Architectural Designs

where can I find home design ideas (exterior)? I have a site of land which I have just been told I can build on. Before I go to see an architect to draw up plans etc I want to bring some pictures and ideas of what I'd like (something rural -uk) home design magazines are really expensive so i wondered if there are any good websites with home design images? I only ever seem to find interior ideas. Thanks

What is a good interior&exterior home design magazine? My hubby & I are buying a "fixer-upper" home. What's a good magazine for ideas on both interior & exterior design (including landscaping, decks, construction, architecture, styles, flooring, kitchens, baths, etc....)?

Where can I find Home design ideas/photos? My husband and I are building a home and I am a very visual person. I am wondering if anyone can recommend any magazines, websites, etc. that I can go to to get ideas about kitchen designs, bathrooms, colours, exteriors styles, etc. We already have the house plan but I need to see ideas of interior designs and exterior finishes. Thanks (o:

Is There An Internet Site For Amateur Home/Apartment Design? I'm seeking an internet site (free) that can help me to design homes (exterior and interior) as a fun hobby, as well as perhaps playing with design ideas to remodel the 3 unit apartment building which I am co-owner of. As a teenager and in my early 20s, I used to draw out sketches of home designs for fun. I'd spend hours on them, I found it to be so interesting and creative. I hope there is an internet site where I could do the same thing but in much better detail. Thanks for any help. Have a great day/evening!

What are some great websites where I can look at log home exteriors and interiors for my future home in NC? -Interiors -Exteriors -Ideas -Design WEBSITE PHOTOS! thanks

Do you have any ideas on what houses might be like in the future? I've got a brief in graphics due soon in which I have to design a futuristic concept home taking into consideration what our needs will be in the future. But I only have to design the exterior. I also have to keep in mind that I have to make a model of it! Do you have any ideas for designs? Coz I just can't think of anything!

I want ultra modern interior and exterior design for my new house. Where can I get it? My wife and I plan to buy a new house as soon as possible. We want to have solar powered utilities in our new home. Additionally, we want our interior design to be ultra modern, packed with the latest electronics, and other cool gadgets. Equally, if not more important, is the interior DECOR that is of the ultra modern style - something out of a James Bond movie or a Star Trek movie, although we know that these movies are rather dated. But, hopefully you get the idea of what we desire, despite my ancient examples. I hope that maybe Bill Gates or someone like him can offer suggestions, although I know that someone like him would not give me the time of day. However, I hope that the Yahoo! Answers Community might have some helpful suggestions. As a specialist in computer systems technology, I am painfully aware that computer systems are nearly obsolete almost as soon as they are put on the market. But, no worries, we can always upgrade our electronics at our whim. So, we are open to suggestions. 10 points for best answer, and annoyance with contempt for any smart @$$ or otherwise annoying answers. Thank you.

architecture design major for college good idea and a bit confused bout the different designs in architecture? i'm going to syracuse university in sept this year. and was wondering if i should go for architecture, because i always like to design houses, both inside and out. including the garden even. so i was wondering if architectural design is something i should get into, i learned a bit about how to make blue prints and model homes in high school. but not much. but from what i know of architectural design, i like it. and my parents also agree. but there are many different categories of architecture design like interior design and exterior design and what not, i'm a bit confused. so if anyone can help me, i'll really appreciated it. thanks alot

Architectural Design help? I have to design a home that is basically a one story, 90 feet by 20 feet rectangle with the 90 feet side being where the front of the house is located.. I have a plot and floor plan but have no idea what I want to do with the exterior of the house. Could you show some homes (in links, pictures, etc.) that would be similar to the standards on my design? Preferably a modern/contemporary design. Thanks :)

Is it possible to have a garage under a garage? I'm designing a home and I'm very much in love with it. There is one problem though. Right now it only has a two car garage and when I try to make it bigger, it doesnt look right on the exterior. I am wondering if there is anyway possible to have another garage under the two car garage? The land would slope down to allow for a second single garage door under there. Is that possible or feasible? I imagine it can be done but how costly is that? Any ideas would help

Company logo design help? I need to design a logo for an individual business (i'm not gettin paid 4 this) and the owner of the business said he just wants me to come up with the design and i cant get him to give me any ideas of what he wants... So i was wondering if i could get help on ideas??? It is a remodeling/home repair business he dose practically everything! You name it... Flooring tiling painting kitchen bath any interior or exterior work imaginable decks additions fixes to foundation etc..... the list goes on and on. So what would be good for a logo for a place that does all this? best idea will get a vote from me and 10 pts =)

Help on business names!!!!!!? I need a cool business name for interior and exterior painting and remodeling. The guy' name who has the business is David H if that helps with ideas. i dont really want anything humorous or cheesy. just professional but not too long like Innovated Home Design Professionals. it doesnt seem to flow that well and most people would probably forget the name anyways. please help! thanks!!! luv ya guys!

where can i find multifamily houseplans? i want a two(or three lvl with basement) home on one side and two (or three w/ bsmt) apts on the other. i have found this one http://www.familyhomeplans.com/plan_details.cfm?PlanNumber=65530&src=search that i love!!!!!! or would it be better to purchase a single multiplex plan like this http://www.familyhomeplans.com/plan_details.cfm?PlanNumber=49816&src=search and a single family plan like this http://www.familyhomeplans.com/plan_details.cfm?PlanNumber=49327&src=search and combine them obviously any plan i get would be modified to my choice of exterior design and the layout would be altered obviously i would purchase the reproducible sets anyone have any other ideas? i know of the legalities, concerning code for example, i am just looking for houseplans. please give as many as you can whoever gives the most sites will get the 10 points!!!!!!!!! thank you. wow! thanks for the site floorplanner.com now i can see in3-d what my floor plans would look like

Is there a website that allows me to create a home? I'm wanting to begin the planning for my home and I was wondering if there was a site that allowed me to: -build the house from the ground up -customize the exterior and interior of the house -use all building codes as a pre-requisite -design the surrounding area outside of the house -along with maybe even setting furniture in place All for free, or a reasonable amount. I'd like to be able to get a better idea of just what I'm looking for and the amount of money that I will be looking at spending.

Need advice on building a doll house sized Victorian home? I have two weeks to finish building, painting, and adding furniture to my structure. It'll count as my final grade in Interior Design. It has two floors which will have one room on bottom and one on top. I began to paint the top floor walls striped with purple and black paint and am not happy with the result. Any ideas on how I can fix that little problem, and also how I can make my house look more Victorian? Color schemes? Wall decorations? Something I can use on my walls, floors, ceilings, and exterior other than paint? Thank you so much in advance!

I earned 859 points in one day? would you go in the worlds tallest tower? I want to get to a level 7, normally i work hard for what i want. I got 859 points in one day! by the way The world's tallest building has been opened with a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828m (2,716ft) high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101. Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi. Last month, Abu Dhabi gave Dubai a handout of $10bn (£6.13bn) to help it pay off its debts. Construction of the Burj Dubai began in 2004, at the height of an economic boom. Clad in 28,000 glass panels, the tower has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq m of space for offices and flats. This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man Sheikh Mohammed The tower also lays claim to the highest occupied floor, the tallest service lift, and the world's highest observation deck - on the 124th floor. The world's highest mosque and swimming pool will meanwhile be located on the 158th and 76th floors. Technical challenges The opening ceremony, held 1,325 days after excavation work started, was attended by some 6,000 guests. Though not complete on the inside, it was officially opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Burj Dubai The Burj Dubai dwarfs its neighbouring buildings In a surprise move he renamed it Burj Khalifa - after the president of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan. Sheikh Mohammed described the tower as "the tallest building ever created by the hand of man". "This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man. Today I inaugurate Burj Khalifa," he said. Sheikh Mohammed also unveiled a plaque inside the tower bearing the new name. A dramatic fireworks and lights show took place around the tower while a screen displayed its exact height, which had previously been kept secret. At 828m, Burj Khalifa dwarfs the 508m Taipei 101 and the 629m KVLY-TV mast in the US, the tallest man-made structure. Its spire can been seen 95km (60 miles) away. "We weren't sure how high we could go," said Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building's structural engineer. "It was kind of an exploration... a learning experience." Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, told the BBC that the building's design had posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was close to a geological fault line. "We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it," he said. BURJ KHALIFA IN NUMBERS Man stands on Burj Dubai observation deck 95: distance in km at which its spire can be seen 504: rise in metres of its main service lift 57: number of lifts 49: number of office floors 1,044: number of residential apartments 900: length in feet of the fountain at the foot of the tower, the world's tallest performing fountain 28,261: number of glass cladding panels on the exterior of the tower In pictures: Building the Burj Khalifa Tower: facts and figures The design incorporates ideas from traditional Islamic architecture, while the open petals of a desert flower were the inspiration for the tower's base. Burj Khalifa will be home to 1,044 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and eventually a 160-room Armani-branded hotel. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower, which is part of a 500-acre development. However, investors are facing losses even before the tower is completed because property prices in Dubai have slumped amid the global economic crisis. Some apartments were selling for $2,700 per sq ft, but are now going for less than half that. Analysts say it will be particularly hard to lease office space because few companies can justify paying premiums for luxury. The BBC's Malcolm Borthwick in Dubai says developers are holding back on new flagship projects, so Burj Khalifa could mark the end of an era for skyscrapers in the Gulf - at least in the short term.

Do you think they should make towers this tall? half a mile up in the sky? the way The world's tallest building has been opened with a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828m (2,716ft) high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101. Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi. Last month, Abu Dhabi gave Dubai a handout of $10bn (£6.13bn) to help it pay off its debts. Construction of the Burj Dubai began in 2004, at the height of an economic boom. Clad in 28,000 glass panels, the tower has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq m of space for offices and flats. This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man Sheikh Mohammed The tower also lays claim to the highest occupied floor, the tallest service lift, and the world's highest observation deck - on the 124th floor. The world's highest mosque and swimming pool will meanwhile be located on the 158th and 76th floors. Technical challenges The opening ceremony, held 1,325 days after excavation work started, was attended by some 6,000 guests. Though not complete on the inside, it was officially opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Burj Dubai The Burj Dubai dwarfs its neighbouring buildings In a surprise move he renamed it Burj Khalifa - after the president of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan. Sheikh Mohammed described the tower as "the tallest building ever created by the hand of man". "This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man. Today I inaugurate Burj Khalifa," he said. Sheikh Mohammed also unveiled a plaque inside the tower bearing the new name. A dramatic fireworks and lights show took place around the tower while a screen displayed its exact height, which had previously been kept secret. At 828m, Burj Khalifa dwarfs the 508m Taipei 101 and the 629m KVLY-TV mast in the US, the tallest man-made structure. Its spire can been seen 95km (60 miles) away. "We weren't sure how high we could go," said Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building's structural engineer. "It was kind of an exploration... a learning experience." Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, told the BBC that the building's design had posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was close to a geological fault line. "We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it," he said. BURJ KHALIFA IN NUMBERS Man stands on Burj Dubai observation deck 95: distance in km at which its spire can be seen 504: rise in metres of its main service lift 57: number of lifts 49: number of office floors 1,044: number of residential apartments 900: length in feet of the fountain at the foot of the tower, the world's tallest performing fountain 28,261: number of glass cladding panels on the exterior of the tower In pictures: Building the Burj Khalifa Tower: facts and figures The design incorporates ideas from traditional Islamic architecture, while the open petals of a desert flower were the inspiration for the tower's base. Burj Khalifa will be home to 1,044 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and eventually a 160-room Armani-branded hotel. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower, which is part of a 500-acre development. However, investors are facing losses even before the tower is completed because property prices in Dubai have slumped amid the global economic crisis. Some apartments were selling for $2,700 per sq ft, but are now going for less than half that. Analysts say it will be particularly hard to lease office space because few companies can justify paying premiums for luxury. The BBC's Malcolm Borthwick in Dubai says developers are holding back on new flagship projects, so Burj Khalifa could mark the end of an era for skyscrapers in the Gulf - at least in the short term. * 5 hours ago * - 4 days left to answer.

Would this building survive a earthquake.? by the way The world's tallest building has been opened with a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828m (2,716ft) high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101. Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi. Last month, Abu Dhabi gave Dubai a handout of $10bn (£6.13bn) to help it pay off its debts. Construction of the Burj Dubai began in 2004, at the height of an economic boom. Clad in 28,000 glass panels, the tower has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq m of space for offices and flats. This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man Sheikh Mohammed The tower also lays claim to the highest occupied floor, the tallest service lift, and the world's highest observation deck - on the 124th floor. The world's highest mosque and swimming pool will meanwhile be located on the 158th and 76th floors. Technical challenges The opening ceremony, held 1,325 days after excavation work started, was attended by some 6,000 guests. Though not complete on the inside, it was officially opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Burj Dubai The Burj Dubai dwarfs its neighbouring buildings In a surprise move he renamed it Burj Khalifa - after the president of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan. Sheikh Mohammed described the tower as "the tallest building ever created by the hand of man". "This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man. Today I inaugurate Burj Khalifa," he said. Sheikh Mohammed also unveiled a plaque inside the tower bearing the new name. A dramatic fireworks and lights show took place around the tower while a screen displayed its exact height, which had previously been kept secret. At 828m, Burj Khalifa dwarfs the 508m Taipei 101 and the 629m KVLY-TV mast in the US, the tallest man-made structure. Its spire can been seen 95km (60 miles) away. "We weren't sure how high we could go," said Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building's structural engineer. "It was kind of an exploration... a learning experience." Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, told the BBC that the building's design had posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was close to a geological fault line. "We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it," he said. BURJ KHALIFA IN NUMBERS Man stands on Burj Dubai observation deck 95: distance in km at which its spire can be seen 504: rise in metres of its main service lift 57: number of lifts 49: number of office floors 1,044: number of residential apartments 900: length in feet of the fountain at the foot of the tower, the world's tallest performing fountain 28,261: number of glass cladding panels on the exterior of the tower In pictures: Building the Burj Khalifa Tower: facts and figures The design incorporates ideas from traditional Islamic architecture, while the open petals of a desert flower were the inspiration for the tower's base. Burj Khalifa will be home to 1,044 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and eventually a 160-room Armani-branded hotel. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower, which is part of a 500-acre development. However, investors are facing losses even before the tower is completed because property prices in Dubai have slumped amid the global economic crisis. Some apartments were selling for $2,700 per sq ft, but are now going for less than half that. Analysts say it will be particularly hard to lease office space because few companies can justify paying premiums for luxury. The BBC's Malcolm Borthwick in Dubai says developers are holding back on new flagship projects, so Burj Khalifa could mark the end of an era for skyscrapers in the Gulf - at least in the short term.

would this building survive a earthquake.? by the way The world's tallest building has been opened with a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828m (2,716ft) high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101. Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi. Last month, Abu Dhabi gave Dubai a handout of $10bn (£6.13bn) to help it pay off its debts. Construction of the Burj Dubai began in 2004, at the height of an economic boom. Clad in 28,000 glass panels, the tower has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq m of space for offices and flats. This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man Sheikh Mohammed The tower also lays claim to the highest occupied floor, the tallest service lift, and the world's highest observation deck - on the 124th floor. The world's highest mosque and swimming pool will meanwhile be located on the 158th and 76th floors. Technical challenges The opening ceremony, held 1,325 days after excavation work started, was attended by some 6,000 guests. Though not complete on the inside, it was officially opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Burj Dubai The Burj Dubai dwarfs its neighbouring buildings In a surprise move he renamed it Burj Khalifa - after the president of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan. Sheikh Mohammed described the tower as "the tallest building ever created by the hand of man". "This great project deserves to carry the name of a great man. Today I inaugurate Burj Khalifa," he said. Sheikh Mohammed also unveiled a plaque inside the tower bearing the new name. A dramatic fireworks and lights show took place around the tower while a screen displayed its exact height, which had previously been kept secret. At 828m, Burj Khalifa dwarfs the 508m Taipei 101 and the 629m KVLY-TV mast in the US, the tallest man-made structure. Its spire can been seen 95km (60 miles) away. "We weren't sure how high we could go," said Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building's structural engineer. "It was kind of an exploration... a learning experience." Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, told the BBC that the building's design had posed unprecedented technical and logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was close to a geological fault line. "We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were building. The results have been good and I salute the designers and professionals who helped build it," he said. BURJ KHALIFA IN NUMBERS Man stands on Burj Dubai observation deck 95: distance in km at which its spire can be seen 504: rise in metres of its main service lift 57: number of lifts 49: number of office floors 1,044: number of residential apartments 900: length in feet of the fountain at the foot of the tower, the world's tallest performing fountain 28,261: number of glass cladding panels on the exterior of the tower In pictures: Building the Burj Khalifa Tower: facts and figures The design incorporates ideas from traditional Islamic architecture, while the open petals of a desert flower were the inspiration for the tower's base. Burj Khalifa will be home to 1,044 luxury apartments, 49 floors of offices and eventually a 160-room Armani-branded hotel. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower, which is part of a 500-acre development. However, investors are facing losses even before the tower is completed because property prices in Dubai have slumped amid the global economic crisis. Some apartments were selling for $2,700 per sq ft, but are now going for less than half that. Analysts say it will be particularly hard to lease office space because few companies can justify paying premiums for luxury. The BBC's Malcolm Borthwick in Dubai says developers are holding back on new flagship projects, so Burj Khalifa could mark the end of an era for skyscrapers in the Gulf - at least in the short term.

are there any interesting benefits to building a fractal antenna for a home multichannel receiver? I recently read about the boost in the overall ability of cell phones by the addition of fractal antennas.I am currently building an exterior fractal antenna and i am planning on using my pioneer multichannel receiver's radio antenna for the medium and then of course connecting it to the receiver itself .Aside from the possible boost in station reception and clarity - are there any other interesting signals that i may be able to tap into or receive and if so does it make any difference which fractal design i use ? - even with the standard antenna i have now i pick up overhead air traffic quite easily Also , recently i have been receiving a very strange noise that i have never heard before periodically and irregularly over the A.M. frequency - the sound is exactly like the sound a wooden door makes when opened on a squeaky hinge - its a medium rage sound and is very reminiscent of the typical "haunted house door " noise.Another sound that is very regular in its tempo is a sound that , to me , sounds like something scanning the area. these sounds have just recently started and have never been manifested before so i have no idea what it could be.

my friends mad at me what do i do? for a school project we have to design our dream home. We have to draw the exterior and interior of the house. afterwards you buy floors and piant for your rrom. then you shop for any extars you want. Me and my two other friends,julie and maya, went to this paint store called sherman williams so we could get paint samples for the project. My friend that is currently mad at me, paige, we didnt invite her because she lost her cell phone and she has softball everyday. Plus she doesnt have a home phone so we had no way in contacting her.The next morning at school i told her we went to sherman williams and she got all upset. She told me she felt left out. I told her i was sorry and i could take her there tonite but she just got adutude and siad my mom can take me. SHe icnored ME the entire school day but she didnt icnor my julie and maya. It wasnt even my idea to go, it was julies idea. I told julie paige was pissed off and that she was only icnoring me and julie got all mad at paige because its not our fault she couldnt go. Any advice

Insulation and wall sizes for a house? Im taking high-school architecture, and we need to find out the proper wall size and insulation amount for the homes we are designing. I am lost on how much insulation I need. Im planning to "build" the house somewhere in the mid-northeast to the chicago area. In that sort of climate, how much insulation will I need? What size walls for exterior and interior? If you can help, dont hesitate to send an email, I really need some advice here. Note: I am going here because my teacher is a deadbeat. His idea of "teaching" is giving us a topic to research. Not once has he gotten up in front of the class and instructed. He refuses to answer even the simplest of questions. do NOT tell me to "ask my teacher"

How can I figure out what to do with the rest of my life, and how to choose a college? I'm a person that is really into art. My mom's all getting up and looking up colleges for Graphics/Logo Design for me (since I spend a lot of time on the computer). but my problem is It's not something I'm all to interested in. I was thinking of something along the lines of animating, but I don't know how much patience I'd have for extended animating projects, or how much money that would really actually make. And I wouldn't know how to go about finding jobs either. Anouther thing that gets me is although I'm better at drawing then the average person I'm still not that great at it. Something I'd really love to get into is voice acting because its fun to do, but again I'd have no clue how to go about finding jobs, and I'm very timid around others (Which I really want to get over, but I don't know how) So I just pretty much have no clue what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I just need ideas on how to get started on knowing. When you go into a college do you like have to know for sure what you want to do or your doomed? What if you start out with one major, but then you decide you weren't interested in it, would changing it cost you more money? What are minors good for? How do you search for a college? I'd actually want to go to an actual college because I don't want to be stuck at home all day long, but my mom is like "find an online college" and she like freaks at $10,000 and it seems the colleges I know about are like $20,000 Things I know for sure that I don't want to be are like a docter, dentist, vet, lawyer, fire fighter, police, interior designer, exterior designer, landscaper, teacher, writer, I know there's more but those are off the top of my head.

How much do you these this cost? We will be moving pretty soon-well looking into moving. And I am thinking on getting a small house, maybe for 100k? Or even less than that, but also decent enough to begin with. My plan is-is to get a small decent home, with all the basic needs, but renovate everything from every room, to the exterior to modernize it. This will be a permanent move in, and my family has moved 3 times now so we have a pretty basic and decent experience on houses. I am trying to figure out our renovation budget. . . how much do you think these cost each? (a reasonable estimate) 1. http://www.trendir.com/house-design/crockett-residence-1.jpg (let's say we upgraded the whole exterior of the house to look something like this...not exactly, but with the same central idea...) 2. http://cipageran.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/floating-staircase-01.jpg if we A. install it ourselves or**** B. have someone install it for us I'm not the buyer of the house :D -my parents are, but I am trying to help them with the plans, and only a teen, so I don't have much knowledge on estimates. -thank you in advance!

What do you think of the opening chapter to the novel I'm writing? It was one of those days where everything felt brand new, Alan Kinsley had told himself. It had rained nonstop the day before, with one band of rain after another moving through the northern panhandle region of Florida. It had been windy and nasty for nearly twenty-four hours, when finally, the skies cleared and made way for abundant sunshine. Alan was standing in his backyard, coffee mug in one hand, a menthol cigarette in the other, admiring Mother Nature at her finest. The sky seemed bluer than usual, without a single cloud dotting its huge canvas. Everything seemed cleaner, having been thoroughly washed by yesterday’s downpours. Taking a drag off the cigarette, Alan noted the debris scattered around the yard. Dead limbs laid everywhere, having dangled precariously for weeks from their respective trees before succumbing to the constant onslaught of wind. One large branch in particular was hanging over the power line connecting his house to the main pole out front. The limb wasn’t large enough to be overly concerned with, after all, the power company designed those cables with a certain amount of strength, but Alan didn’t like the idea of climbing up a ladder and removing the branch himself. That’s what the power company’s Hotline was for. He made a mental note to give them a call as he finished his coffee. He had never been comfortable with electricity. Not to the point of refusing electrical service to his home, but if the only available job was that of an electrician, he would simply have to starve. The thought of being electrocuted made his hands tremble, and whenever he had to change out a light bulb, he would only do so if everyone in the house went outside, preventing anyone from turning the light switch on while his hands where so close to the socket. His doctor had diagnosed him with a mild case of electrophobia, but Alan shrugged it off, deciding that it wasn’t so bad to have one irrational fear. Making his way around to the front of the house, Alan heard the sound of a vehicle coming down the dirt road. It was Ole Man Benson, driving his old Jeep Cherokee, slowly maneuvering around the potholes and washouts created by yesterday’s weather. Alan met him at the beginning of his driveway, offering a nod and smile. “Mornin, Mister Benson. Beautiful day, ain’t it?” Mister Benson was wearing his usual getup; dark blue slacks and a white buttoned-down shirt. As the air was a bit chilly, he had also donned a blue windbreaker. “God damn roads,” he said angrily, “gonna tear this car all to pieces before it’s over with.” He handed a newspaper to Alan, who took it and stepped back to give the vehicle a once-over. It was a mid-nineties Cherokee that had certainly seen better days. The metallic blue paint, having dulled over the years, was heavily caked with mud. “Oh, I’m sure Mike and Eddie will hit the roads with the tractors first thing in the morning.” Alan said as he leaned into the passenger side window. The Jeep’s interior wasn’t in any better shape than the exterior, but instead of mud, the dashboard and upholstery were covered in reddish-gray dust, no doubt from the same dirt roads Mister Benson traversed everyday on his paper route. “Any damage to your place?” He asked as he looked past Alan. “Nah, just some limbs down, nothing major. Gonna call the power company in a minute to have ‘em pull a branch off my line. How ‘bout your place?” Mister Benson had a small singlewide mobile home on three acres just a few roads down. He’d been living alone since his wife passed away two years ago, and Alan made it a point to swing by once a week to check on him. “Just a few limbs,” Mister Benson said. “I’m payin that kid next door five dollars to pick em up.” Alan nodded with a smile. “Alright, thanks for the paper.” He held up his copy of the Sunday Times. “Don’t forget, we’re havin a cookout this weekend. My wife is makin her peach cobbler.” Mister Benson mulled this over for a moment, and then nodded. “Wouldn’t wanna miss that.” He said matter-of-factly, “I’ll be there.” The Jeep lurched forward and led Mister Benson down the road to finish his paper route, and Alan made his way back to the house. He came in through the laundry room, and then made his way into the kitchen to put his empty coffee mug into the sink and the newspaper on the breakfast table. Denise, Alan’s wife of 13 years, was talking to her mother on the telephone. They did that every Sunday morning, rain or shine, and Alan smiled and offered a wink as he walked past her to check on his kids. Denise smiled back, giving a wink of her own, but didn’t skip a conversational beat. Denise was short and pretty. She had long golden brown hair that hung down in loose waves. Her eyes were hazel colored and her lips were full. She had been prom queen in high school, and had committed herself to a daily workout routine to maintain her figure over the years. She was very fit, physically and mentally, and Ala Thanks for the answers, everyone. I especially love the critisism some of you gave me. I totally get what you're saying. Keep the comments coming, please!