by using the same brand of products in different colors will assure that matching width and thickness will be the same and professional looking. For borders consider using the main color around the perimeter walls 12" - !8" wide parallel with wall and miter the corners at 45 degree angles. Next install accent color wood strips at your choice of width parallel with base color and miter the corners also, after the accent color install the base color wood diagonally within this outline area. There are endless designs for inlaying custom wood floor patterns and accents. If the new wood floor is replacing carpeting there will be a noticeable difference in the loudness of sounds and echoes in that room and surrounding areas. It is common to lay down an area rug on top of the hardwood floor as a way to absorb sound making the room warmer, quieter and give a comfortable feel to the décor.

Maintaining and care of a wood floor is relatively easy. Refrain from using paste waxes or spray wax as these will cause a build up and promote yellowing on the surface finish, along with making it harder for future restoration coats of finish to adhere and be applied. The best way to clean finished wood floors is simply using a soft cloth or mop dampened with a mild ammonia and water mixture. Every couple of years, depending on wear and use, lightly sand the floor surface and apply a fresh coat of floor finish to restore the original look.

Learn how to do it yourself, DIY and find help looking at the remodeling pictures of countertops, home remodeling show you how to build yourself. A new kitchen remodeling and kitchens design and planning search for ideas for decorating around the house and garden for all your home projects. Beautiful designer kitchen and bath  guides showing building tips how to fix it bad plumbing learn carpentry from a  carpenter or repairs by a plumber choose new interior finishes from the photos from Baby Boomers houses. Jerrys illustrations and photo instructions of  Made in America tradesmen in construction showing renovations of this old house and replace kitchens. What's The Story,  Jerry shows all home improvement facts and tricks to hook up sinks,  faucets, toilets and step by step repair or replace damaged drywall. Custom cabinets, replacement windows or doors are part of the kitchen design, including appliances, basements, concrete work, sidewalks, gazebos, cabanas, additions, remodeling tips, painting, hardwood floors, flooring.