Make Your Own Unique House Plan to Suit Your Lifestyle Perfectly

Under any economic conditions, buying a home is a huge investment which you hope will serve you well for many years to come. In today's market, it's become difficult to justify the prices in a market that's in a state of flux. It's hard to know if the home's value will rise or fall, so many people are waiting it out, until the market stabilizes. That lovely four bedroom with the gourmet kitchen, a fireplace and a pool is so attractive. You know you'd love living there, but your pocketbook might also take a big hit a couple of years from now. One alternate solution that's growing in popularity is buying land and building your own home.

When you think about it, it's rare to find a home that perfectly matches your lifestyle. So it now becomes natural to start thinking outside the box. There are inexpensive software packages that allow you to design your own unique house plans, right on your PC. This type of software is lots of fun. Just think of the possibilities. Every person and family has their own unique lifestyle. With an existing home, perhaps you love the gourmet kitchen feature, but don't really need all of the particular featured bells and whistles on offer. Maybe you'd like to have an Italian brick oven and can forego the pastry center. The existing home has a giant island, but you don't really need that much space and would rather use some of that space for a kitchen desk station. Designing your unique house plans lets you have what you want.

Let's say you're older, and the kids have left home, so you no longer need all the space. All you really need is one bedroom and one bath. It's very difficult to find such a home in the existing home market. However, you can have a truly modern, unique house plan that fills the bill. Design it yourself. Maybe you've always wanted a library room, but raising a family requires bedroom space that makes it impossible to indulge yourself that way. Now you can. You can design your library adjacent to your bedroom or living room, with French doors which may be open or closed to the adjacent living space. Build an atrium off the bathroom with a tropical garden and spa getaway.

Unique house plans let you plan your rooms to suit just the way you live. You can design a two way fireplace which opens onto the living room on one side and your bedroom on the other. Nothing's off the table! Design your kitchen so that it opens on to a sunroof with solar panels for entertaining and relaxing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing House Plans

Purchasing home plans before building a home can be extremely stressful, after all you're spending a great deal of money and it's a big decision which will impact your family life. You want to make the right decision so the home plan you purchase needs to be given a great deal of consideration.

To save yourself some time as well as some stress plan ahead so that you know what you're looking for and which elements are the most important to you. Here are some questions that you should consider before you even look at any house plans:

How many bedrooms do you need? Will there be enough rooms if your family expands? How many full bathrooms and how many half bathrooms would you like? Do you need space for a den, home office, or hobby area? Where do you currently spend the most time while you are at home? How and where do you like to entertain? Do you prefer a large eat in kitchen or do you prefer a formal dining room? Does your family enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors? If so, you will want to look for home plans with patios, decks, or porches. What are some of the extra features that you like in a home? Cathedral ceilings, fireplaces, bay windows, skylights, and open floor plans are all elements to consider. Where do you prefer the laundry room to be located? Some homes have laundry in the basement while others have it on the 1st or 2nd floor. Do you need a lot of storage space? What size and style of a garage does your family need? Options include a detached garage, one-car garage, two-car garage, three-car garage, workshop area in the garage, or a carport. How many levels do you want in your home? For example, one-story, two-story, or split level. What architectural style of home do you prefer? Styles include A-frame, bungalow, Cape Cod, colonial, cottage, and log home, just to name a few. Do you already have a lot purchased? If you do then you will want to examine the existing homes in the area to help determine which architectural style will fit best. The lot will also help to determine the size of a house which will fit on the land. If you do not have a lot yet then knowing which home plans you want to use will help you to choose the right size and type of lot. One of the biggest questions, of course, is what is the budget? You can dream big but can you afford it? A small house plan will cost much less to build than a big luxury house plan and a small house plan can still include much of what you're looking for.

When you have the answers to these questions and a list of the most important elements for you in a home it will help you to narrow down your search from the vast amount of house plans there are to choose from. Being really specific about what you're looking for is good but remember that the more particular you are the more significantly the number of plans you find will be impacted. We recommend that you review a number of different house plans before determining which home plans to buy.

Home Space Saving Tips

If you live in a small apartment or are planning to downsize the perception of space is very important. There are a number of tips to save space as well as ideas on how to make a room look larger. Practically speaking, we want to place everything where we need it to be and hidden until we need it. Let's have a look at a number of tips to improve the usage of space in your home.

Start by deciding what is really needed in each room. This cleansing process is actually quite therapeutic and helps remove any un-necessary objects. Be decisive - if it can be removed then remove it - it will ultimately assist your goal of creating more space. By a rule of thumb, if you can see the floor the room will look more spacious immediately. Don't block hallways with wide furniture or accessories. Choose tall pieces of furniture for hallways to free up space. Decorate using a soft and light colour scheme. By choosing subtle blues and greens it makes the room feel open and airy. Choose room decorative pieces in the same colour family. Soft, cool or warm colours give rooms a more open look. Ideally furniture and wall colours should be coordinated to blend space rather than breaking up space with contrasting colours. Light makes a room larger so take advantage of natural light where possible. Open up windows and remove any heavy linings or curtains. If natural light is limited, implement artificial lighting such as lamps to open up areas of the room. Take advantage of see through materials to open up elements of a room. Consider using glass as a table top for a living room table to reduce the breaking up of space. Add a decorative mirror to add an enlarging effect to the room. Mirrors are also great for emphasising and spreading light. Instead of adding several small pieces of furniture or storage areas add in fewer but larger pieces to avoid small areas looking cluttered. Choose versatile furniture - decorative & practical for storage. Furniture which offers hanging spaces or drawers are perfect for storage. Does your bed have adequate storage possibilities underneath? Consider a space saving bed to transform & increase space significantly by lifting your bed into the ceiling.

By following these guidelines it should allow you to refine your home into a comfortable, relaxing & more spacious place to live.

Using Natural Light to Create the Illusion of Space in a Conservatory

The conservatory is a very conducive area for creating the illusion of space. This glass room lets in light from most angles, including the whole ceiling and so has the abilities to create the illusion of space somewhat perfected. However, creating the illusion of space in the room can be aided even more-so with a few simple tips.

Colours Simply put, light colours reflect light whereas dark ones manage to absorb it and so the latter creates the appearance of less space. Though white is the lightest of colours it can often look cold. Preferentially, use pale shades and light colours to create that inviting roomy feeling in your conservatory.

Furniture Choosing the correct furniture for the conservatory is of utmost importance and can really make your conservatory appear far more spacious. Multifunctional furniture can increase storage and decrease the clutter in your room.

When you do place furniture in the conservatory, put it in the edges of the room, as this keeps the space open and means it isn't broken up. Of course, the furniture should also fit the size of the room and shouldn't overpower the space in any shape or form.

Flooring Lighter coloured flooring, whether it be tiles, or stone will also create the impression of space and light. This flooring tends to reflect light, as all lighter coloured surfaces do.

Blinds Blinds are essential for conservatories as they keep in heat during those long cold nights. However, be sure to pick light coloured curtains, blinds, or even wooden ones if you wish. These create a sense of lightness and are conducive to a roomier conservatory.

Lighting For conservatories, allowing natural lighting in is not really a problem and so creates the appearance of more room than there is. However, the sun doesn't shine day and night. Up-lighters often take up very little space in conservatories and make for a warm feel. Wall lighting can also be great for conservatories - use the maximum wattage possible.

Conservatories often have few reflective surfaces as they are made of glass, with a back wall often made of brick. Ceiling fans can provide an out of the way lighting source when a light is added to them. Halogen lighting works best here as it's brightest. If you don't require a fan, use halogen based pendant lighting, or a multi-arm tungsten pendant light. Table lamps and floor lamps add light, but also clutter, so choose carefully.

Mirrors Reflective surfaces and mirrors work well in the conservatory, particularly against the side of the wall of the home the building is attached to. These will reflect light coming in from all angles and also create the impression of even more light than there is.

People should also try and avoid placing such clutter on this wall, as it often reduces the sizing of the room. One large picture is usually enough. Placing a number of small pictures beside each other creates the impression of clutter and will most certainly make the room appear smaller.

Know About Building Regulations for Conservatories

Conservatories can add a lot of space to your home - essentially acting like another room. But you must ask yourself, what are the building regulations they must adhere to and are they different in any manner from other buildings?

Generally, conservatories are outside of building regulations, however there are certain exemption requirements and criteria they must meet to be classified as exempt under building regulations from 1991. These are:

• Conservatories have to be built on ground level. • Conservatories must be less than 30 square metres in floor area. If they are any larger than that they will be subject to planning permission rules. However, this is still a good size for a conservatory, and in our opinion shouldn't impact significantly. • Of this new structure, over half of it must form the external boundary, or the outside walls which must be made of glass. Over 75 per cent of the roof area must be covered in either polycarbonate, or glass. • For the building to be classed as a conservatory, it must be separated from the home by a door that is considered an external door. This can be patio doors, or also French doors. • It is not recommended to place a conservatory in a location where it would disable access for ladders into the home in case of an emergency.

If you wish to build a structure that will link the conservatory to the home, it will be subject to planning permission and need building regulations approval. The conservatory itself will be an exempt building, though this access area will not.

You will need permission if:

• You're building within 2m of the boundary line, or if the conservatory will be over 4m in height. • The conservatory building takes up over half of your garden. • Planning development rights have been removed from the building. • The conservatory is under 20m from the road, or a public foot path • Permission may be required if it's a Grade II listed building. Furthermore, it may require a wooden conservatory with a glass roof.

By following the above you should be sure you will adhere to any building permission, or regulations approval your new extension may be subject to. A conservatory is a great way to expand your home, and not having to worry about the approval of building regulation can be a great benefit.

In any case, it would be wise to contact your local council for any specific regulations. Currently, about 60 per cent of conservatories built require planning permission.

Contractor: 3 Questions to Ask Before Hiring

As you consider a contractor for your next project, you want certain information before proceeding. Some homeowners look at this as a type of interview before hiring the person. This is completely acceptable as this is your home and you want to make sure that you are choosing someone that is going to be able to carry out your vision. Here are three questions to ask before taking the next step.

What experience do you have?

One of the reasons that you are not handling your own home improvement project could be your lack of experience with the materials and workers necessary to complete the job. So when you hire a contractor you want to make sure your home is in good hands. Ask about his or her previous experience. How long has he been a contractor? Has he completed this type of project before? Does he consider himself an expert in any one area of home improvement? The answers to these questions can help you learn more about this person and his experience.

Can you itemize your bid?

Sometimes when you request an estimate or bid, you get a general amount that the job will cost. While this is helpful, you really want to know the expense for each portion of the work. It should also include a cost of materials. With an itemized bid, if you need to cut costs, you can look through the estimate and see what you can handle on your own or remove from the job. In some cases, it may be financially beneficial to provide your own materials. Look over the bid carefully and take a look at each piece of the project.

Do you have references?

Pictures of previous projects are a great way to see the work that a contractor is capable of however hearing from a previous customer can make a huge difference. You don't want to have the project completed to your standards that was a hassle at every turn. The reason you are hiring a contractor is to make sure that the stress and burden of the job do not rest on you. Ask to see letters of recommendation or see if they have contact information for previous clients. While this may not always be available, it will give you some peace of mind.

Any changes made to your home are important. Whether you are expanding your space or taking on a kitchen remodel, contractors should make the process easier. Don't be afraid to ask for an estimate or bid upfront along with a meeting about the work. You can ask these questions and get a better idea of who you are hiring and what he or she is capable of.

Planting Your Green Thumb With Home Plan Designs

New homes and developments are continuously being added into the picture of various areas. However, conscious buyers are not only looking at developments but are also questioning how this changes and impacts the environment. If you want to change your approach to living, then looking at green home designs allows you to get the perfect approach to building and buying a new home. There are a variety of alternatives that are available, all which allow you to find a structure that works with the environment while moving against the problems that are associated with this.

The green home designs that are a part of the lifestyles that you are associated with are combined with different structures and frameworks on the exterior. This is inclusive of ways to have natural energy, such as solar power, working with your home. There are also alternatives with the designs for easier access to other formats of power and the ability to save on water and other natural resources. The designs are developed to create a framework that is environmentally friendly, ranging from materials that are used to the overall layout.

Not only do the green homes offer a basic framework to assist with the energy that you use and the lifestyle you carry. The home plan designs combine with the interior area to develop more options for living. Many are adding in new formats with technology to create the right approach to living. The designs are inclusive of technology features that monitor how many resources you are using with water, electricity and other components. Others have designs that work with the interior to immediately cut back on these problems.

If you are looking at home plan designs for the interior, then you will be able to create and develop different alternatives for the design that you need. The approach that you can take should combine the natural structure with the technology that is available. You will want to combine this with various alternatives that are associated with the materials that are used and the structure developed. Each of these contributes to the ideas of green that are used for the structure you are building.

If you are searching for a different option with designs and home planning, then developing environmentally friendly alternatives allows you to create the perfect approach. This helps you to keep the environment in mind with the area that you are living in. This is combined with different options and perspectives that are used to ensure that you are able to create a living environment that works with the idea of being friendly toward the needs of natural resources.

Going Green With Your Home

The new trends that are a part of lifestyle needs are combined with planning with the environment in mind. If you are looking for new options for your home, then considering home plans allows you to tap into your green side while finding new ways to save on energy and contribute to the environment. There are a variety of alternatives that are available for your home, all which allow you to change the way you work with the environment while keeping comfort within your home.

The home plans that are available are based on sustainability that is required for the environment. This begins with finding simple solutions to save on water as well as on the electricity in your home. Adding in technological solutions as well as changing gadgets and plans in your home alters the way that you are able to live. The main approach and goal is to save while you are in your home while offering more to the environment and saving in your home.

Not only do the plans allow you to create the perfect option with the indoors. If you want even more with the environment of your home, then you can look at affordable green house plans. This allows you to have the plants and food that interests you most in your backyard. You can find smaller or larger plans that are available. Whether you are interested in growing flowers or adding in edible foods is the ability to create the perfect space for everything you are interested in growing.

The affordable green house plans that are available are inclusive of smaller or larger areas that are either attached to your home or which come as separate buildings for your home. These are combined with different shapes and sizes that help to compliment the architecture of your home. You can find different roof areas and designs, all which allow you to use the natural sunlight in various ways. The interior of the plans combine with this to contribute water and to help with the growth of anything green for the environment.

If you are interested in different alternatives for your home that contribute to the environment, then looking at various plans can help you to change the way you live. Looking at green house plans as well as options for your home can help you to make small changes that make a large contribution to the environment. By doing this, you will easily be able to develop the specific options required for your home while moving forward with new environmental approaches for living.

Choosing Between Floor or Roof Insulation

Having insulation for your home is incredibly important, and a very important way to ensure that you minimize your carbon footprint and your energy bill at the end of each month. Insulation basically refers to any material used in a property to trap heat and to keep it in the building. If you have insulation in your floor for instance then this will prevent the hot air from escaping. At the same time this simultaneously prevents the cold air from getting in to your property. You also get insulation in wall cavities and other parts of properties.

Insulation in the roof or floor is particularly important however because it will prevent the warm air from escaping through the top of your home. This is an important precaution as anyone with a little bit of scientific knowledge should remember that heat rises to areas of lower pressure. If you don't have insulation then your heat will simply fill the house, and then rise up and out of the home into the night...

Another reason that roof or floor insulation is so important is that it can help to prevent the cold form effecting your property through the floor. It can prevent breezes getting in for instance, but at the same time it can also combat still water standing on the roof. If you get a lot of rain in a short amount of time on a flat roof, then this can sometimes pool on top of the roof, and this will then steel the heat energy from your property in order to be able to evaporate away again. This is also a problem with condensation.

There are many different kinds of insulation for your properties which you can use in order to protect your energy bill and keep the heat inside your building. These include some forms of insulation that effect the floor (on the underside) and some that effect the roof.

For instance, if you have a sloped roof then you are likely to have a large loft space between your top floor and the roof. This then gives you plenty of space where you can place insulation bats - large blocks of fiber glass and other materials that can prevent the heat from escaping through them.

On the other hand it is also possible to get roof insulation on the top of the roof. This can come in the form of coated tiles, or metal or other material added to the roof in such a way as to keep the warm air in and deflect the cold.

Insulation bats here is your cheaper option and this is something you can often do yourself (unless you have a very small attic space and need a roofer). However, in some cases, you will need to use roof insulation instead - for instance if you have a flat roof with no real space for floor insulation, or if your property is prone to fire (because floor insulation is very flammable). If for instance you are using certain types of lighting in your floor, then this might get too hot to use insulation bats near.

Warehouse: Ensuring Efficiency With the Production Process

The main purpose of the warehouse is to have in place measures for addressing growing demands for company products. Warehouses play the role of a middleman between production and the consumer. They ensure an efficient transportation of goods from their point of origin to the consumers- with the lowest cost. Furthermore, they make it easy and faster for the company to ship and deliver goods to their destination. There are different types of warehouses including contract warehouses, private warehouses and public warehouses.

Choosing warehouses/retail stores carefully:

Investing in warehousing can prove challenging. Therefore, it is advisable for businesses to use efficient and effective logistics warehouses. This is borne to generate substantial cost savings. One of the factors to consider when choosing warehouses is the type of equipment used. The best logistic & distribution warehouses feature state-of-the-art technology and services which save on time and costs.

Having your own private store can also help your business in many ways. The location of the store is by far one of the most important factors to take into consideration when setting up the store. The location needs to be within the convenient reach of the consumer; always giving special attention to those using public utility vehicles. The choice of the stores or warehouses depends on the location. The facility should be located in an area were it can be readily accessed in order to facilitate transportation to different areas.

Furthermore, the store should be located in a safe place to avoid incurring additional costs in the form of stolen goods and higher insurance premiums. It is equally important to determine the type of products that will be accommodated in the store. This is important for purposes of choosing the materials that will be used in the construction of the shelves.

Keeping with advancements in inventory management:

Recent trends in retailing have necessitated warehousing-style retail stores. These high-ceiling buildings exhibit retail products on heavy duty racks rising to the top as opposed to conventional retail shelving. Items ready to be submitted into the sales chain are placed on the bottom rack while palletized or crated inventory is placed on the upper racks. Therefore, the same premise serves as a retail store and warehouse.

Warehousing plays an important role in ensuring efficiency with the production process. The inputs can be committed readily into the production process for storage. Therefore, a smooth transition is experienced from the input into the system and from the system to the warehouses again and finally to the consumer.

Gardening and Your Veranda

A little bit of imagination can really bring your veranda to life. Verandas are the perfect place for the addition of plants and with a little care, some resourcefulness and a pair of green hands you can really create a very attractive outdoor area.

Considerations The veranda is obviously a transition zone between the inside and outside, and is commonly roofed which restricts the light somewhat. However, there is a selection of vines and plants that can really compliment a veranda. Obviously, one of the other things to consider is the climate. Even if you have access to a veranda, certain countries are always going to have colder weather and so choosing hardier plants is advised.

When selecting plants, remember that the veranda is a living area and so plants may grow and become large and so will require a lot of pruning. This sort of plants would be inappropriate for a small veranda, and can also create problems for smaller plants. Avoid plants that shed a lot of their leaves and twigs as these have to be cleaned up after regularly.

How to Mind Plants Plants are usually grown in some sort of container on a veranda. In this case it is important to prevent the roots drying out. This can be done by ensuring containers are large, well-watered and plants are mulched heavily. Try covering the soil with a layer of gravel to ensure the moisture is retained.

Certain breeds of plants also are better suited to growing in pots and the addition of good quality potting soil is also advised.

Of course, plants in verandas should be well fed as nutrients are easily lost during the leaching process through the draining of water. Slow release fertilisers limit the amount of nutrition lost through leaching.

What Plants? Some plants are better suited than others to being placed on a veranda, and for those in the UK we would advise the use of hardier plants. Cacti, Asparagus Fern, Ivy, Mondo Grass, Roses, Bromeliads, Miniature Conifers and other forms of ferns often are ideal plants to display on a veranda, helping to bring the outdoors and indoors closer together.

Of course, the addition of potted flowers and plants in the summer is a great idea, creating an element of seasonality and colour to the veranda. These can look especially attractive on the edge of the veranda in hanging baskets. Once again, remember to consider how big you anticipate these plants to grow, as you won't want your view to be restricted.

Verandas can really add an element of colour, brightness and excitement to your home all year round and make the perfect place for relaxing, gardening and just living.

Making Home Construction Easy

The dream job with the six-figure income is finally in your grasp and it's time you moved out of your dumpy apartment and into the house you've always wanted. Only problem is, well, you've looked and looked but haven't found a house that is you. Yes, you've found nice houses but none of them were "the one." After a solid two months' looking, you decided you would just build your own house. You bought a nice lot and hired a good contractor but now you want to be sure that all your bases are covered. Well, there are a few tips you should remember as you talk with your contractor about the basics of your home construction.

Make sure you have the builders put in the right size doors for your garage. The last thing you need is to come home for the first time to find your Escalade doesn't fit in the garage. Along these lines, you will also want to be sure that you know how many cars you want your garage to accommodate before you have the building begin. Do you want a two-car garage or a three-car? Detached or attached? These are all considerations that you want to consider now, before the foundation is laid and it's too late.

Another home construction option to consider is a sink in your utility/laundry room. When the kids are coming in from playing pick-up soccer and their clothes are all muddy, it will be nice to have somewhere that they can dump their dirty socks and shoes without tracking dirt all through your house. An extra-deep sink is a good idea so that you can fill it with water to wash things or thoroughly clean different items. Just be sure that you have this included in the blueprints so your contractor can plan for the appropriate plumbing.

How many bathrooms do you want? It's a good idea to have a bathroom in the master bedroom and at least one bathroom for every two other bedrooms. Be sure to consider if you want a full bath downstairs for guests or if you want a half-bath in the foyer. Make sure that you have these decisions nailed down before foundation is laid - once that cement goes down, it's too late to make changes.

Consider how much of a backyard you want. It can be great to have the mansion you've always dreamed of but if your backyard is the size of a postage stamp, is the extra square feet in the house really worth it? It is if you don't plan to spend any time in the backyard but this is something you should think about while the blueprints are still in the design phase.

The number one consideration you want to make is whom you trust with your home construction. This is somewhere that you will, hopefully, live for a while. It is a dream. Do your research and hire a contractor who will listen to your concerns and will deliver a house that is everything you dreamed it would be.

Studio Apartments

Lack of space and costly rentals narrows our choice. The latest option is that of studio apartments. In fact, they are the most-sought-after things in the real estate world. One room wonder as they are called, a skilled display of color, artifact and utility furniture can make it the best place to live. Placement of furniture is the key and if you browse through the luxury home interior designs, you will find that the best one is all about smart allocation of space. Floor space can be covered well and hence it is best to keep it bare. When friends come over, you can use the oriental rugs or the folding chairs to get the best cozy effect.

You can use the flowery tones and create a good space with yellows or even the subtle blues. Keeping the cushions minimal, you can use a lot of whites or even pinks that instantly gives the illusion of space. If there is enough daylight coming into your room, you can have the best display of furniture. A bit of compromise is surely needed and you can do that with a coffee table instead of the lavish dinner table. A smart lamp and a few candles are enough to give you illumination when you need it. Use the windowsill as a showcase to keep your trinkets.

A bed close to the window and the wall is the ideal solution. You can use the same space for lounging, writing, reading and stay happy with minimal furniture that does not clutter your room. Use interesting bedspreads to give the happy feel around your home. Use a simple drape that has a single color and alternate it with contrasting colors to make an elegant choice. Racks are also the best way you can store your clothes. A special corner has to be set for the kitchen but nothing lavish. It is good to use a have a chimney so that the room is always fresh and free of any smell.

Though you may have a lot of trophies, photographs and artifacts and value them as sentimental pieces, it is best to not clutter the room. Perhaps you can keep rotating the same for a better look each time. Use minimal gadgets and a wall mounted LCD screen is the best idea. There is no real reason to demarcate it as a living room section or a bedroom or a kitchen. Since you can organize things well, you can have a homogeneous effect with wood and the color white. A final word here is to keep off the clutter so that your room always looks welcome and warm.

5 Things You Can Learn About Marketing From Your Plumber

Most of us would be more inclined to call a plumber about a backed-up drain than we would for marketing advice, but maybe that shouldn't necessarily be the case. When we recently got a chance to do some business web design work for a local plumbing company, we saw firsthand that they know a thing or two about finding and attracting new customers - online or off.

Granted, they might not think of themselves as marketing masters, but we noticed that they have a toolbox full of ideas and tactics that could work well for almost any business. And when was the last time you heard of a great plumbing company going out of business?

To see what we mean, here are five great lessons you can learn about marketing from a good plumber:

1. Names and reputations matter. On the one hand, our plumbing client used a distinctive business name the people tend to remember. On the other, they've developed a reputation for being trustworthy and affordable. If you can combine something memorable with a strong sense of value in a customer's mind, it's going to do good things for your marketing results.

2. You have to clean out a lot of "gunk" before you can get to the "good." Bad websites and marketing materials are like clogged garbage disposals - you have to clear out the crud before you can fix a problem. If you have too many long, pointless pages, ancient logos, or bad stock photos on a website or brochure, they'll have to go before in order to get your marketing efforts flowing smoothly.

3. If you help someone in crisis, you've earned a loyal customer. Every single day this particular plumbing company talks to a new customer who's facing a crisis (toilets that won't flush, sinks that won't stop running, etc.) sometimes in the middle of the night. If they show up quickly, act like professionals, and solve the problem, they've earned a loyal customer who will remember them forever. Everyone should follow their example.

4. It's okay to branch out, if you know what you're doing. Along with plumbing, this company added air conditioning repair and installation to their mix of services. Isn't this supposed to be the age of specialization? It is, but you can branch out over time - and be profitable doing it - if customers know you are competent and your prices are fair. Learn to spot natural opportunities for your business to expand and don't be afraid to explore them.

5. When you're marketing, it isn't just to new customers. Our plumber didn't just want a website that was all about sales - there are areas for potential employees, vendors, and even property maintenance supervisors. Obviously, most marketing efforts are focused on attracting new buyers, but keep in mind that your messages are also going out to existing customers, potential employees, and even your competitors. Remember this, and tailor your messages appropriately.

Your plumber might not brag about his marketing knowledge, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. Follow these tips and make the best of what they know start working for you.