Perfect Time for Home Remodeling and Renovation

kitchen remodel
Due to the slow recovery of the economy and housing market in Arizona, many people are unable to move from their homes or invest in other properties.

Despite its many drawbacks, this economic slump provides an amazing opportunity for homeowners to invest in their homes, enhance their standard of living, and prepare for the return of the housing market! Here’s a look at why now is the time for a kitchen, bathroom, or home renovation:

Affordable Financing

Low interest rates for home equity loans are making it easier than ever to begin a home renovation project. You can easily find a home equity line of credit for as low as 3% from banks and lenders who are eager to do business with you.

When the market starts to improve, you can expect the cost of financing your home, kitchen, or bath renovation to increase, making now the perfect time to start turning your house into the home of your dreams.

Low Cost of Materials

The cost of many raw materials used in the renovation process is lower because of limited construction and development. Working with a general contractor now could mean that these savings are passed on to you in the form of a more affordable remodel.

Opportunity to Prepare for the Future

The housing market in the Tucson area has historically been very competitive, so it’s only a matter of time before it bounces back. Investing in a home renovation project now will provide you with a huge return on investment once the market starts to pick up again.

Improved Standard of Living

Despite low home values, moving is impractical or impossible for many homeowners today. If you’re looking for a way to enhance the comfort of your living conditions without breaking the bank, home, kitchen, and bath renovations are the way to go.

The Vital Role of Kitchen Lighting

Does your kitchen feel dim and drab? Some well-placed kitchen lighting might be what you need to make it a more enjoyable, functional space in your home.

Renovate vs. Remodel: What’s the Difference and Which Is Right for You?

If you’re ready for a dramatic change in style and function, remodelling or renovating your home or apartment might be the way to go. Although the terms are used interchangeably, remodelling and renovating are actually two different processes.

Knowing the difference between the two will help you get what you want when working with your remodelling contractor. Here’s a look at the difference between remodelling and renovation:

The Differences Between Renovating and Remodelling

When people think of home remodelling or renovating, they often only focus on the end result—a beautiful kitchen or bathroom, new countertops and vanities, and so forth. However, everything that happens before the big reveal of a new room is what makes the difference between renovating and remodelling.

Depending on the amount of time you have, your budget, and your desire for change, you might be more interested in one option or the other.

Remodelling is typically a more in-depth process that involves removing or modifying architectural features of a room. Expanding your kitchen or bathroom, moving plumbing and fixtures, and altering a room’s layout are all examples of remodelling.

Renovating, on the other hand, only involves upgrading the contents or features of a room and doesn’t involve much structural change. Examples of renovating include installing new tile, upgrading fixtures, and updating cabinetry and appliances. 

In both cases you may need to rent a dumpster for renovation, depending how much construction debris you end of getting after all the work is done.

Determining What’s Right for You

As you can imagine, remodelling costs are usually higher than renovation costs because of the time and labor associated with structural changes to your home or apartment.

Remodelling also takes a lot longer, so you should plan on minimal kitchen or bathroom use for an extended period of time. However, remodelling offers homeowners greater control over the look and feel of their kitchen and other spaces, making the end result completely customized to their tastes and needs.

Updating the look of your home can not only improve your comfort levels but also increase the future resale value of your space.

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are the most profitable and popular of home renovation projects. To ensure you get the most out of your renovation project, make sure you appeal to future homebuyers by incorporating current design trends. Here are three popular kitchen and bath renovation trends in the Tucson area:

1. Bold Colors

If you’re looking to make a dramatic change in your kitchen or bathroom, then bold, bright colors are the way to go. Successful modern kitchen and bathroom renovations typically incorporate a blend of bright colors with a neutral backdrop. Perhaps you’ll accent your white walls with red cabinetry or incorporate a colorful tile backsplash to an otherwise tame kitchen. Just a bit of bright color will be enough to bring your kitchen or bathroom to life.

2. Bright Lighting

Show off your kitchen or bathroom renovation project with high-quality lighting. Great lighting will not only help to improve the functionality and comfort of your kitchen or bathroom, but can also give it a fresh look. Places to really emphasize lighting include counters, cabinets, food preparation surfaces, and vanities.

3. Quality Tile

Tile is a natural component of kitchen and bathroom renovations since it is durable, low maintenance, and waterproof. In addition to using tile to cover your floors, use tile on other surfaces to add a bit of personality to your kitchen and bathroom. Examples of great tile uses include vanities, countertops, backsplashes, and mirror frames.

Comparing MAC to Windows Operating Systems

windows systems
Acquiring a computer or a laptop can be a tough decision as both MAC and Windows have different pros and cons. In the end, it all boils down to the user preference and other devices owned. The software constantly used is also a major factor in selecting a PC.

For example, if you own a Surface tablet, or the other devices in your home have the Windows Operating System, then it might be convenient for you to continue using a Windows computer.

For people with Xbox One, Windows is also the preferred choice. On the other hand, if the majority of your devices are all Apple products such as iPads, Apple TV or AirPrint enabled printer, then a MAC computer will really fit well with these products.

Depends On The Purpose

For hardcore gamers, it is more preferable to stick to Windows, particularly because the user can adapt his or her own hardware to suit his specific needs. Which mean anybody with a Windows system can upgrade the graphics card if they wish to improve their gaming experience.

On the flip side, Windows is more vulnerable to malware and viruses. However, this doesn’t mean that MAC is completely immune from these two threats. The latter is just a less frequent target, all because Windows has so much of the market share that it becomes an easy target.

Pre-Installed Software

Whichever you choose, all computers come with loads of pre-installed software. For Windows, this bloatware can cause your computer to slow down. Because of this, it can be a major nuisance for non-tech savvy users.

As for MAC, they also have pre-installed software from Apple, but they will not slow the computer’s system down. So this might be a better option for people who only use computers for simple tasks.

Siri or Cortana

Running a virtual assistant on your computer is all the rage today. So if this is one of the features that you are looking for, both MAC and Windows computers have voice assistants. MAC has Siri, while Windows has Cortana.

While they can be helpful at times, they are generally used more on hand-held devices and people usually do not use them as much as they do on their smartphones. On top of this, only Windows 10 has a voice assistant. Other older versions of it do not have this feature.

Range of Use

The biggest difference between the two systems is really the hardware you might want to use. Apple computers are famed for their relatively golden standard, well-designed, and study computers, fit for daily use. But if you want a high-end MAC, then you need to shell out more money for it.

Windows by comparison, is definitely designed to work on a wide range of hardware. You see this at almost every Tech store nearby – every brand of computer uses Windows. This means if you have a limited budget, you can purchase a low-end Windows laptop.

However, there are also high-end hardware products like those sold by Dell and Sony. A computer running on Windows is typically used for intensive applications like if you want to build your own rig for online gaming at home. MAC, however, does not provide you with this option.

Most of the time, people select their computer based on the other existing devices they own. But setting your other devices aside, both MAC and Windows have evolved so many times over the years – to the point where there isn’t much rivalry between the two anymore.

Today, both systems are feature-congruent and most people would be fine to use either. If you have no issues using either, then your decision will depend on how much money you are willing to spend.

The Health Benefits Of Turmeric Curcumin Supplements

turmeric roots
While turmeric is typically associated with the flavoring and coloring of curry, it should be noted that this compound does have many other uses.

Medical research has found that turmeric can in fact be one of the most effective nutritional supplements currently available. Many individuals use this substance as a natural treatment for ailments providing benefits for both the brain and the body.

Of course, while it is the turmeric powder that is applied or utilized as the treatment for ailments, it is the curcumin compounds within the turmeric that provide the medicinal properties, as was discovered by scientists quite a while back.

Curcumin is the primary active ingredient in the turmeric powder and it operates as an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects as well. However the content of the curcumin compounds are not high within turmeric itself; therefore if you wish to experience the full benefits of the treatment, it is recommended that you use an extract of the turmeric containing high levels of curcumin. This article will discuss the health benefits of using such turmeric curcumin supplements.

1/ Anti-Inflammatory Compounds

As mentioned above the curcumin within turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is an important factor to consider when dealing with health issues, because it can be both beneficial and detrimental to recovery from medical conditions.

Short-term inflammation can help the body repair cell damage, but chronic or long-term inflammation can easily damage the body’s tissues for good. Unfortunately inflammation is now seen in the majority of chronic diseases and contributes to various degenerative effects in of the body.

Several published studies have shown that the potency of turmeric curcumin supplements is so powerful that they can compare to the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory medication. The key to this healing effect is that curcumin acts as a bioactive substance removing inflammation at a molecular level. This is beneficial as it helps in the reduction of swelling in the patient without the side effects of the usual anti-inflammatory medication.

2/ Increasing Antioxidant Capacity

One of the core mechanisms contributing to aging and several Western diseases is the so-called oxidative damage.

Oxidative damage involves the reaction of free radicals with organic substances, such as proteins or fatty acids. As an antioxidant, curcumin is able to neutralize the free radicals based on its chemical structure; thereby protecting the body against the activity by free radicals.

Furthermore, the curcumin supplement is able to boost the activity of antioxidant enzymes within the body. This improves stimulation of antioxidants in the body and prevents future interaction with free radicals.

3/ Improves Brain Functioning And Reduces Risk Of Brain Diseases

In previous years, it was thought that neurons were unable to divide and multiply except only within early childhood. But nowadays due to advanced technology and research, this belief has been removed and it is seen that neurons are able of multiplying but only in certain areas of the brain.

The primary driver of this process is known as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF – a type of growth hormone operating in the brain. Unfortunately individuals who suffer from brain disorders will see a reduction in the functioning of this hormone.

Turmeric curcumin supplements are beneficial in this area because they can increase the functioning of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor. By increasing levels of this hormone, a reversal of brain disorders can be seen and an improvement in brain functioning.

4/ Reduction Of Heart Disease Risks

One of the most common health conditions affecting people across the globe is heart disease. This illness has been studied for decades, but the disease remains complicated with several contributors to its cause.

While there are several treatments, including pharmaceutical medication, it is seen that curcumin can be beneficial to reverse steps in the disease process. The most beneficial aspect is the improvement in functioning of the blood vessels.

As you can see from above turmeric curcumin supplements can have numerous medical benefits to your health, and they should be added to your stack for a longer life.

Best Mobile Phones of 2013

Mobile phones are constantly evolving. At one time, people only used them to make calls, but now, consumers have access to lots of additional features. That evolution took a powerful leap forward in 2013. Companies unleashed some of their best offerings yet, giving consumers the chance to do more with their phones than ever before.

Nokia Lumia 1020

In previous years, experts did not think cell phones would ever be able to replace cameras. That changed when Nokia released the Lumia 1020. The phone comes with a 41 megapixel camera sensor. It also has optical image stabilization and super high-resolution zoom. On top of that, it has something called “lossless zoom.”

This feature allows users to zoom in on something after a shot and then reframe the image while maintaining the image’s original quality. The Nokia Lumia isn’t just about pictures, though. It also has voice-guided navigation, Microsoft Office and a maximum talk time of 12.5 hours in 3G. All of these features make it a solid choice for consumers.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is currently the best phone on the market for people who work and play outdoors. The phone is dust proof so users can work outside or go hiking without worrying about damaging the phone. The design also includes liquid protection. The protection is so powerful that users can actually snap pictures underwater.

Sticking with the outdoor theme, the touchscreen was designed to be used with or without gloves. This makes the phone perfect for all types of weather and all environments.

Motorola Moto X

The Motorola Moto X is a good option for people who like phones that offer a great deal of control and are easy to use. In regards to control, users can actually build their own Moto X phones using the Moto Maker website. They can use the site to choose colors and accents for their phones. They can also choose between 16G and 32G phones.

While 32 GB is the maximum internal storage Motorola offers for the phone, users can also store up to 65GB for free on Google Drive. When it comes to ease of use, owners can access the voice and hand control features provided by the phone. Users can set alarms, create notes and more with the sound of their voices. They do not have to touch the phone to activate the voice control. They simply have to speak the command and the phone will comply.

In regards to hand controls, users can activate the camera by simply twisting their wrists. Then, they can touch the screen to take a picture. It’s even easy to upgrade to the Motorola Moto X, thanks to the Motorola Migrate feature. This feature allows users to wirelessly transfer call histories, texts, videos, photos, music, and SIM contacts from the old cell phone to the Motorola Moto X.

At one time, Apple ruled and everyone else was rushing to catch up, but now, the hottest phones are Android devices. With companies like Nokia, Samsung and Motorola throwing their hats in the ring, the competition is steeper and the choices are more exciting than ever before.