Alcohol Rehab: How Rehab Centers Help Addiction Recovery

Alcohol addiction is a serious disease. Not only can it tear a family apart and lead to financial ruin, it can also lead to the premature death of the alcoholic. Therefore, it is vital for person suffering from this disease to find help immediately. Without help, it is nearly impossible for a person with an alcohol addiction to recover and return to a normal, healthy life.

* Choosing the Right Alcohol Rehab Center

An alcohol rehab center is the best source for a person looking for assistance with addiction recovery. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the type of rehab center best suited to the individual's needs.

There are two forms of help a person with an alcohol addiction can receive from a rehab center: inpatient and outpatient. With inpatient treatment, the patient remains on the premises of the alcohol rehab center. Outpatient treatment, on the other hand, permits the individual to continue with his or her regular life while still reporting to the rehab center for assistance and guidance. The majority of alcohol rehab centers offer both forms of treatment.

* The Support of an Alcohol Rehab Center

Regardless of the type of program the person with an alcohol addiction follows, the basics of alcohol rehab remain the same. In all cases, the addiction and other difficulties the patient faces are kept confidential. In addition, the rehab center will also include five primary components: a medical evaluation, a psychological evaluation, therapy, detox, and extended care.

* The Medical Evaluation

The medical evaluation conducted by the alcohol rehab center is meant to help the staff identify any physical problems the person with an alcohol addiction may have. Often, these physical problems are actually caused by the alcohol addiction. Problems with the liver, for example, may have developed as a result of the addiction. After medical problems have been identified, the staff of the rehab center can work toward making the patient physically healthy once more.

Improving the patient's physical health is an important component of addiction recovery. This is because it takes a holistic approach to get an addict back on the road toward recovery. This includes taking care of the patient's physical, mental, and emotional health. Without this three-pronged approach, the patient is more likely to fail in the process of addiction recovery.

* The Psychological Evaluation

The psychological evaluation also provides the staff of the rehab center with volumes of important information about the patient. The psychological evaluation helps the team better understand the patient. In addition, the team of specialists can determine whether the person suffering from alcohol addiction is also struggling from certain psychological problems. For example, it is common for a person suffering from alcohol addiction to also suffer from depression. If this is the case, the program developed to assist the patient will also include a plan to address this issue.

* Therapy

Generally, an alcohol rehab center will provide both group and individual therapy to its patients. The group therapy is designed to give the person with an alcohol addiction support from others who are experiencing the same difficulties. Being able to share in the struggles with those who can truly understand often makes the process easier for a patient to deal with.

Nonetheless, individual counseling is also critical to addiction recovery. Having the opportunity to work one-on-one with a counselor helps the patient work through his or her own individual conflicts. Through individual therapy, the patient can come to terms with his or her addiction and work through ways to resolve it by setting individual goals.

* Detoxification

In addition the medical and physical evaluations, patients of alcohol rehab centers generally undergo a 24-hour medically supervised detoxification and withdrawal period. During this period, the patient is forced to go without alcohol. For many patients coping with alcohol addiction, this may be the longest time they have gone without alcohol in many years.

The detoxification period is difficult for the person suffering from alcohol addiction because it is accompanied by extreme withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms take their toll on the patient both physically and mentally. For this reason, an alcohol rehab center also provides close patient monitoring and assistance during this period.

* Extended Care

Extended care, which is also sometimes referred to as aftercare, is vital to the success of addiction recovery. Through an extended care program, the patient continues to receive support and assistance from the alcohol rehab center after being released from the more intensive alcohol rehab program.

Extended care programs are designed to help monitor the patient's success in alcohol addiction recovery. To do this appropriately, the program staff watch over the patient to be sure he or she is utilizing the new skills gained during rehab. For instance, the extended care specialist may work with the patient to be sure he or she is staying away from specific crowds of people that encourage drinking. Or, the extended care specialist may check to be sure the patient is utilizing appropriate resistance skills. Without a strong extended care program, it is easy for the patient to fall back into the cycle of abuse.

The California Rehab Guide. Lists and reviews drug rehab and alcohol rehab facilities, lawyers and interventionist and has articles on addiction recovery and addiction treatment.

Rehabilitation Of Injured Workers Boosts The Bottom Line

To most employers, Workers? Compensation insurance is a necessary evil. Not only a statutory requirement, it ensures that employees injured in the course of their work are taken care of. It can, however, be very costly, particularly for larger companies where the premium is based, in part, on claims experience.

Work accidents can never be completely prevented, however, with the implementation of safe work practices and a strong rehabilitation policy, the number of incidents and time lost will be significantly reduced. This will result in lower claims costs and, therefore, lower premiums. Productivity losses are also minimised with injured workers rehabilitated for a quick return to work.

An employee being injured on the job affects several parties.

? The injured worker and his family need to be reassured that
i. his medical needs will be attended to
and
ii. the family will not suffer financially.

? Colleagues and Workmates need to be reassured that the injured worker is being taken care of properly and that management is supportive. They also need to be kept updated on his progress and expected return to work.

? Supervisor/Immediate Boss needs to know worker is being looked after and also needs to take a proactive role in the rehabilitation process. This is done through close contact with the relevant rehabilitation and health professionals managing the case and the injured worker himself.

? Corporate Management needs to be kept apprised of the current situation; in particular, how the progress of claim and estimated cost will affect claims costs. Close contact with Workers? Compensation insurer will clarify this and ensure all parties are working together to achieve a successful outcome ?i.e.: returning the injured employee to work.

Apart from the obvious stress and strain on the employee?s own family, the insured business is placed under pressure when an employee is injured and at risk of suffering considerable financial loss as a result.

For example:

Jim works at the ?Crisp ?n Juicy? apple orchard. Crisp ?n Juicy supplies eating apples for the major supermarkets in the state and also has its own juicing centre at the orchard. From there, Crisp ?n Juicy Apple Juice is transported all over the country.

Jim?s job is to sort the apples according to size and type into eating apples and juicing apples. It?s a fairly specialised role and a keen eye is needed to select which are juicing apples and which are for eating. It is also fast-paced so Jim must be quick, efficient and precise. It took Jim years to reach his current level of proficiency; the only other person who can match him is Crisp ?n Juicy?s owner.

Just as work was finished for the day, Jim decided to pick up a crate of apples and place it next to the sorting bay ready for the next day. When he lifted it his back ?froze? and he found himself doubled up in pain. Jim?s boss, Tony drove him to the hospital where it was confirmed he had a slipped disc in his back. Jim was certified unfit for work and kept in hospital for a few days.

Tony visited him in hospital the next day, bringing claim forms for Jim to complete and reassuring him that he would be looked after. An appointment was also scheduled with Crisp ?n Juicy?s Rehabilitation Provider for when Jim was released from hospital.

Meanwhile, back at the orchard?

Bill, the owner of Crisp ?n Juicy, has ceased his outside commitments with potential export market representatives so that he can replace Jim at the sorting bay. He knows that to train somebody new would take weeks, if not months.

Bottom line? Crisp ?n Juicy is losing money every day Jim is not at work.

Two weeks have passed and Jim is moving more freely after an intensive physiotherapy treatment program. In consultation with his treating doctor the rehabilitation provider has devised a return to work plan. The employer is thrilled at the prospect of having Jim back at work and implements the program immediately.

Jim returns to modified duties for two weeks, sharing the role initially with Leila, the new trainee. Jim is teaching her how to sort apples, which enables Bill to recommence his marketing activities and make the company more even profitable.

After two weeks on modified duties, Jim returns to full duties. Seeing the potential damage that could have been done to his business, Bill implements a work safety program, part of which entails all workers attending a course on safe work practices, including lifting.

In consultation with Crisp ?n Juicy?s Workers? compensation insurer, Bill learns that quick rehabilitation intervention has potentially saved the company hundreds of dollars in premium.

Bill?s a happy fellow.

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Addiction Recovery: The Journey From Intervention To Rehab

Addiction recovery can be a long, hard battle for both the person fighting the disease and their loved ones. In fact, the first step in the journey toward recovery is often initiated by the addict's loved ones in the form of an intervention. If successfully orchestrated, the intervention will lead to the addict receiving the help he so desperately needs.

* Preparing for an Intervention

An intervention should be performed as soon as possible in order to help an addict recover from his disease. Friends and family should never wait until the addict reaches rock bottom as by then, it may be too late. The devastating effects of addiction, such as financial ruin, loss of family, imprisonment, and even death, may have already taken hold of the addict's life. The sooner the intervention occurs, the more pain and suffering can be avoided.

An intervention is one way family and friends can convince the person they love to seek the help they so desperately need. In order to successfully facilitate an intervention, the family and friends need to first learn how to communicate in a language the addict can understand.

This language includes being completely honest with the person suffering from an addiction. Speaking openly and honestly with the person about the effects his addiction is having on those around him is often the eye-opener the person needs in order to see clearly enough to accept help.

* Structure of the Intervention

There is no magic number of people needed to orchestrate a successful intervention. In addition to an interventionist, there can be as few as one additional person or as many as six to eight. What is critical is that each of the participants be someone the addict either loves or respects. Potential members of the intervention team are family and friends, as well as teachers, clergy, lawyers, and doctors. Anyone that might have an impact on the addict's thinking and emotions should be included in the intervention.

There are several key elements to a successful intervention:

1. Provide a sufficient opportunity for all family members and loved ones to voice their concern over the addicts behavior in a passionate and loving manner

2. Provide information/education on the nature of addiction

3. Discuss the enabling behavior that has occurred during the progression of the disease

4. Direct the addict, and perhaps family members, to treatment.

If an intervention is successfully performed, the addict can be moved seek the help he needs on the very same day. To accomplish this, however, each member of the team must be willing to work together toward a common goal and to be properly educated in the execution of an intervention.

* Finding Help for an Intervention

Some families and loved ones choose to execute an intervention without the guidance of a professional. In most cases, however, it is best to involve the expertise of a seasoned interventionist or a drug rehab center in the development of an intervention plan. The professional interventionist or rehab center can help the team learn how to reach a common goal and how to use language the addict will understand, while helping to prevent the situation from escalating out of control.

Often, those who are performing the intervention worry that the addict will walk out in the middle of the intervention. This rarely occurs. Nonetheless, it is best to have a contingency plan in case this does occur. Generally, the best course of action is to have one or two of the members of the intervention team follow the addict in order to gently persuade him to return to the intervention.

* Finding a Rehab

The ultimate goal of an intervention is to persuade the addict to get the help he needs with his addiction. Therefore, it is best to already have a rehab center chosen and ready to admit him. Even if a staff member from the rehab center does not participate in the actual intervention, the center should be aware of the team's intentions. The worse case scenario, aside from the addict refusing help altogether, is to have no place for the addict to go for help upon successful completion of an intervention.

When selecting a rehab center for the addict, it is important to consider what type of center is best suited to the addict's needs. The types of programs offered, the location of the rehab center, and the approach used by the center can all have an impact on the overall success. The rehab center will need as much detail as possible regarding the addict including drug, family, medical and psychological histories. Work closely with the staff before the intervention to ensure the center is the best choice for all involved.

The California Rehab Guide. Lists and reviews drug rehab and alcohol rehab facilities, lawyers and interventionist and has articles on addiction recovery and addiction treatment.

Drug Rehab Treatment Centers as an Experience, not a Punishment

Choosing a drug rehab treatment center is a decision that calls for both negative and positive emotions. Nobody wants addiction to overtake their life to the point that rehab is the necessary step. However, the decision to go to one is something to look forward to, as it is the decision to rebuild a healthy life. It is the conscious realization of a problem, and it is the first conscious step towards healing. Understanding what drug addiction entails and how it affects the user is important for healing substance abuse. As well as understanding addiction, knowing what rehabilitation is will help the patient understand what he is going through and the purpose of the treatment. Lastly, the type of rehabilitation program is of vital importance for the patient. Understanding that a rehabilitation program is as personal as the patient's problem will certainly help to ascertain the treatment needed for the specific patient. Rehabilitation must be a positive program motivating the patient by his successes and discouraging him from relapses. To reach the stage of being in a rehab center that positively works to heal addiction, the patient and all concerned must understand three things: what addiction is, what rehabilitation is, and what treatment can and should be like.

Drug addiction is much more complex than merely 'too much drug use'. Drug and substance dependence is beyond the control of the user - he is no longer in control and does not have much choice in the matter of continuing use. In the short term, drug use affects the brain's reward system, flooding the brain with dopamine, otherwise termed 'a high'. While the high is a short term effect, long term effects are to follow, which cause the addiction. When our brain's reward system is working, proteins activate which teach us to pursue the behavior which causes us to feel so good. Naturally, this reaction is in response to food, exercise, and sex. Due to the larger amount of dopamine released due to drugs, the protein reaction is stronger than normal. As a result, drug use is quite addictive, and once the moment is reached that a person cannot control his use of drugs, this is termed addiction, or substance dependence. While willpower is important to controlling anything in one's life, in drug addiction a lack of willpower is not to blame. Willpower is at play at the first stages of drug experimentation, but at a certain point in addiction, it loses its function. Drug addiction is an illness, and rehabilitative treatment is the only means of curing this behavior.

Rehabilitation, then, is the path that leads to an effective treatment of drug use. Research has shown that addiction is treatable. Research has not shown, and will not show, that treatment is easy. Rehabilitation is the recovery of diminished capacities due to injury or illness. The word itself comes from the latin prefix re meaning 'again', and root habilitar meaning 'to inhabit'. Thus 'rehabilitate' literally means to inhabit yourself again - and that is the aim of rehabilitation: to return former capacities to the inflicted person. This is especially true in drug addiction. Freeing oneself from addiction is a type of homecoming to a life of control.

Rehabilitation aims at more than ending drug use. As previously mentioned, rehabilitation cannot be a punishment for drug use. It must be the gradual process of ending dependence while also rehabilitating the patient into society. This is often the most difficult aspect of rehabilitation. It is important that the patient realistically understand that the future will consist of effort to reintegrate and rejoin society. The patient is assisted by counselors throughout the treatment, but the patient himself is the main catalyst in rehabilitation. The family and friends of the patient must also go through aspects of rehabilitation, for life after rehab will not be a continual sunny day. The forecast predicts many rain clouds at first, with occasional storms down the road. The family must know how to be supportive and helpful throughout the stormy weather.

The rehab treatment center can be considered the umbrella in the stormy weathers. It cannot control the weather, but does shield and help the patient and family on their way through the tempest. While there is no one correct rehabilitation treatment, as each treatment must be tailored to the particular needs of the patient, there are means of ensuring that the rehab center chosen is one that will provide a positive environment to optimize the long term results of rehabilitation. The personal treatment for the patient must be continually checked and improved, as different steps throughout the treatment call for different measures, and each patient needs a different length of time for treatment. The personal treatment must also take into account the various problems beyond drugs which the patient faces. Drug addiction is often the result, and not the core of the problem - this core must be dug up through various therapies, counselors, and activities, which all should be readily available through the treatment center. A forced treatment is not necessarily a bad thing - again, depending on the treatment center. With a good treatment center, a person who initially will not admit to his problem or the need for a solution can be fully rehabilitated. Extremely beneficial are experiential therapies, which, through their communion with nature help the patient gradually reintegrate into life, which will eventually ease reintegration into society. A rehab treatment center must be rigid in its aims to help the patient, but cannot be rigid in its process.

Understanding what addiction is and why it happens is vital for the patient and the chosen treatment center. Once this is established, there can be a mutual respect, in lieu of distrust and judgment. The next step is to understand what rehabilitation is. It is a dedication, again, on the part of both the patient and treatment center, to heal a drug problem and, more importantly, rebuild a life - to bring the patient home in the spiritual sense. With these two concepts well understood and looked after, the patient has great chances of succeeding to overcome the addiction. The treatment center that fully understands addiction and rehabilitation will be the center that offers a full and varied program that will be created and recreated for the particular needs of its patient, and that will guide the patient not only through his addiction, but through his reintegration into life and society.

This article was written by Marina Petroni, sponsored by http://www.cirquelodge.com/. Cirque Lodge, located in Sundance, Utah, is a world-class residential drug rehab facility providing a private, effective and serene pathway to sobriety. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing back to http://www.cirquelodge.com

How To Select The Right Drug And Alcohol Rehab Center

A person suffering from an alcohol or drug addiction needs help immediately. Without it, it is highly likely he will continue down a never-ending path of self-destruction that could ultimately lead to death. Unfortunately, drug and alcohol addiction are both extremely difficult to overcome. Therefore, the only way most addicts are able to truly fight the battle against drugs and alcohol is to receive addiction treatment through a reputable drug rehab program. Furthermore, it is essential that the addict find the rehab center that is best suited for him and his personality because if care is not taken to find a program compatible with his needs, a relapse is highly probable.

* The Specialty

Not all drug rehab centers specialize in every type of addiction recovery. Therefore, the first step in selecting the right drug or alcohol rehab center is to identify those that specialize in the drug the person is addicted to. For example, an alcoholic will receive little help from a program specializing in addiction treatment for those who abuse heroin. While the basics of addiction recovery are the same regardless of the type of drug that is abused, there are special considerations to be made with different drugs. The withdrawal symptoms can vary from drug to drug. In addition, the exact approach used to help the person recover from addiction can be different depending on the drug. Addicts may find a higher level of comfort treating in an environment where other addicts have shared the same drug experience.

* The Location

The location of an alcohol or drug rehab center can have an impact on its success with the addict. For some, it is best to find a rehab center that is located near to family and friends. In this way, it is possible for them to maintain more consistent contact with the addict. For others, it is better to find a rehab center that is further away from home because the memories and the people there make it too difficult to refrain from abusing drugs or alcohol. The proximity to home may cause triggers leading to early relapse.

* The Program

The first consideration a person must make when attempting to select the right drug and alcohol rehab center is the treatment program. Most drug rehab centers offer both inpatient and outpatient care programs, but careful consideration must be exercised when making the decision for the level of care. For some addicts, an inpatient care program may be the best option because they do not have the strength or ability to fight the addiction without receiving 24-hour care. For other addicts, outpatient treatment may be sufficient for overcoming the problem while still allowing the person to live a semi-normal life. A preliminary assessment by a physician or qualified counselor/therapist will help determine what level of care is most appropriate.

* The Approach

Nearly all alcohol and drug rehab centers provide physical and emotional care to help addicts overcome their disease. The exact approaches used by various rehab centers, however, can vary. For example, some centers place a greater emphasis on the physical aspect of the addiction while others focus more on the emotional impact. In addition, the way these rehab centers address both components of treatment may vary.

In some rehab centers, patients are provided with another drug in order to overcome the addiction. For some patients, however, there is a risk of becoming addicted to the replacement drug. Therefore, this type of approach may not be best for some addicts. Yet other rehab centers simply have patients go cold turkey, but this approach can be devastating for some patients and can even cause them to give up hope and want to quit.

In addition, the emotional approach used by rehab centers to assist with addiction recovery can differ. For example, some drug rehab programs may utilize less known approaches, such as music therapy and art therapy. Similarly, some centers may focus on hypnosis or acupuncture. Yet other programs may utilize only counseling and group therapy. For an addict, the approach used can make a huge impact on the overall success because if the addict does not believe in the type of therapy being utilized, they will likely be defeated before the recovery program even begins.

There are other questions that should be asked when making a decision about admission into an alcohol or drug rehab facility. Staff credentials, medical supervision, cost, typical length of stay, aftercare programs, 12 step philosophy, sobriety success rates, and family involvement are a few other important considerations to think about when making perhaps one of the most important decisions in the life of an addict.

The California Rehab Guide. Lists and reviews drug rehab and alcohol rehab facilities, lawyers and interventionist and has articles on addiction recovery and addiction treatment.

Complete Home Rehab In 10 Days

 by: Dan Auito

This report is about taking a house and restoring it to an aesthetically pleasing dwelling that has reclaimed its functional utility. In effect, it is the anti-aging medication for bricks and mortar.

This report assumes that you have already or will soon acquire the proper house. The one that is in essence, ripe for rehab. Be selective and sure of the houses potential to allow for a profit after all the hard work is done. I will help you find your house or houses.

In the proverbial nutshell, it helps if you choose a house from the start that has a sound plumbing, heating and electrical system.

• Plumbing

• Heating

• Electrical

These are things that are expensive to correct in relation to the value they return to you upon resale. Most often, people cannot see the inner workings of these systems and they take them for granted.

Very few buyers are going to give you an extra $15,000-$20,000 in your asking price because you have replaced things that they cant see and already take for granted as just a basic component that is buried in the structure. Also, they assume these components to be warranted against defects by you.

After all, it is mandatory in most, if not all states that you fill out a disclosure form that tells the buyer of every defect that exists or ever has to your knowledge. So inspect the systems of your investment alternatives carefully, as they can be expensive to repair and replace, with minimum dollar return value being realized at the sale.

Along these same lines, you should also pay close attention to the following cash vacuums:

• Roof

• Foundation

• Structural Integrity

Here are a few ways to quickly gage a home from its appearance:

Stand across the street from it. Now look at the bones of the structure. Does it look like a sway-backed horse, with the roof sagging in the middle? Does it have flat areas in its design that dont allow water to be drained away quickly?

Water, dampness and rot are the equivalent of cancer to the human body when it concerns a structure. Shingles can be replaced. That wont necessarily stop me from buying. Usually I will use that old roof as a bargaining chip in negotiating the seller down to a lower price. However, if I crawl into the attic and see that the plywood has become rotted and truss members are also affected, its time to move on to my next potential deal. Life is too short and I will never rehab it in 10 days if I have to rip the roof off and rebuild it too.

Some other conditions, such as sagging eves, wavy roof surface, rotten fascia and trim pieces, and insect infestations can be deal killers too, if severe.

Solution: Get into the structural members with a long, sharp, sturdy, standard flat-tip screwdriver and attempt to penetrate structural components that are made of wood. You wont hurt anything if there are no underlying deficiencies. However, if someone has freshly painted over or patched it, that screwdriver is one heck of a lie detector! Use it.

Now, Im not saying people would do that. It may just be the termites have eaten everything but the exterior coating of the wood to conceal their activity whatever the case probe.

There are also tile roofs, metal roofs, cedar shake roofs, hot-rolled roofing, tar and gravel roofs and always a few new high-tech roof coatings. I feel my main concern is whether the decking or the roof support structure has been undermined by water, insects, rodents, poor materials, poor design or craftsmanship, a lack of fasteners, strapping, etc.

Shingles and coatings can be replaced. Just know what is underneath. Thats my criteria. Negotiate lower for needed replacement of roof coverings if you can. I dwell on roofs because it protects everything else!

Next on the list of deal killers is the foundation. The same thing applies to the foundation. I will start by standing back from it and looking at it from a distance. Does this place look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Or are the seams coming apart? Do the windows and doors look square? Are porches, stairs and additions on firm ground as well?

Block homes can tell you very quickly if they are stressed out just by the appearance of the mortar joints. Those giant unsettling cracks can and do tell a story. This does happen and mortar cracks maybe 10-years old. You need to investigate further.

Once again, water is a sign of trouble with foundations because it leads to erosion, rot, mold and mildew. It washes out foundation materials and slabs will crack. It rots sill plates and your walls are no longer firmly attached to a base.

If you have a crawl space, its time to get your coveralls on and get in there. Now, lets use our heads here and I mean this! Before you enter a dark, supposedly uninhabited, infrequently entered, dark and restrictive to movement area, assess the situation. Ask someone who has knowledge of the dwelling if there has been any animal activity that they know of. You may also encounter bees, wasps, ants, spiders, snakes, slugs, mosquitoes, rats, mice and a host of other inhabitants. Beware an

d

be prepared. Its truly another world in some cases.

If you dont want to do it, hire a professional and I do mean a pro, not some Joe who says he is one. For goodness sake, use a licensed professional home inspector to protect yourself in all areas if youre just not sure!

OK, youre a trooper and youre going in. Good for you, Rambo! Youll make it in this business because it takes faith, guts and determination. By getting into this type of situation, youll learn a lot more about every part of the homes you inspect.

You should have a strong flashlight, your trusty screwdriver, maybe some insect repellent and a safety observer standing at the access entry to give you piece of mind. Now you can go to the perimeter walls and inspect where the walls meet the foundation. Look for rot, misalignment, cracks, separations, water damage or any other condition that doesnt appear normal.

While youre down there, look at the other foundational supports, you will see pier blocks and posts, other concrete support pillars and walls, beams, joists and cross bracing, and the underside of sub-flooring. Check this stuffs condition. Does it look original? Is it structurally sound? Or are there some discrepancies that need further investigation? Take a good look and smell!

Dont leave yet. You also will want to look at all that plumbing and electrical that is there as well. Scan the perimeter. Do you see any sunlight coming in from where it shouldnt be? That might be a hole that needs repair. This is common sense land, not computer a chip lab. You can inspect for general condition. Simply follow everything to its logical end, looking mainly at the condition of the different components.

OK, youve made mental and physical notes. Now dust yourself off and go inside the house if everything has checked out so far.

So the roof and foundation have passed your keen eye. Lets look at the rest of the house with respect to its structural integrity. More than half of your structural integrity check at this point is already complete as the roof and foundation are two of the most important components and those have been done. Now you are left with the interior spaces of the structure.

Heres what I do once inside. I stand at the front door with a checklist in hand (www.inspectamerica.com) and I begin to scan the walls, ceiling and floors. Im looking for water stains on all three surfaces, as well as patches that were used to repair or conceal damage. I go through every room and look for signs of damage or concealment.

Any flat floor is a good candidate for my scientific marble test. Ill drop my marble; if it rolls to a corner, that floor aint level, Buckwheat. Thats a simple test but I do want to know that the under-layer or sub-flooring is sound and firmly attached to all those joists, and beams and trimmers and blah, blah, blah.

Soft spongy floors are of concern, creaky floors are annoying and rotten floors are another story. So once again, Im looking at the structural support of the floors. I dont care that the cheap, yellowed vinyl is coming up at the seams. I dont care that the carpet is matted down or thread bare, and I dont mind if the finish is worn off of hardwood floors or tiles are loose.

Floor coverings fall under the label of cosmetics. Thats such a pretty word and thats what you want to concentrate on: cosmetics...more on that in a moment.

So the floors pass my test for sub-flooring and structural integrity is great. Now I can check that the walls are square because they are attached to that floor, and then I can check that the doors all operate properly and are square too.

How much more can there be than that, Dan? Well, let me tell you a few things that can bite you here. Lets say the structure overall is good. By that, I mean you have a solid roof, a solid foundation and sturdy floors and walls.

What is behind those walls? The things that bite you arent usually seen until you get bit. One particular painful bite is finding out your wiring is not grounded or that the circuits are not properly protected. Youre looking for three-pronged outlets and modern plastic-encased wiring made of copper, not aluminum. You want circuit breakers, not fuses. What you really need here is a licensed electrician to do this more in-depth and professionally licensed review of the system.

I have seen more than one Joe Homeowner rehab go up in flames because of a lack of respect for electricity. Licensed electricians bring you up to code and protect your investment. Find a good one and make it a point to shower him or her with praise, attention and money well spent.

They will give you free estimates, so use them as a preliminary inspector with you. If you decide to buy it, use them to do the work that needs to be done.

Plumbers are a breed apart. You would think they use gold for soldering your pipes with the prices they charge. My grandfather was a plumber and I was on the truck with him at nine years old. A plumber may or may not give you a free estimate. With a little digging, it can be done. Just give them the work if indeed you do buy the house.

With plumbers, the only time youre going to need one is if you are doing major system work or the once every ten year hot water heater job. Also the occasional clogged main sewer line to the street.

In todays P.V.C. plastic plumbing kits world, you can hire just about any good all-around handyman to get the job done. If you have to tear through a wall to get at plumbing, building code inspector-man will say, Get a licensed plumber.

Heating and cooling: the air conditioning system, if the house youre inspecting doesnt have adequate heating and cooling, that can become expensive. Lets say you have a flat roof home in a hot climate with window unit air-conditioners, and you intend on bringing this house up to what a modern day home dweller expects.

You may have a problem. Where would you put new ductwork if you dont have attic space to house and route central heat and air? Once again, call in a pro if you need some advice. They do give free estimates!

Heres a point for you to follow up on: the plumbing, heating and air-conditioning guys all drive service trucks. Be on the lookout for those trucks if they are your neighbors; go say Hello and introduce yourself.

Regardless, I have always done this and what I am saying is this: these guys most always work on the side and that means half price. You may have to pull a permit as a homeowner but the savings is substantial. Develop a network of these blue-collar geniuses. They are the guys who will transform your investment fast!

So now you have a solid house. By that I mean, plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, roof, foundation and overall good structural integrity.

So whats left to do? Call in your army of carpenter ants, from painters to carpenters and flooring installers, yard maintenance and tree trimmers, and handymen of all sorts.

This is the whirlwind tour. Let the demolition guy in first. Order a dumpster for the next ten days. Order demolition man to throw out everything including the kitchen sink. What I am out to do at this point is to clear the decks.

A blank canvass is created for the painters to perform the transformation. They come in at this point and patch and paint. Let them blast the place with their airless paint-spraying arsenal inside and out. Give them 3 days and you have just added a huge improvement to your investment. This is the biggest dollar-for-dollar return you can make.

One cautionary note here: Make absolutely sure that quality paint is used. When it comes to painting, its the labor that kills you, not the material. I insist on Sherwin Williams Super Paint. It is a miracle formula that I am convinced could cover up bullet holes without any patching compound and it lasts forever. Its worth every penny; insist on it!

So my idea of finding the ideal fixer upper is to find those where the structure and systems are fine but it still needs demolition man and the paint brigade. Everything up to this point has been inspection and appraisal of the situation. Once Im satisfied that it is a cosmetic rehab and not the expensive money pit, I send in my cosmetologists.

I wouldnt call these guys that to their face but these are normally men adding residential make-up to the bricks and mortar. Once the painters leave, the flooring guys are right behind them, laying tile and carpet. These guys are out in 2-3 days and my cabinet and handyman plumber are attacking.

Light fixtures, vanities, toilets, sinks, doors, switch plates and outlet coverswham, ten days are up and this house is either held out for rent, lease-optioned or sold for a whole heck of a lot more than the ten grand I put into it, if that much.

You must be somewhat of an appraiser and deal finder. It takes time to recruit your cosmetologists, but you will run across them in your travels. Friends and family usually can provide you with some serious leads. Start networking and talking to tradesmen. Get their numbers and schedule them to descend upon your ugly duckling at certain times and watch the transformation begin.

It took me years to learn these tricks. I did it all myself for years and it always took three months when I did it myself. The sad part is that I thought I was saving money that way.

Can you see how much I actually lost? Here is a quick example. I bought a house for $55,000. Its deficiencies were purely cosmetic. I used other people to do all the work and I pitched in to keep them organized. Ten days later, it was done. I spent a total of $5,000 on materials and labor and it appraised at $90,000 in 10 days!

Thats $30,000 in 10 days, not 3 months. Now marketing time would take 45 days but I know how to do that too, and I will also show you how you can do it too.

There is no doubt about it. This can be done and you can do it. In all honesty, it may take you 30 days to achieve a completed house. Thats may be 3 times what it took me but I am experienced.

Heres a pretty neat way I figured out how to find good cosmetologists (tradesmen). If I know relatively no one in the area, I will ask a local appraiser to suggest who he would use if he were me.

This is an intelligent way to ask that question. I ask it in this form: If you were me, who would you use? Now that triggers a self-preservation mechanism in their brain and they give me excellent people, who are very good at what they do! Try it; it works.

I went to appraisal school and learned a lot. Believe me, appraisers are underrated and treated poorly. They truly are experts at discerning quality and value. They know whom does quality work. Make friends with a competent appraiser and the lenders that accept their appraisals. Hint: Youll get very fair evaluations and their lender approves them.

Marketing, hunting, finding and capturing the ripe for rehab houses is another book entirely. However, dont lose faith because I have written that book for you as well. Here is an excerpt from my other book. It is called Magic Bullets In Real Estate.

There are 4 phases, or lifecycles, to real estate and here is how it often goes.

Phase 1 You will see new construction, bright shiny homes popping up, landscaping contests, baby strollers and tricycles in the neighborhood. This is probably going on in the suburbs of the city, as new growth tends to radiate out at a pace of one mile per year from growing and prosperous cities.

Phase 2 The same neighborhood now 10-15 years later has aged a bit and now you see basketball hoops and 2-wheel bikes, as the kids are older and want more mobility.

Phase 3 The kids are grown and gone with families of their own and now the parents are riding their own 3-wheel bicycles, trikes to the hip grannies. Here in Phase 3, youre looking at 25-35 year old homes, where some people are passing away. Others are just hanging in and some are moving in with the kids or going to an A.L.F. (Assisted Living Facility). No doubt, you have outdated homes, deferred maintenance and some repairs to be made. Here is the beauty of this whole thing. These are my cosmetology candidates. Heres why! The formally elder owners lived there and they needed everything to work. They didnt update it. They just fixed things that needed repair in order to maintain a level of comfort. They had pest control and the Sears man come annually and piddled around. So things were kind of looked after in that manner. Buy here!

Phase 4 Revitalization Thats what happens as a result of you buying your ripe- for-rehab fixer-upper in Phase 3 neighborhoods. Odds are, you will rent it out, lease-option it or sell it to a young family when it does sell, and guess what? Yep, out come the tricycles and baby strollers and it starts all over again.

Tricycles

Bicycles

3-wheel bikes (buy here!)

Revitalization

Determine what cycle different neighborhoods are in! Follow cycle #3.

Isnt that a beautiful story; isnt that the truth? Think about your own parents and your own childhood. Now I also want you to think about that brand new young family that is counting on you to treat them fairly and give them a trouble-free home when they buy or rent from you.

The harder and smarter you work, the better quality and value you can provide to others. Dont rip them off. Dont take advantage, dont scrimp and for Petes sake, do your best to do your level best. You need education and help from others to achieve these heights of excellence. Visit us starting July 2004 at www.magicbullets.com

Dan Auito is a dual-licensed real estate agent and appraisal assistant. Dan is a 20-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard. He has acquired over 1.3 million in real estate assets in 14 years while also founding a non-profit drug prevention corporation, a real estate consulting group and is the author of Magic Bullets in Real Estate. This 300-page power-packed book (due out in early July 2004) comes with a website that further supports its readers. Dan lives with his wife Kimberly and their two children, Brandon and Briana, on the emerald isle of Kodiak Island, Alaska. Dan may be reached at magicbullets@alaska.com or by visiting www.magicbullets.com. Call 1 907 481-6300 or write 1619 Three Sisters Way Kodiak AK 99615

Objective Of Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

The main objective of alcohol rehabilitation programs is to free you from the bondage of alcoholism. These programs help you to discover newer ways to live without alcohol.

Different alcohol rehabilitation centers are offering various types of alcohol rehabilitation programs to treat alcoholism. Here is some information that may help you for selecting the right alcohol rehabilitation program.

Consult a good alcohol rehabilitation center for finding a suitable alcohol rehabilitation program. Doctors and alcohol rehabilitation specialists will study your case and conduct certain tests on you to find out a suitable program for you.

Every individual has a unique history to alcoholism. Hence, the rehabilitation program must be tailor-made to suit your case.

Generally, the alcohol rehabilitation programs include services such as hospitalization, medication, diet, exercise, counseling, sauna, spiritual therapy, hypnosis, amino acids and community activity.

Depending upon your case, doctors will recommend the services that need to be included in the rehabilitation programs designed for you.

The doctors would advice you to join either the "outpatient treatment program" or the "residential inpatient treatment program" depending on your intensity of alcohol dependency. Here are some details about both the options.

Outpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

If you do not have a long history of alcoholism, an outpatient rehabilitation/ treatment program might be the correct option. You might need counseling and guidance as a part of your treatment.

Outpatient alcohol rehab program is a suitable option treatment of alcoholism at its early stage. This program is recommended for those individuals, whose occupational and family environments are intact and for those who demonstrate a high degree of commitment to quit alcohol.

This program provides adequate support service for your day-to-day life.

Residential/ Inpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

If you have experienced a long period of alcoholism, doctors might recommend you for a residential or inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program. The inpatient treatment program provides 24-hour support and it is highly effective.

This treatment is not just confined to amelioration of symptoms. Rather this variant of alcohol rehab focuses on addressing and resolving the factors that contribute to alcoholism. Under the inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program besides medication, you will participate in educational lectures.

Counseling based treatment will be given to you on personal basis as well as in small group settings. Some of the inpatient alcohol rehabilitation programs also include additional activities such as yoga and spiritual methods of recovery.

The alcohol rehabilitation program also includes several support services even after abstinence is achieved. This ensures a perfect recovery and prevents a possible relapse. This includes promoting religious involvement, imbibing good health practices, proper diet, exercise, sleep therapy, and self-enhancement projects. Discover valuable advice and information about alcohol rehab - its effectiveness, and where to get treatment Website contains valuable articles and information about the widespread alcohol addiction problem.http://www.alcohol-rehab-success.com/alcohol-rehab-program.html

** Attn Ezine editors / Site Owners ** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include my resource box as listed above.

How To Locate An Alcohol Rehabilitation Center In Clifornia

Alcohol rehab in California refers to the centers that help people in California to get rid of the menace of alcoholism.

Prevalence of alcoholism is increasing in California therefore more people are looking for Alcohol rehabilitation facilities in California.

However, it is necessary that you look for reliable and experienced rehabilitation services in California for faster and effective results.

Alcohol rehab in California and for that matter any other place, depends upon the selection of the right center. This is mainly because there are no set rules for alcohol rehabilitation program and the results vary from individual to individual.

This is the reason why selection of the right alcohol rehab center in California is important because a wrong selection can jeopardize the outcome.

Hundreds of centers are offering alcohol rehabilitation in California. Here are the details of some of the leading facilities offering alcohol rehab programs in California.

Harmony Place California

The Harmony Place is a premier residential treatment center offering alcohol rehabilitation services in California. This center provides multidimensional alcohol treatment programs customized to suit your need.

This centre provides treatment based on the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual resources for a purposeful and fulfilling life. Integrating mind, body and spirit is the overall mission for alcohol rehab program of this Californian center.

Support Systems Homes California

Support Systems Homes (SSH) provides innovative and cost- effective treatments for alcohol rehabilitation in California since 1991. SSH provides a comprehensive structure of accredited treatment programs for treatment of alcoholism.

This center offers services such as accredited detoxification, residential, day and outpatient treatment as a part of alcohol detoxification. SSH treatment aims at long-term abstinence and teaches new methods to manage various issues of life. It addresses all aspects of life that is altered by alcohol.

The Camp Recovery Center

The Camp Recovery Center is located in the majestic redwood forests of Northern California. The Camp's program offers complete service from detoxification to residential (in- patient) and outpatient substance abuse treatment as well as continuing care and online rehabilitation services.

The Camp adopts a treatment approach called 12-step involvement. The 12-step philosophy includes disease concept, group therapy, art and recreation, education, individual treatment planning and relapse prevention.

Oasis Treatment Center

The Oasis Treatment Center offer treatment of alcoholism through a therapeutic setting that helps you to build a solid foundation for recovery and unity with in society. This centre offers 30, 60, 90-day treatment programs in three structured phases.

Azure Acres

Azure Acres specializes in providing adult chemical dependency treatment services. This center provides facilities such as partial hospitalization/Day treatment, Non-hospital residential (24 hour) as a part of alcohol rehabilitation program.

Besides there are many more centers offering alcohol rehab services in California. You can select the one depending on their treatment approach, accessibility, friendliness of staff and the cost for alcohol rehab programs. Discover valuable advice and information about alcohol rehab - its effectiveness, and where to get treatment Website contains valuable articles and information about the widespread alcohol addiction problem. http://www.alcohol-rehab-success.com/alcohol-rehab-california.html

Rehabilitation

 

As in nearly all things, America has been of two minds concerning the rehabilitation of criminals. One camp believes the more severe and lengthy the punishment, the less opportunity a criminal will have to re offend. Lock them up and throw away the key. Statistics prove this camp wrong and alternatives are far from their concern. They are the law and order people who have a strong appeal to a society that fearfully sees itself as victims.

The other camp wants to rehabilitate criminals but can seldom raise the needed economic support to initiate and evaluate rehabilitation programs. These are folks who know that no life is beyond redemption or incapable of productive work.

Rehabilitation has failed so often because it rests on the idea of stripping every right from a person, throwing them in a cage, isolating them from the larger society and destroying any sense of personal identity or value. Treating people worse than animals is not conducive to self improvement. Rehabilitation must begin by not caging non violent offenders. House arrest, victim restitution, fines, counseling and work habilitation will prove much less expensive to society than caging and produce a better outcome.

Anti social behavior grows out of confusion and misidentification. That is, anti social people believe they are someone different than who they are at their core. They are books judged by their covers; judged by people only interested in covers. They come to believe and behave as though they are the covers others have created for them. They are the products of other people's expectations and imaginations as so many of us are. Unfortunately, the expectations of many role models were low and easy to fulfill. Let society help the victims of low expectations to distinguish between who they are and who they have been told they are. This explains their confusion to them and alleviates it. Clearing this confusion makes good candidates for rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation begins by helping an offender find their true identity. The tools trained counselors now have at their disposal for this identification process are readily available: aptitude and IQ tests; personality and character tests; astrological and numerological charts and reports; literacy tests. Poor readers are non readers and have a lifetime social handicap until they want to read well. Probations should continue until literacy is achieved. Once a person can read well and wants to do so, they can learn anything else they so choose. This opens a world of options previously denied.

Lives of total dependency in cages help no one. Not keepers, the prisoners or the society trying to protect itself. To treat a person as though they will never have an opportunity for revenge and then releasing them with hearts full of fear, resentment, anger and rage, guarantees that society will pay a price for the way they treat people who were most often fellow victims, long before they turned to crime.

In Orwellian double speak, society talks of caging people as criminals paying a debt to society. The fact is the reverse. Society is creating a debt to the offender, turning a marginal life into a hopeless and useless life. Society is restricting a person from any opportunity to contribute to the society he or she offended; allowing no opportunity to support a family for which they may be responsible; innocent victims of terrible, thoughtless social policy.

Society has so long applied this cruel punishment that its debt to the criminal element cannot be paid. Just like the debts owed Native Americans and the descendents of African slaves. We can go ahead and live our lives as though no debt existed and we do. America will pay in blood, terror and plague - death and destruction. It is a sad thing we have so chosen. Divine justice does not allow for life in cages or a few living well from the misery of many.

The rehabilitation of social offenders will not prevent the judgment of a dispassionate, unrepentant people, long past due. It could create pockets of mercy within that judgment. Perhaps you and I will know a little of that mercy. Perhaps you and I will make some effort to end a social injustice that is worldwide and centuries old. Perhaps you and I will no longer ignore the problems some are paid to hide from us. Perhaps we actually do know right from wrong. Perhaps knowing the difference, we will choose what is right. Perhaps but no one is betting on it.

Freelance writer published on websites and in newspapers.

The Prison Mirror (part of Prison Series)Ed Howes

The true measure of social consciousness is prisons. They tell more about society than any travelogue possibly could. They are the product of ignorance as a tradition and undeniable social regression. Send a law breaker to prison and convert him to a vicious vengeful beast. Then send him back where he came from. Let the taxpayer suffer from his crime. Let the taxpayer pay for his maintenance and conversion. Let the taxpayer support his family. Let his children grow up with no father. See if they dare follow in his footsteps. Let the taxpayer pay for any feeble attempt at his rehabilitation. Let the taxpayer bear the cost of every crime he commits after release, his arrest, and trial(s). Then repeat the whole process. Prisons everywhere are no less than government sponsored war on society. The least valuable social creation ever devised.

Their primary social function is to strike fear in the hearts of society at large. If you don't eat your spinach, you will end up in prison. If you don't obey every rule the professional rule makers invent, day in, day out, you will go to prison. Making punishments fit crimes is beyond the creative powers of bureaucracy. Instead, they choose the humiliation and degradation of caging and totally controlling the life of a lawbreaker. To a lesser extent, they do the same to all who care about him. They discourage telephone communication, meaningful financial support and visitation. Inside the prison walls they heap punishment upon punishment, because simply caging people is too good for them, no matter what the crime.

While we are at it, we ought to take a look at crime itself and the reasons for its increase. I'm only guessing and my guess is that ten times more behaviors are crimes and felonies than were so in the year 1900. That is, bureaucracies are in the business of creating crime. Such bureaucracies sincerely believe they are being paid to modify human behavior. They are running the ultimate social experiment, where the result is seldom questioned. One punishment fits every crime they can create.

A man is imprisoned for theft and released with murder on his mind and in his heart. That's progressive! Society can think of nothing better because society doesn't think at all. Society closes its eyes and turns its back. Society doesn't want to know about life in the cages, which is in reality, slow death. Take a man's life one day at a time. Then turn him loose and see how he does. Empty the country's zoos and see how the animals do. Prisons testify of man's inhumanity as well as war does.

President Bush threatens American justice on his enemies. See it at Guantanamo Bay or up the road from where you live. American and justice cannot be properly used in the same sentence. Americans know less about justice than any other subject, save mercy and responsibility. Blind obedience is their forte. Prisons are the expressions of the very ugliest Americans and they all support prisons without question.

I have heard vague rumblings of a new compassion in an effort to lower government "justice" costs. The Governor of Arizona is considering stiff fines for driving under the influence of alcohol, instead of confinement, which leaves whole families without support. Make a "criminal" pay (Us) instead of the taxpayer. There is a novel idea. I've heard a number of bureaucracies are looking at treating drug addicts instead of locking them away.

The Bible deals quite extensively with crime and punishment, but then, what would God know? Property crimes are punished by restitution and multiple restitution, depending on whether the loss interferes with the victim's livelihood. There is a silly idea, huh? The greatest growth industry in this great land of the free is locking people away. Can it be that America only pays lip service to the whole idea of liberty? I believe so. It is too much like justice to really get a handle on the meaning of freedom.

Drugs! Not the 183 billion dollars' worth on the government approved, monopoly supplied drug market, but the ones a once free people choose from a different list, the "bad" drugs. The great war on drugs, lost before it began, but continued to expand government power and control; is now responsible for about half of the nation's prison population, which is the largest in the world, I think I heard.

There is no doubt in a majority of American minds, that a person who uses any drug not yet approved by government, should have their lives destroyed by prison before the drugs can do much harm. They think the prohibition of drugs makes people safer, while the inflated costs make it necessary to rob them and burglarize their homes to feed extravagant addictions. What wise and merciful people! They were victims of twisted logic, long before the robbery. It is prison that has become the most powerful narcotic in America. We know if we build a hundred more, there will not be enough. How long before it becomes a crime in the land of the free, to publish what I'm saying?

The past four generations have been told to go off to foreign lands and fight and die to keep America free. The people who tell us this, then build more prisons to keep all the free people. If we took our high school students to visit prisons and gave them a term paper assignment to come up with better punishments, we could begin to learn justice and transform the existing Just Us system.

Capital punishment. The Bible says you must have two witnesses to indict on a capital crime. We can assume the qualifiers of honorable, credible witnesses, not criminals with offers of reduced sentences for testimony. The two witness provision made it harder to indict. I'm not sure that circumstantial evidence is acceptable as one witness either. The point is that under Bible law, you are more likely to free a capital criminal than to execute an innocent person. DNA testing has confirmed that we do it the other way round. Execute the innocent to be sure and punish the guilty.

President Bush has no problem with this. He was pleased to do it routinely as the Governor of the great, error free State of Texas. DNA has proven otherwise in Texas. Did President Bush ever apologize to the families of those he wrongfully executed? Does he have any clue how many innocent lives he has taken as Governor or President? Does he care? We know now he is all American. He is probably the most appropriate representative of American society we ever had. "Don't bother us with details. We have people to kill and prisons to build." No one should be surprised that we are the most despised nation on earth. We are worthy of hatred. Foreign policy is all about Just Us too.

An America that refuses to look at its prisons is like the vampire who cannot tolerate his own reflection. Until it does so, it is a society with a seared conscience, fit for destruction and little else. Destruction by the pound. Destruction by the ton. Run and hide. We have it coming!

Freelance writer published on websites and in newspapers.

Rehabbing a House

 

It is easy to be intimidated by the size of a rehab project, particularly if youve never tackled one before. This chapter breaks down the steps involved in completing a renovation from start to finish and removes some of the mystery, and hopefully some of the fear, surrounding a renovation. I hope you find it a useful tool when eyeing your next fixer upper.

Step One - Meet With Contractor and Define Job

When starting a rehab, the very first thing that I do is walk through and evaluate the project myself. Then I set up a meeting with my contractor to get his input and finalize my strategy including how to handle certain repairs and whether or not were going to make any changes to the basic layout of the property. Now that I work exclusively with one general contractor, my life is much easier since I only have to meet one person. He contacts everyone else and then relays the results of his conversations with them to me. As a result of my experience, Im becoming fairly adept at determining the best way to do the work. Therefore, my contractor usually winds up completing the projects in the way that I envision. However, he does offer advice and Im always open to suggestions as to better or cheaper ways to get the job done.

Step Two - Define Job and Buy Materials

Once we meet and determine the work we are going to do, my contractor and I put together a draw schedule. This is usually required by the lender and lists the order in which we intend to complete the work required. I like to shift things around to keep the cash flow coming from the lender. My contractor likes to do things in an order that makes his life easier. We usually settle on something in between.

Step Three - Phase One: Demolition

Through experience, I have finally learned to do my entire demo first. I used to get into my homes and start the jobs immediately. However, this meant we were constantly working around trash, having to haul trash away, etc. Now, I just get a dumpster or two at the very beginning of a job, bring in a crew, and begin to rip everything out. We clean out all the trash and tear out the kitchen, bath(s), drop ceilings, paneling, flooring, and anything else that might get in our way of completing the job properly and efficiently.

Step Four - Phase Two: Roof, Windows and Siding

The rest of the job typically begins on the exterior of the home. We start with the roof in order to ensure that the inside of the house stays dry, and usually, Ill have the windows and siding done at the same time. One reason I like completing the entire exterior rather quickly is that it starts to attract attention from the neighbors and people who drive by.

Step Five - Phase Three: Plumbing and HVAC

The next two items on my list are the plumbing and the heating and air conditioning system. In the past, I had contractors who didnt do the plumbing right away and it only led to disaster. After they hung, finished and painted all of the sheet rock in the home, they turned on the water only to find that there were pipes burst in the walls. Today, I ALWAYS make my contractor check out the plumbing first, including the sewer lines. It is important to have a working heating system in the home upfront so that much of the interior work, particularly the finishing and painting of the sheet rock, can be done. While the plumber is working, Ill have an HVAC crew installing a new heating system which consists of a new gas furnace and central air conditioning. I havent always replaced functional HVAC systems and even today, if the current system is fairly new, I will avoid it. Primarily, though, I always install completely new systems. Finally, if the electrical system needs to be updated in any way, I usually do this while the HVAC system is being installed. In many instances, if I am installing central air conditioning in a home that didnt have it previously, the electrical system will need to be updated to accommodate the central air. Other than this, which isnt always necessary, I rarely have to do any electrical work in my homes.

Step Six - Phase Four: Framing and Subfloors

Once the exterior and the HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems are done, I begin to address areas such as rotten wood, tearing down walls and building new ones. Of course, if Im going to remove or build a wall containing plumbing and/or electric, then my crew has to do it before or during Step Five. I make an effort to finish the basement of every house that I renovate. It creates more living space, and for many of my buyers, my finished basement is the reason that they buy my home.

Step Seven - Phase Five: Sheet Rock (Drywall)

Once I have completed all of the major systems, then I begin to do my sheet rock (a.k.a. drywall). If at all possible, I prefer to just skim and patch the walls, but I frequently put a lot of new sheet rock in my homes. Hanging and finishing the sheet rock is something that takes a while, but it goes a long way toward making an old house look new.

Step Eight - Phase Six: Painting

Once all of the sheet rock is done, we get paint on the walls. First, well put a coat of primer or a light first coat of paint on the walls and then have the sheet rock crew fix any flaws, which wont show up until there is paint on the walls. As soon as the flaws are repaired, well put two more coats of paint on the walls.

Step Nine - Phase Seven: Installing New Kitchens and Baths

Once the paint is on the walls, we get our vinyl floors in the kitchens and baths before installing all the new cabinets, commode, vanity, etc. We usually take our kitchen dimensions to Lowes or Home Depot and have them design the kitchen for us. It makes my contractors life easier and we always get the right size cabinets with a good fit.

Step Ten - Phase Eight: Punch Out

Once the kitchens and baths are installed, we start to wrap everything up. Contractors usually refer to this as their punch out and consists of all the little details such as outlets, switchplates, and light fixtures. Many times, a homeowner will walk through and create a punch list with the contractor. Since weve worked together for so long, my contractor already knows what needs to be done and we dont need to do this. Sometimes it seems like the punch out is the hardest part of the whole renovation since it takes so long to complete everything on the list. However, this is also the part of the job that makes your renovation a good one or an excellent one.

Step Eleven - Phase Nine: Carpeting

Since we dont want workers ruining the new carpet, this is the very last thing we install. We usually put new wall-to-wall carpeting throughout.

Step Twelve - Phase Ten - Clean Up and Landscaping

At this point, the home should be finished and well begin the clean up. Since you want your homes to stand out, it is important to get them clean and looking like a million bucks. If Im going to do any landscaping, it is usually done here as the last thing.

Step Thirteen - Phase Eleven - Marketing

Once the home is complete, I immediately begin marketing it. If the area is hot and the home is going to move quickly, then sometimes Ill start marketing before completion, but most of the time I prefer to have the entire job done before allowing people to see the home.

Step Fourteen - Phase Twelve - Final Repairs Required

Once the home is under contract with a buyer, they may select to use a home inspector and their lender will order an appraisal. As a result of the inspection or appraisal, you may need to do additional repairs. Then the inspector or appraiser will reinspect the property to make sure the repairs have been done before issuing their final approval.

James OKeefe is the owner of My Millionaire Friend, www.mymillionairefriend.com, offering FREE articles, tips, hints, and real-world advice on how to make money with your website. Visit his site or join his FREE newsletter by sending a blank email to mailto:newsletter@mymillionairefriend.com.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction and Rehabilitation

Just what is addiction, you asked? Addiction is a physiological dependence on something, and is both physical and psychological in nature. When a person is addicted they literally need to feed that addiction constantly. Addiction is a traitor it sneaks up on you. People who are addicted often do not recognize that they have a problem, they think that the problem is with everyone. Addiction is different from abuse, a person can abuse drugs and not be addicted. The two most vital factors in determining addiction are tolerance and physical dependency. Addiction is very destructive, and most of the time people who are suffering from it end up hurting themselves and their love ones. It is hard to overcome but once the person began to see addiction as a problem in their life they can immediately seek alcoholism treatment or addiction treatment.

Teens partying late at night and imbibing drugs and alcohol for added fun, often dominated the silver screen. Quite a pretty picture isn't it? Oftentimes teens see it as an epitome. Although Hollywood does its part to show a different side of alcohol and drug addiction with movies like "Trainspotting" and "Girl Interrupted", the character still ended up being glamorous and ideal in nature and often overshadows the dark side of addiction. It is important to look at this depiction with a cynic eye. Movies are after all for entertainment purposes only, and there is nothing remotely entertaining about the reality of alcohol abuse and drug addiction. Addiction can be hell on earth and life in an Alcohol rehab and Drug Rehab can be a nightmare.

Illegal drugs and alcohol are addicting. Records show that the younger you are when you experiment with illegal drugs or alcohol you are more prone to become an addict in the future. Addiction often runs in families; you do not choose addiction, addiction chooses you. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol is a gamble, and the stake is your life, your personality, and your future.

Individuals often hide their drinking or deny that the fact that they have a problem. Signs of a possible alcoholism include having friends or relatives express concern, being irritated when people comment on their drinking, feeling guilty about their excessive alcohol consumption and thinking that they should moderate it but finds themselves unable to do so, or needs a morning drink to steady their nerves or relieve a hangover.

On the other hand, drug dependence often begins with the misuse of legal drugs like prescription drugs and inhalants. Inhalants are legal substances that becomes illegal when use in a manner that causes a person to get high. These also include aerosol cleaners, gasoline, cleaning fluids, butane, and acetone. These things are legal to sell or buy however, they are not controlled substances and they are relatively cheap when compared with drugs.

People with addiction work hard to resolve them, and with the support of family members and friends they are able to recover on their own. However in most cases, people they usually cannot stop drinking or using drugs by willpower alone. A lot of them require outside help, mostly from Alcohol Rehab or Drug Rehab. Alcoholism treatment and addiction treatment may need medically supervised detoxification to avoid possible life-threatening withdrawal symptoms such as seizures and convulsion. Once they are stabilized, they need help resolving psychological issues associated with their problem drinking.

There are numerous methods available for treating alcohol problems and substance abuse. For a free professional consultation to get help for yourself or a loved one call 800-559-9503 anytime day or night. Or you can visit these sites for more information:

http://www.helpaddicts.com
http://www.drugrehabcenter.com
http://www.dual-diagnosis.net
http://www.detox-center.com

Drug And Alcohol Rehab

Although it isnt something most people talk about or even want to think about, drug and alcohol rehab are places that exist because of such an unfortunately high prevalence of a number of different addictions in society. In fact, so many people are having to deal with some sort of drug and alcohol rehab in their personal lives that a new reality show called Intervention is being shown to educate people on how difficult living with an addict can be and the way to direct a person toward rehabilitation. Drug and alcohol rehab serves a single purpose for any addicted person and that is to help this person to stop using the drug or drugs that they are dependent on.

There are a variety of ways that drug and alcohol rehab work to help a person stop abusing a controlled substance. One way is commonly referred to as cold turkey. This is where a person experiences the complete and abrupt discontinued of all addictive drugs or anything else on which they have become dependent. This type of drug and alcohol rehab often results in something called withdrawal that is often very unpleasant with side effects including vomiting, hot and cold flashes, hallucinations, paranoia, insomnia and other uncomfortable and sometimes frightening effects. Going cold turkey from barbiturates can be very serious and might lead to seizures that could become deadly. Alcoholics that stop drinking suddenly can cause delirium tremens, which is a type of psychosis.

There are other options available for rehabilitation at drug and alcohol rehab without having to go cold turkey. Some types of addictions have drugs that can be administered by a doctor in a drug and alcohol rehab facility that can lessen the common symptoms of withdrawal that would occur without assistance. Another option at many drug and alcohol rehab facilities is a program designed to help a patient to change his or her behavioral patterns in order to equip them with skills so that they have other actions to turn to when they are tempted to return to drugs or alcohol. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that anyone who is going through drug and alcohol rehab cease all communication and cut ties with anyone who is still using their substance of choice.

There are a number of different dependencies that can be treated at drug and alcohol rehab. Some of these dependencies that are treated include alcoholism, addiction to household products that can be inhaled, street drugs, prescription drugs and any combination of the aforementioned addictions. Sometimes a drug and rehab visit is a court ordered result of an arrest based on charges involving one or more of these different dependencies.

The most common program associated with drug and alcohol rehab is called a Twelve-Step program. The purpose of a Twelve-Step program is to help addicts to find the strength and will power to stop using their substance of choice as well as explore and alter bad habits that are connected to their addictions. The goal of all types of drug and alcohol rehab programs is to eliminate all dependencies and to help every individual begin fresh with a full and rewarding life.
Brandon is the webmaster and owner of " Quality-Drug-And-Alcohol-Rehab.com" and has been researching and reporting on acne solutions for years. Click Here  http://www.quality-drug-and-alcohol-rehab.com/
Brandon is the webmaster and owner of " Quality-Drug-And-Alcohol-Rehab.com" and has been researching and reporting on acne solutions for years. Click Here http://www.quality-drug-and-alcohol-rehab.com/