How to Find Affordable Contractors General Liability Insurance

Every contractor and their business is susceptible to certain risks which may be beyond their control. Although most will put up safety measures and precautions to ensure they are protected against any of such risks, the best form of protection or precaution to have is insurance. This is because even with the best safety measures, you cannot determine or tell what will happen.

While an insurance policy does not particularly prevent an incident from happening, when and if it does happen, it mitigates the effects on you and your business so that it is not adversely affected.

Having contractors' liability insurance is therefore something that every contractor needs and cannot do without. Examples of claims that this type of policy will cover include:

• Bodily injury 
• Damage to property 
• Personal and advertising injuries
• Product and completed operations as well as 
• Medical payments. 

A common mistake companies tend to make is to assume that general liability covers all their insurance needs. This is not the case. It does not cover:

• Negligence
• Theft
• Automobile accidents
• Criminal prosecutions
• Intentional damages or 
• Contractual liabilities. 

Also, workers on the project or those that belong to the company are not covered. It is strictly for third party claims. That is, claims involving people not directly related to the company or project. All of these are covered under different policies.

Why You Need a General Liability Insurance as a Contractor

Anyone can be sued for any reason and at any time. As a business owner, you do not want to be in a position where your company is sued and you have to pay legal fees and damages that may run into several thousands of dollars or much more from your company resources.

Below are some reasons why it is critical for your business:

It Protects You and Your Business

As mention above, you or your company can be sued for any damage or injury to a third party not related to your business. Getting a general liability helps take care of any legal fees, medical treatments, or repair that may need to be done so that you can focus on your business. In essence, it safeguards your business against going bankrupt or getting into financial trouble and debt.

It May Be a Requirement by Law

Some states require that contractors in certain industries must have various kinds of insurance of which general liability may be one. So depending on the state where your company is located, it may be compulsory that you own a general liability coverage. Also, when bidding for a project, it is almost always a requirement.

It Is Always Required by Clients and Vendors

You will always have to work with different clients and other companies. Most will request for your policy before they sign a contract or work with you. They do want to protect themselves too in the event that any accident happens.

You can read more about general liability here.

Buying Affordable General Liability Insurance

General liability is more affordable than many contractors and business owners think. The cost can vary based on factors such as the kind of business that you do and its size or even your location.

Some companies give flexible options depending on the financial standing of your business. Whether you have good or bad credit, you will be able to find a program that will suit what you need. This is especially true if your cash flow is good. With this, you can always find competitive financing from such insurance companies.

You should also know that if a situation arises where the policy you purchase is not enough to cover the claims against you, there is the option of purchasing extra coverage to add to the main policy.

Sometimes, all your insurance needs can be bundled into a business owner's policy (BOP) which makes it more affordable than buying each policy separately. It is up to you to decide if you prefer this or if you want to buy them separately. All you should do is ensure that whatever policy you purchase does cover all the risks that you will likely face.

Conclusion

The importance of an adequate insurance cover, especially general liability to a contractor, cannot be overstated. It comes with several advantages for your business and you do not have to break the bank to get one. Talk to your insurance company or agent and find out the various options that are available to you based on your company size. You may be surprised at how affordable it can be.

Halfway Through the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season - What's Still to Come

As we enter into September this marks the halfway point for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. This season includes all areas of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. And for anyone that lives in this region, it’s been a very busy season so far, with Hurricane Laura just having made its way through the Gulf and then on land last week. 

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But what does the 2020 season still hold for the region? Will residents be in for a bit of a break or is there still a lot of unpredictable and volatile weather to come? Let’s take a closer look.

Predictions Have Now Been Updated

It was back in May that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its initial storm season forecast stating that there was a 60% chance it would be an above-normal season. A month earlier the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project team seemed to have that same finding, as they predicted 16 named storms in the season. So how have the predictions changed?

Well they haven’t changed for the better if you’re one of the millions of residents in the path of the Atlantic hurricanes. Just last month on Aug. 6 NOAA updated its predictions and said the remainder of the season would be "extremely active", upping its prediction to 19 to 25 named storms, and seven to 11 of those becoming full-blown hurricanes.

Looking back at how the season has played out, the first named storm of the season was Tropical Storm Arthur back on May 16, which was before the official start of the season. 

At the time of publication there have been two new named storms - Nana and Omar, that are both forming and could threaten the coastline yet again. They have now become the 14th and 15th named storms of the 2020 season. In fact, they have now become the "earliest 14th and 15th named storms ever formed". That certainly doesn't bode well for anyone hoping the season would calm down and wind down a bit early.

What's even more unsettling is that even though the storm season is at its peak, some experts believe it may get worse before it gets better.

Homeowners Are Urged to Stay on Top of Repairs

Of course for any homeowner that has suffered storm damage, as Advantage Construction points out, it’s important to stay on top of repairs and not allow them to go by unaddressed. Leaving something in rough condition means it’s that much weaker come the next storm. Whether you're dealing with missing shingles, water damage, downed tree limbs, or any other damage, it's important to deal with it as soon as possible following the storm.

A Season that Will Go Out with a Bang

So it appears as though the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is far from over and doesn’t have any plans of fading quietly into the night during the back half.

Routine Garage Door Maintenance: 7 Things You Should Be Doing

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A garage door can provide decades of use if it is properly maintained. As a frequently used item, garage doors depend on the extra care to prevent wear and tear and breakdown. Keep the garage door on your home in tip-top condition longer by following the seven routine maintenance tips below.

1. Observe the Garage Door

Sit back, look, and listen to the garage door. Strange, unusual noises indicate trouble with the garage door. Don’t ignore the unusual noises. Observe the way the door opens and closes. Does it open and close smoothly? Are all of the garage door parts in place and free of damage? Listen, observe, and learn so much about your garage door.

2. Tighten up the Hardware

With the average garage door opening and closing more than 1,000 times in a single year, the hardware is bound to loosen due to movements and vibrations. Every few months, examine the hardware and tighten all bolts and rollers with a socket wrench.

3. Replace Weatherstripping

Examine the weatherstripping on the garage door. If it appears cracked, ripped or torn, or has other signs of damage, replace the weatherstripping. Sold at home improvement stores, weatherstripping is inexpensive and easy-to-install on the grooves of the door. Weatherstripping ensures the garage door easily opens and closes.

4. Lubricate the Door

Lubricating the moving parts keeps the garage door functional for many years ahead. It takes minutes to oil the garage door and can be done by anyone. Talk to a garage door professional to learn more about the types of spray lubricants available to coat the overhead springs and door.

5. Clear the Tracks

Dirt, pests, leaves, and other debris accumulate inside the tracks over time.  Clear this debris from the tracks to prevent difficulty in opening/closing the door.  Use a level to check the plumb while clearing the tracks.

6. Check the Cables

Cable lifts attached to the garage door allow it to open and close. The doors are extremely heavy and on the left and have a significant force that can cause great injury if they fall on top of someone. Visually inspect the cables, but leave any repairs to professionals.  Many problems may cause the cables to work improperly, in turn causing the garage door to malfunction.

7. Keep it Clean

Garage doors are a part of the home’s aesthetic appeal. Keep it clean and tidy to ensure maximum curb appeal. Clean doors with a mild all-purpose cleaner and a sponge the same way you'd clean your vehicle. Steel doors and wood doors alike may have spots, stains, or discolorations that wipe away with a little effort.  Removing spots and stains voids wear and tear and garage door breakdown.

If your garage door endures damage despite your best efforts, find the best garage door maintenance and installation in Beaverton, OR as soon as possible. Professional garage door repairmen bring the skills and expertise to your home that ensure thorough repairs. 

Replace old drawers with decorative bent and curved glass shelves for elegant walls

Do you feel your old drawers need replacement with something more sophisticated? Decorative Bent and Curved Glass Shelves are better alternatives, as they blend well and add more beauty to the room. In the same vein, they create more storage space for items, so the function of the old drawers is maintained, even better.

Additionally, bent shelves made of glass add style and polished appearance to a room, especially if incorporated into elegant walls. Also, they are secure and provide a modern feel to the place where they exist. You don’t have to spend much trying to make your house better with these shelves because they are relatively affordable.

Strong and Sturdy Shelves to provide excellent Storage Space

There is a list of strong and sturdy shelves that can be used to provide storage space in the home. Most of them are according to their shape and design.

Rectangle Shelves: Used to float items and is strong and sturdy to place trophies and awards

This kind of shelf is suitable to use both at home and office since it provides perfect storage while being sturdy. Based on their design, they can be used to “float” items, and they are available in several colors, such as Red, Black, Green, Blue, etc. In different places where you have this type of glass shelf, trophies, plaques, awards are displayed.

Quarter Circle Shelves: Used at the corner of the room and best pace saver

A perfect addition to the corners of a room is the Quarter Circle Shelves. They are sometimes called the space savers because they can be used to keep small but vital/fragile items, such as flower pots, pictures, personal accessories, etc.

Triangle Shelves: Used to display small bathroom items at the corner of the wall

Another shelf you can add to your room is the Triangle type. It can add style to a room and change its entire appearance. Just like the rectangle shelves, it also floats items and can be used to hold valuables.

Curved Wall Shelves: Used in the bathroom to place body spray & lotions etc.

These curved wall shelves have been designed in a unique way, such as combining different shapes of shelves, i.e., rectangle + curved. They offer extensive storage for items, which is different from those previously mentioned.

Stylish Glass Shelves: Used for having advanced functionality of towel hanging rod

Stylish Glass Shelf could be in various forms or shapes, and the only difference is that an extra feature is added to make it even better in a room. For instance, another layer could be added to a rectangle shelf for maximum balance.

Stylish Bent Glass Shelves: Used for decorating walls with displaying décor items

Just like the former, a stylish appearance is given by this kind of shelf. However, at a particular point, it bends a little. The bent appearance doesn’t make it any less of a glass shelf for storage; it adds more style to a room.

Bent Glass Shelves: Used to place novels, books and other decorative items.

This kind of shelf here is completely bent. It is sturdy in design and polished in appearance. They are handy pieces that have been constructed to hold objects in a stationary phase for as long as possible. It is one of the most standard glass shelves available on the market.

Versatile Color and Designs to Place Appropriate Items

Interestingly, each of these sturdy glass shelves above is versatile in color and design. There are Red, Black, Blue, Transparent, and Green Colors of these glass shelves; and just the same way, their forms and styles are different. As aforementioned, they can be used to hold all kinds of items both at home and in the office. For instance, you can have a stylish glass shelf in a clutter-free bathroom to keep toiletries or improve the interior style of your room with bent glass shelves.

Things that Traditional Drawers cannot Provide Compared to Glass Shelves

By now, you may need clarification on what is the best to use – Glass shelves or Wood shelves/Traditional Drawers. However, there are few things that traditional drawers cannot provide when you compare them to glass shelves, like stylish glass shelf brackets, easy maintenance etc.

Strength

First of all, you can’t compare the strength of glass shelves to a wood shelf. Don’t get the perception that because it is glass, thus, it can break or prone to shatter; it all depends on the type of glass you purchase. Generally, tempered glass is designed to be shatter-resistant; therefore, you are assured durability. On the other hand, traditional drawers are prone to attack by termites, and it doesn’t take much time before they lose their quality and durability.

Heat Resistance

Also, tempered glass in its production process passed through the heat to make it what it is. That means, it has good heat-resistance, and in case of a fire outbreak, it may not be destroyed. Traditional drawers are made of wood, and this doesn’t make them resistant to heat or fire outbreaks. That is why it is sometimes advised not to have your items stored in a traditional drawer close to a heat source. 

Easy Storage

Finally, you won’t but agree that glass shelves have better storage compared to traditional drawers. There is little or no effort needed to retrieve your items from where you have stored them; however, you may have to go through one or two phases before you do that with drawers.

Besides, the former is also called a “floating shelf”; it fits into any wall of a room.

All of these reasons are why glass shelves are better compared to the traditional drawers known.

Budget-friendly and Easy Maintenance Luxury Space Provider

When choosing a space provider to use in the home, in terms of storage, you must consider the budget and its maintenance. The reason why you have to do that is to enable you to have something worthwhile, especially if you have a minimum budget. Without a doubt, bent and curved glass shelves are great because they are budget-friendly, and they require minimal maintenance. Also, they improve the looks of a room and give a luxurious feel to it. Therefore, it is an ideal space provider for every home or office.

Conclusion

In the end, you must have seen reasons why you need to replace old drawers with decorative bent and curved glass shelves. The luxury and storage they provide is indeed second to none.

Ideas on Budget-Friendly DIY Hottubs

Medical experts proved that soaking in warm water is one of the best ways to get rid of accumulated stress. And when you combine bathing with staying outside and enjoying the view, you'll bring enjoyment to a higher level. And what unites all these? An outdoor hottub.

You might think that the only use of a hottub is to sit back and relax after a hard day. But staying in warm water also has many health benefits, whether you soak in the tub during the summer or on chilly days. You can find out more at this link.

Anyone who has even a little space in their backyard can get a hottub. You can buy these pools in various sizes and shapes, with various accessories - all tailored to your budget and location. But if you have some free time, basic DIY skills, and tools, you can make a custom Jacuzzi for your backyard.

Economical Wooden Hottub

A wooden hottub is the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking of cold winter days when you enjoy soaking outside. Many models can be found in stores, but if you need a custom outside Jacuzzi, it is best and most cost-effective to design and make it yourself. Since wood is a natural material, it will easily fit into any exterior.

Wood is a very flexible element and keeps the water temperature well. It's easy to process so you can make any hottub you imagined. The simplest are square or round, and the mechanism that provides water heating is the woodstove. You can put it inside, or in a special box behind the tube, if you are making a tank for more people.

Depending on your carpentry skills, you can be very creative when building a tub. For example, you can make handrails and stairs for easier entry. Or you can add a tiny porch around the hottub. It's quite useful to lean on it or put things away.

As for the choice of lumber, it is best to use cedar. When heated, this wood releases a beautiful scent, reminding of deep forests and untouched nature. You will enjoy the benefits of both hydromassage and aromatherapy.

Use Old Pallets

If you have a bunch of old pallets that have no purpose, you can use them in a pretty creative way. One of these ideas is to build a rustic hottub. This project doesn't require too much money, time, and skills. Besides pallets, you need an old water tank, some pipes, and connectors.

The base is a water tank that you reinforce with pallets to keep its shape. Place some foam lining inside, for greater comfort, and attach connectors to fill the tank. These DIY tubs are mainly intended for one person, as it's not feasible to put benches inside. You can cover the pallets with boards on the outside, to give the hottub a finished look.

Sturdy DIY Hottub

A small concrete pool can be an ideal decoration for a yard that is rich in greenery. Unlike wooden tubs, this model will last and stand in one place. So you can be very creative, and make a real corner to enjoy. And you won't spend more than a few hundred bucks to make it.

You can make an in-ground pool in any shape and any dimensions. Since you will put it on the ground, you have to adapt it to the structure of the terrain. The square models are easy to make, and in addition to concrete, you can also use thermalite blocks or natural stone.

The DIY concrete pool can look quite expensive and attractive, as those seen on hottubreviews.co.uk, if you add details made of marble or natural stone. The only problem is time, as building process takes a while, mostly due to the concrete's drying. Build this DIY project during fall or spring so that the concrete doesn't crack due to high heat or cold.

Soaking in the water feels good during hot summer days, but if you have an outside Jacuzzi or tub, you can bathe in it even when the days are not warm. With a bit of creativity and skill, you can turn your yard into a wellness oasis where you can relax whenever you want, alone or with someone.