I am living in india(kerala). My budget is very limited.

Metal roofing and siding are becoming more popular, not just in commercial buildings and barns, but also in residential construction and kit homes.There are many different types of metal roofing and siding for people to select in order to fit the particular design choices in the architecture, such as corrugated metal siding.

Insulation

Metal roofing and siding can provide a more insulated choice for businesses and housing so that costs can remain low from the construction of the project to the forty years that the roofing or siding lasts.There is cool metal roofing that is treated with heat deflecting material so that the sun is deflected, thus reducing cooling costs in warmer climates.In addition, there is metal siding that is insulated called IMP’s.These insulated metal panels are made of two sheets of metal that are injected with liquid foam insulation and then hung so that the insulation can expand and dry between the metal sheets.Once dried, the panels are solid, leaving no air gaps to decrease the insulating properties of the panels at any point.That way, the panels maintain the warm or cool interiors of the building and reduce the heating and cooling costs.

Strength and Weight

Metal roofing and siding are both very lightweight in comparison to other roofing or siding materials, allowing construction teams to very easily work with either material.Metal siding can be lifted with forklifts rather than requiring cranes to do the work.Metal roofing and siding also lock into place, so that one piece fits snugly into the next, providing a solid wall or roof that prevents leaks from air or water.Even though it is lighter material, with the galvanized coatings of zinc or other metals, the metal roofing and siding lasts many years, with some manufacturers giving warranties for up to forty years on some metal siding and roofing.

In addition, metal siding and roofing are recyclable, so that if a panel is removed from one site, it can be used in another one just as easily.The metal within the metal roofing and siding can also be made of recyclable materials, thus saving the environment through this used of recycled metals in the skin of the siding.The siding can be corrugated, so that it has a pattern to the siding for decorative purposes.  There are different finishes that can be used as well to match any type of design, even a stucco-like finish.

Excavators are pieces of construction machinery with the ability to move about on several types of terrain and often move through 360 degrees. They use a hydraulic system to lift things, scoop up dirt, and also dig. Commonly excavators can be found on mining sites, demolition jobs, or digging trenches. The size of this equipment varies from the mini excavator to the size of one used in mining. Choosing which will work best for your construction business is important. Below are a few things to consider when deciding on the best sort of excavator for your job.

Terrain: It is important to know the type of terrain you will be working on. For example, if you live in a rocky area it will be difficult to get a larger excavator to some construction sites whereas, if you are intending to work in a clearing, you are most likely going to be able to use the larger pieces of construction equipment, if needed. The kind of dirt you will be working in is also a consideration. It is very easy to get an excavator bogged down in mud since it likely weighs a couple of tons.

Transportation: Excavators require trailers to transport them from building site to building site. The bigger the equipment the larger the trailer. In fact you may need to have a wide load trailer to move the equipment. Bear in mind that unless the job sites are close it will take hours to transport them without a trailer since most excavators do not travel over 20 miles per hour. This can be a real concern for fuel and transportation costs.

Size:  The best mini excavator works really well for those projects where you can’t get a large machine on site and those that do not need a large hole or much lifting. Mini excavators are often best used for landscaping or foundations. The bigger excavators that can be used as cranes, diggers, or in demolition are more appropriate for trenching and mining.

You probably have seen a rent-versus-buy calculator here and there online, and you may have even used one. They are supposed to help you decide if buying a house makes financial sense for you, but do they really tell you what you need to know? Let’s take a look at how they work, and how they sometimes don’t.

To Rent Versus Buy

The idea of these calculators is to take into account all the costs of both renting and buying over a given time, to compare them and see which option is better. There are a number of criteria involved, though, and this means there will always be some guessing. How many years will you be in the home? How much will rent be up to in ten years? How high will your property taxes be? These fields will be filled in by default in most calculators, and you’ll change them as needed.

I just went to the U.S. Government’s site, ginniemae.gov to see their rent-versus-buy calculator. Their fields start (mid 2007) with an assumption of ten years in a house, a 7.5% interest rate, and 2% annual appreciation – all very conservative guesses. Here is what all of the criteria were preset at:

Your Current Monthly Rent: $750
The Price of Home: $150,000
The Down Payment: $15,000 (10%)
Term Of Loan (years): 30
Interest Rate On Loan: 7.5%
Estimated Years In The Home: 10
Annual Property Tax Rate: 1%
Annual Home Value Increase: 2%

You can change any of these. For example, property taxes are closer to 2% of property value in some areas. Over 10 years appreciation will probably be more than 2% annually (although it could well be a negative number this year and next). Hitting the “calculate” button, this is what was shown:

Home Value In Ten Years: $182,849
Loan Balance After 10 Years: $117,340
Your Equity: $65,509
Tax Savings (at 28%): $32,549
The Average Monthly Payment Over Time: Rent: $834 – Buy: $550
Total Payments Over Ten Years: Rent: $100,080 – Buy: $66,017
Your Total Savings On: Buying – $34,063

Confusing. My amortization table shows that the payment on a 30-year, 7.5% loan would be $944 per month, not $550 – and this doesn’t include mortgage insurance, property taxes or home owner’s insurance. They may take into account the tax savings, but that still doesn’t explain how they arrive at $550. There is this little note at the bottom:

“The above rent-versus-buy calculator uses the following in its calculations: homeowner’s insurance, loan costs, mortgage insurance, cost to sell the home, property tax, homeowner’s tax savings, and increases in rent. Results are estimates. “

Well, that certainly doesn’t clear things up, but it does point out some other issues, like the fact that there is no calculation at all for repair costs. Having owned several homes, I can tell you that there will be repairs and maintenance. We also don’t know if rising property taxes were taken into account. Also if you are in the 15% tax bracket (likely if you’re renting a $750 apartment), the tax savings would be about $15,000 less than calculated – a little bit of difference.

Now, even at a more reasonable 6.5% interest rate, the monthly cost of owning a $150,000 home (with taxes, insurance, and minor repairs) is a minimum $1,150 – and probably higher than that. Using the above example, this is $400 more per month than renting. My guess is they take into account the “opportunity cost” of not having that $400 per month to invest over 10 years. That might even surpass the equity gain from owning.

Buying is often a good idea, especially since you probably won’t invest that $400 monthly in extra cash flow you get from renting. But do some of your own thinking, understand what criteria are being used, and be skeptical of these rent-versus-buy calculators.

It just isn’t much fun to buy a new home and then discover that snakes are regular visitors in the living room.  And you don’t want to move into a house with a leaky roof or a wet basement. Or discover that you picked the worst neighborhood in town – after you buy. To avoid surprises like these when buying a new home, you have to learn about the town, the neighborhood and the house. Here are some ways to do that – before you make that offer.

Your New Town

An online search by city and state (Fresno California) will usually lead you to an official city site, or a chamber of commerce website. These sites can provide a lot of useful information, but they are “selling” the city. For the good and the bad, find a local newspaper online as well. See what going on in town, and check the classified advertising section to get an idea about home prices too.

Detailed statistics on almost every town and city in the U.S. can be found at city-data.com. Click on a state, then find the city you want on the list (it covers towns of 6,000 people or more). You’ll find more statistics than you can possibly use, ranging from population, average income, crime statistics, maps, photos and much more.

Visit weatherbase.com for climate information on almost every city in the U.S. Click on a state, choose the city you want, and see how many inches of rain or snow they get each year, how hot or cold it gets, etc. You’ll also find a link to the current weather forecast for the town.

Call somebody from the Chamber of Commerce or a local real estate agent. Their phone numbers can be found online at realtor.com or a Chamber Of Commerce website. Make a list of questions, and ask about stores, libraries, jobs, crime and anything else that is important to you. We asked many people in many towns, “Do you own a snow shovel?” before choosing to move to Tucson, Arizona.

Your New Neighborhood

Once you have a local realtor or city official on the phone, ask about the various neighborhoods in town. If they hesitate to label areas as “good” or “bad,”, ask more specific questions, like where older parts of town are, and where the most rental units are. If you listen well and read between the lines you should learn something about where you might want to buy a house.

Visit the town before buying a house, of course, and visit a good local bar. Residents there will tell you which employers are about to move in or out of the town, how fast or slow homes are selling, whether there are criminal gangs, and more. But verify what they tell you, since people do sometimes exaggerate a bit. For best results, choose a bar with customers who are most like you (income level, interests, etc.), to get the information most relevant to your needs.

Drive around town. It will help you get a good feel for where you might want to live. Stop to ask questions when you see people out in their yards, and take notes.

Your New Home

Realtor.com has a lot of information on the homes they list. You can search for other real estate listing sites. They won’t mention things like whether a house is in an area with scorpions or street flooding, but answers to these questions can also be found on the internet. Google the name of the town and “forum,” and if there is one, sign up (they’re usually free). Read the posts, and ask about the specific area you are thinking of moving to. People usually respond, as they did when we visited a community forum and discovered that a good cat will take care of scorpions.

When you have a good idea of the problems which might be associated with a certain neighborhood, you know what to ask when you start looking at houses. Carry a home inspection checklist with you when you do look at homes, and work your way through it. Pass on your notes to the professional inspector once you decide to buy a house.

When you’re sure you like a home, walk around the area. Find a person or two out in their yards, and talk to them for a few minutes. Ask about noisy neighbors, recent crime and other things that will help you decide if this neighborhood is the right one for you. Do this and take the precautions above and your New Home shouldn’t have too many unpleasant surprises for you.

Copyright Steve Gillman. To see a photo of the house we bought for $17,500, get a free ebook on how to buy Cheap Homes, and a free real estate investing course, visit Houses Under Fifty Thousand .com.