Help U Build Articles

Kitchen Design - The Famous Triangle

Kitchen - the triangle: has always been an important element of a kitchen’s design and functionality.
The Triangle or “work triangle” is defined by the National Kitchen and Bath Association as an imaginary straight line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the cooktop, to the center of the refrigerator and finally back to the sink.
The NKBA suggests these guidelines for work triangles:
1. The sum of the work triangle’s three sides should not exceed 26 feet, and each leg should measure between 4 and 9 feet.
2. The work triangle should not cut through an island or peninsula by more than 12 inches.
3. If the kitchen has only one sink, it should be placed between or across from the cooking surface, preparation area, or refrigerator.
4. No major traffic patterns should cross through the triangle.
As kitchens grow in size, and feature more than three workspaces, the regular work triangle isn't always practical. And in many households today, two or more people share cooking duties. Because of these issues, it is up to the designer to be creative and with experience to identify flaws and making the most out of any remodel area.
As more effort and thought you will invest into your kitchen as more satisfied you will be when it's completed.

5:12 am pdt

Going Green on your Kitchen Remodel

There are many products today claim to be green. By definition a "green" product can mean a lot of different things. Some products are directly helping the environment, while others do help in different ways. Naturally going green when remodeling kitchen cabinets is not the first thing you might think of, but it is something to keep in mind.

HUB kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities have been developed to offer the consumer a cost effective option for furnishing a kitchen or bathroom. These products also help the green movement by consuming less space during transit time and they use almost all of the natural resource, while leaving minimal waste at the end of the assembly. Consuming less space may not seem like a significant contribution, but it adds up. In the shipping industry, size counts for space. All HUB products like HUB kitchen cabinets are shipped in small, almost flat boxes, thus taking up a much smaller footprint on a cargo ship.
Our kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities use real wood fronts or faces and paneled wood sides. These paneled sides make up the waste that is found after the products are manufactured. .

6:24 am pst

Kitchen Remodeling Tips

Kitchen is one of the most popular rooms to remodel. Kitchen is also costly and difficult to renovate. We all have our dream kitchen in mind but are held back due to money, time, family disruption or it is just seem to complicated. If you follow certain kitchen remodeling tips all your heldbacks can be solved. 1.Layout: Assess the space you have in which your new kitchen will be installed. 2. Count your existing cabinets. Map out how you want to move around the room. 3. Make a list of everything in each of the drawers, cabinets, shelves and hooks. 4. Find out what type of countertop, flooring, appliances do you want in your kitchen. 5. Should the walls be painted, plastered, any walls removals?. 6. Make a list of sink options that you prefer. Make a list of appliances that you want. Choose the décor style of your dreams. There are various styles like French Country, Tuscan and English Countryside etc. These styles can help you in selecting the appliances and cabinet. Find out what is your budget. Appliances may take 25% of your budget. Cabinets make take 50% of the budget. Only 25% is left, in that countertops may take 10% and labor charges may comprise of 15%. If you choose your appliances first, you’ll be able to calculate what the rest of the project may cost and so you can make alterations according to that. You can look at a variety of appliances in big box stores or visit a local appliance dealer.

Before buying any appliance find out their details in depth. By comparing two different brands you will be able to select the best appliance for your house. One of the important features is the Energy star. It will help you find out how energy efficient each appliance is. Big box dealers usually have limited options. But in terms of cost they provide the best deal.

Here in Help U Build we can help you with all your questionns and will provide youe you with free consultationk about the quality of each appliance, design and customization, solid woods and trims. From lower to higher end, these cabinet showrooms offer design services in addition to the cabinetry. Among all the countertops granite is considered the best due to its durability and range of colors and patterns. Formica is least expensive because it can resist heat, scratching, and chipping. Other solid surfaces like Silestone, Quartzite and Corian are considered durable and heat resistant.

6:07 am pst

Tankless water heater is it worth it?

Hot water heating accounts for about 20% (or more) of the average North American household’s annual energy costs. With energy prices rising day by day it is becoming important to take a closer look at where the money is going.

The average yearly cost for a conventional gas or electric storage hot water heater is approximately $600 for a 1300sq.ft. 4 member family home. It lowers or increases depending on how many people live in the house and on their particular water usage habits.

Conventional hot water heaters store water and maintain the water temperature to the temperature setting on the tank - usually between 120° and 140° F. That means keeping water hot even when you do not need it - while you are at work; while you are sleeping; while you are away on holidays.

These “standby” losses represent 20% to 30% of a household’s annual water heating costs.

Another thing that annoys all of us, is waiting for the water to heat up because someone took a bath before us. The tank of a conventional water heater has limited amount of hot water. After that is used you have to wait for the tank to get hot again.

Throughout the rest of the world, where energy costs have consistently been higher than in North America, different methods of heating water are common.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters began appearing in the United States and Canada about 25 years ago but have been used in Europe for the last 50 years.

Unlike "conventional" tank water heaters, tankless water heaters heat water only as it is used or when you open the hot water. Opening a hot water faucet ignites the powerful burners and the computer monitors the water temperature and adjusts the burners according to the need. High demand, high heat. Low demand, low heat.

Because the efficiency rate of tankless water heaters is about 20% higher, averaging around 90% and going up to 96% and there is no stand by losses, savings on your utilities are evident.

Some models can be mounted on the exterior of a home, freeing up valuable floor and closet space on the inside. The unit can be placed in a recessed box, flush-mounted and painted or textured to match the exterior of the home.

Tankless water heaters can also be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or snow melting systems, or to meet all your hot water needs. Schedule a free inspection and a tankless water heater free estimate.

2:53 pm pdt

Before Remodeling your kitchen consider lighting

Planning to remodel your home? Don't know where to start?

Two of the most popular rooms to target are often the kitchen and the bathroom. These are both high traffic areas of the home, and can become subject to wear and tear that starts to show earlier that in other parts of the house.

While cabinet and counter space or accommodating more modern appliances is usually a big part of the reason why people want to renovate their kitchens, it is important to also remember that kitchen lighting has a lot to do with the look and feel of the room.

While building homes, many contractors simply include the basic overhead lighting fixtures that will provide general light in the kitchen. Every once in a while, a builder will get creative and also include some under cabinet lights or accent lights.

But for the most part, the lighting in a home’s kitchen is not given much creative thought. For those that look at their kitchens as more than just places to cook and clean, a remodeling project can provide the perfect opportunity to breathe some much needed life into this highly utilized room.

Kitchen lighting comes in many different shapes and sizes, and the style and fixture types that are right for you depend mostly on what kind of kitchen you have and what you are hoping to be able to accomplish with the lighting. Before you start selecting fixtures and cutting holes in your ceiling, take some time to assess your kitchen. Is it open or closed?

Are the ceilings high or relatively low? Is the kitchen also doubling as an office space or dining room? Is the current décor light or dark in tone? Answering these questions will put you in a good position to know what you need both functionally and stylistically.

Help U Build will design your kitchen or bathroom professionally and satisfactory for your needs.

5:41 am pdt

2010.03.01 | 2009.09.01 | 2009.08.01 | 2008.08.01

Want to know more? Questions or comments? Get in touch with us at:
Toll Free 1-888-482-2003