Too Many Designers In The Kitchen: How to Launch a Kitchen Remodel

Remodeling your kitchen may be a dream that you have had for months or even years. Once the time arrives to get started working on this project, however, you may quickly become overwhelmed by all of the decisions that need to be made to get the project underway. In addition, this challenge may be coupled with the advice and tips from everyone from co-workers to friends and neighbors that may confuse you. The fact is that it can be challenging to get the ball rolling on your next project, but you can launch your project successfully by following a few tips.

Find the Right Design Team to Work With

While some homeowners will be able to successfully design their kitchen and may serve as their own general contractor, most will need to use the services of a professional design team. This may be due to the desire to achieve a gorgeous style in the space, to make use of design CAD software programs for easier budgeting and planning or simply to enjoy the advice and guidance that comes from their experience working on other projects. The best design team is one that has experience creating designs that appeal to you and that has a solid reputation for delivering quality results.

Formulate Your Own Vision

While you may rely on a design team to create the final design plans for you, the fact is that you will need to contribute plenty of input in order to ensure that your kitchen meets your goals and style preferences. If you are struggling to formulate a vision, you can consider reviewing some before and after pictures on a designer’s website. You can also see beautiful kitchen ideas online on design websites or in remodeling and renovation magazines. Think about the style that best fits your home and your lifestyle. In addition, think about a design or layout that may be suitable for the functionality of your home. For example, in a smaller kitchen, you may remove an island to create more floor space for maneuverability. In a larger kitchen, you may add an island or bar seating for improved storage and function.

Create a Design and Make Revisions

When you meet with your kitchen designer, you can discuss your ideas and plans. The designer may ask to measure your home, and he or she may ask you specific questions that you had not considered. These may be questions such as the preferred height of the cabinet, if you want a lazy Susan in one of your cabinets or if you want overhead storage above your refrigerator. The design will then be made for you, and you will be able to make revisions as needed. Once the design has been finalized, you can then move onto the rather fun task of selecting the cabinet colors and styles, the counter top materials and the other features that will be installed in your new kitchen.

A kitchen remodeling project is a great way to add value, function and style to your space. This project may be completed to update an outdated kitchen or to improve the value of the home before selling it. Regardless of why you want to remodel your space, the fact is that a kitchen remodeling project can be difficult to begin. Consider following these tips to get started working on your project.

10 New Home Designs That Take Sustainability Seriously

Everyone seems to be talking about sustainability these days, and when you consider that a sustainable home is likely going to save you in heating costs and will help the earth, it seems like the smart thing to do. The following 10 home designs are excellent options for those considering a new house and want to make sustainability part of their choice.

1: Mini Houses are less than 100 square feet. They are like living in playhouses with lofts. They can come with solar panels and wind power generators. When Tiny Houses showcased them at the Sonoma County Fair last year, they were a big hit and got rave reviews.]

2: Casa No Gere in Portugal is a bar-like structure made with absolutely no trees and only environmentally-friendly materials. It was made to fit in a national park and it succeeded.
3: IKAROS house was unveiled at the University of Applied Sciences in Rosenheim, Germany. This contemporary-looking house actually produces surplus energy with solar panels, efficient mechanical systems, vacuum insulation panels, and natural ventilation.

4: Crooked House is in the Swiss Countryside, but aims to take up little space with a top floor that is tilted back at a 40 degree angle. It also improves the light collection.

5: Vertical House in Seattle aims to deal with urban sprawl by soaring up instead of spreading out. It is only 25 square feet wide but has 840 square feet of space total. It is made of wood and soars up to a peaked roof. The second story overhangs an outside space a covered porch. It makes the energy needs more sustainable with high-efficiency windows and woven bamboo insulation.

6: The most interesting thing about Biohouse is its hydroponic garden. It is on it’s roof. They are also saving space with a garage that is underneath the C-shaped house. With lights designed to adjust their brightness with the light coming in from the huge energy-efficient windows, the house makes the most of every inch that it can.

7: Green Zero Project in Italy has a feature that does double duty. Exterior poles both hold up the large porch roof, but act as rainwater collectors. The slanted, square house with the big, roofed porch is prefabricated and made of interlocking wooden planks, reducing waste, and the house is powered by solar panels.

8: Piermont House in Australia blends into its surroundings with thee curved wings of concrete that culminate in a glass square in the middle. The design lets in the most sunlight during the winter and uses an overhanging roof to protect it from the heat in the summer. It is a design that conserves both energy and space.

9: CASA is the brainchild of a Mexican design team aiming to address the overpopulation issues of Mexico City. They made a flexible housing system of components that can be added between houses and on abandoned lots. Much like Vertical House in Seattle, they want to tame sprawl by utilizing every inch that they can.

10: zeroHouse is an amazing prefabricated structure with a large solar panel array jutting out the side of the roof, shading the front of this compact house and collecting rainwater at the same time. It is made of blocks of environmentally friendly material, and includes a deck on the second level for shade. This may be the most sound one on the list because of the double-acting features. Nothing says ‘conservation’ like materials that multitask.

These 10 examples are merely the beginning of your options. Just keep looking for prefabricated and compact homes with efficient insulation and ventilation.

How to Keep Your Home Safe from Disaster While You’re Away

Most people can’t wait till summer to finally relax and get away with family and friends. However, unsuccessfully preparing your property and home in your absence can turn into a huge, costly mistake.

Keep Your Home Safe

Most home break-ins could have easily been prevented if homeowners would only have taken the necessary steps to secure their home properly with a home monitoring system. The average loss for each burglary is more than $1,800. Therefore, securing the perimeter of your home could literally save you thousands of dollars overall.

Keep in mind that losses that stem from burglaries can also affect your homeowners insurance. So, it’s just plain smart to prepare your home ahead of time when you leave in order to save both trouble and money down the road.

Prepare Your Home

The best solution to keeping your home safe when you’re away is to simply make it look like you’re home and not leaving any clues behind that you are indeed gone. Time, noise, and light are your best weapons to pull this off. Follow these sensible tips to keep your home safe:

• Ask a trusted friend you know and completely trust to watch your house while you’re away.
• Use a timer on TVs and lights to emit sound and light inside your home to appear as if you are there.
• Open curtains and partially raise your blinds.
• Suspend the delivery of your newspaper and mail.
• Leave your air conditioner on low. A silent air conditioning unit on a hot summer day is a huge clue that you’re not home – a clever intruder will notice this right away.
• Arrange for someone to mow your lawn.
• Keep your home’s exterior well lit. Intruders won’t venture where they’ll be noticed.

Protect Your Home from Disaster

In addition to home invasion; it’s crucial to protect your home from other mishaps as well such as fire and floods.

Before you leave on vacation, unplug anything electrical except the refrigerator, freezer, and any devices plugged into a timer like lights and TVs. Make sure the stove, oven, and microwave along with any other heat-producing appliances like curling irons and hair dryers are turned off and unplugged.

Finally, turn your hot water heater down to the lowest setting possible – just enough to keep it functioning.

Rainy Day Funds

No one really knows what’s going to happen from day-to-day. That’s why it’s so important to keep a significant amount of money stashed away in case of any unexpected accidents or misfortunes to protect both your home and family.

Last Word on Home Invasion

More than 30% of all home burglaries happen without the invader using force to gain access to the home, which obviously means they simply entered through an unlocked window or door. For instance, you can secure a sliding glass door by putting a metal or wood rod in the track, or by installing a bolt lock.

Automatic garage door openers are an open gateway for home invaders since savvy burglars can decipher the code and open the garage door. Consider installing a home security system like ADT to fully secure your home and property.

Remember, boosting or upgrading the level of protection of your home against burglars and any other unforeseen disasters can save you dollars on your home insurance premiums too. So, be smart and employ all safety measures to keep your family and home safe and sound.

Easy DIY Tips for Your Front Yard: Let’s Get That Curb Appeal Going!

Whether you are trying to sell your home or you just want to improve how it looks, your front yard is the place to start. The curb appeal is important, especially when you are staging your home for potential buyers. It is the first thing people see and has a big impact on their initial impression of the home. Here are some easy tips you can do on your own to increase the curb appeal.

A Sickly Lawn

Although the effects will not be immediate, there are things you can do to make your lawn look healthy again. Use a fertilizer to help bring the green back to yellow and brown spots, but make sure you water the grass after adding fertilizer to help prevent nitrogen damage and avoid cutting your grass too low. For bare and thin spots, add some grass seed.

Neat Edges

Clean cut edges do wonders for a yard. Edging should be done around the driveway, stepping paths, landscaping borders, and sidewalks. In most cases, you can use your weed trimmer turned sideways if it can be turned that way, but you may need a special edge attachment or edge trimmer.

Clean Up the Yard

Be sure to remove any debris from the yard. This includes trash, twigs, leaves, and overgrowth. Areas of overgrowth, even if they sit along wooded areas, tend to make a yard appear unkempt. If you cannot completely remove the section of overgrowth, try to keep it cut as far back from the beginning boundary of your yard as possible.

Fresh Paint to Spruce Things Up

If it has been awhile, it is a good idea to paint your front door, shutters, and other pieces to freshen them up. Vinyl siding can be given a good wash with a pressure washer. A pressure washer can also be used to clean up driveways and sidewalks that may have become dull or dingy over time. Windows can also be washed, even if they do not appear to be dirty. A cleaned up look can actually appear to brighten your home and yard.

Using Plants

Plants add a splash of color and can even be used to create focal points. A small garden accenting a patio or walkway is a good idea. If you already have existing gardens, remove weeds regularly and add fresh mulch. Carefully placed potted plants can also be used as accents. Try not to go overboard. Too many flowers can make your yard appear cramped.

Add Lighting and a Mailbox Upgrade

Subtle outdoor lighting can create a warm welcoming look. During the night, a few well-placed lights can mark your driveway entry and path lighting can illuminate the walkway to your home. A new mailbox and post can add to the curb appeal of your home as well.

It does not take a whole lot to change how your front yard looks. Adding some simple things and making a few changed can go a long way. You do not have to spend a large amount of money or pay high landscaping fees. Increasing the curb appeal of your home is just a few steps away, without requiring a whole lot of effort.

5 Companies That Contractors Could Not Operate Without

When running a business or working as a contractor, you should outsource some tasks and remember to hire the right people to help you do your job. Sadly, some entrepreneurs want to do everything without any assistance. This is a foolish idea in the long-term as most people will not have enough time or resources to figure out everything on their own. With this in mind, here are five companies that contractors cannot operate without.

Insurance: Without a doubt, you must have insurance when you run a business. With one slip up or problem with a customer, you can lose your entire business quickly. It’s well worth your time to shop and find the best insurance for your contracting business. Without this, your company is likely to falter when you have one mistake. Since we now live in a litigious society, many people will want to sue a contractor. Simply put, when you want to protect your assets, you must use the best contracting insurance policies.

Good accountant: When running a company, you must have your books in order at all times. With one mistake, you may have problems with the IRS. If this continues, you will have a lot of problems and may end up paying huge penalties. At the same time, while you hire an accountant, you should also use a CPA. With this service, a business owner can save money and pay lower taxes. Remember, this is a wise investment to make as many entrepreneurs often overpay their taxes.

IT specials: If you are a contractor, you are going to want to have a working computer and a website. To do this, you should hire an IT specialist who can make sure that you have a great solution. Not only that, when building a website, you can opt to find a contractor who knows how to program. This is important as it is nearly impossible to succeed without hiring a professional. Simply put, when a computer breaks or a website goes offline, you will have a serious problem on your hands.

Marketing strategist: Without a marketing plan, a contractor will not find enough clients. Since most entrepreneurs do not know how to plan and set up a strategy, it is wise to hire a third-party organization who can help a person find customer with ease. As times goes on, this will pay for itself as it is hard to make money without marketing. For this reason alone, you should invest wisely and opt to hire a qualified and hardworking marketing consultant.

Mechanic: If you are a contractor who relies on a vehicle to get to and from jobs, you should develop a relationship with a local mechanic. Believe it or not, many hardworking contractors who own expensive trucks will not hire a mechanic and opt to do the work on their own. Fortunately, if you develop a long-term relationship with a mechanic, you can have peace of mind when you have a small issue with your truck. Remember, with one break down on the side of the road, you will have a hard time succeeding in business.

If you are a contractor, you need to hire people who can help you run your organization. Fortunately, with these five services, you can run your business and make more money with less effort.

5 Most Common DIY Home Improvement Disasters

One of the best ways to add value to your home is to complete a renovation or other project to improve your home. When looking to complete a renovation, many people choose to do the project themselves, either to save money, for fun, or because it is more personally rewarding. While completing a DIY home project can be a great thing to do, there are five common disasters which all people should try to avoid when they are completing their home project.

The first common DIY home improvement disaster is not having the ability to complete some complex work. Even people that are skilled contractors will find that there are some parts of a project that they cannot complete on their own. This can include plumbing or electrical work, which can be very challenging to complete on your own. unfortunately, many people try to do these parts of the project on their own anyways and mistakes are frequently made. These mistakes could then lead to more significant issues, which can cost a lot of money to repair.

The second common DIY home improvement disaster is not ever completing the project. When starting a new project, most people start off very motivated and excited. However, when the project starts to take more time than anticipated or other things get in the way, people can get bored and distracted. This can then lead to the project either taking much longer to complete or never being fully completed at all.

The third common DIY home improvement disaster is not budgeting properly. While most people will complete a project on their own to save money, the average person does not do a good job of accurately predicting how much it will actually cost to get something done. This can lead to unanticipated cost overruns, which could then require people to change their original plans in order to save money and stay in budget.

The fourth common DIY home improvement project disaster is not completing the project correctly. A project that is not done correctly, or is simply done poorly, could be disastrous a number of different ways. One way that it could be disastrous is that it could violate building code and zoning laws. If this is the case, you will be required to restore your home into the condition it was before the project was started.

The fifth common DIY home improvement project disaster is accidentally damaging existing elements of your home. Inexperienced people that work on their home can make a variety of mistakes, including spilling paint, drilling through a pipe, or creating an electrical short. While these can be small accidents, the accidents will ultimately need to be fixed, which can be a time consuming and possible expensive process, which could put the entire project behind schedule and above the budget.

In conclusion, completing a DIY home renovation project can be a very rewarding and satisfying thing to do and be a great way to save money. While completing a project on your own can be a great option, there are several common disasters that people should be aware of before they start any DIY project.

8 Ways To Create A Fully Functional Wireless Office In Your Home

Getting the clutter out of an office is not always an easy job to do, especially when it is connected to everything in the office. Some of that office equipment may need to change in order to have a functional office in your home. Wireless office products solve this problem by getting rid of unsightly cables and wires. Here are eight ways you can get rid of your office clutter and create a fully functional wireless office in your home.
1. Get A Computer Desk

Having a desk that is designed for a computer makes it easy to clean up your office space. Computer desks are available in a variety of workspaces made just for PCs and their components. They offer the best solution to hiding wires in your office and are better options than writing or executive desks. A good place to start if you’re in the market for a good desk is at officedesk.com. They have a wide variety of desks at what seems to us like great prices!
2. Get Connected

A wireless router can connect to more than your PC and the Internet. You can use it to connect multiple wireless devices and eliminate some of the wires in your office. Find a router that is compatible with most wireless adapters to avoid connection issues with other devices. These devices come in all shapes and sizes, so be sure to check Bradley Mitchell’s guide at About.com to ensure you’re getting the right one.
3. Change Out The Monitor

To make your monitor’s cables disappear, buy a TV that connects wirelessly to your computer. If your computer does not have a wireless adapter built in, you will need to get one in order for it to connect. Once you have it hooked up, the TV will stream images from your PC directly to the screen, and you will not have to worry about wires running over your desk anymore.

working-remotely
4. Wireless Keyboard And Mouse

The two wires that stretch across a desk most often belong to the keyboard and mouse. A wireless keyboard and mouse will keep your desk looking clutter free and will give you the flexibility of range if you have a large desk. Wireless keyboards and mouse sets are very responsive and easy to hook up.
5. Print From Anywhere

Wireless printers make a good addition to any office space. The printers are highly efficient and are accessible by any device that uses a wireless connection. The best feature of a wireless printer is that it no longer needs to stay attached to the PC, which gives you plenty of options for placement in the office. Even Google has what they call cloud print now, so check it out and find what fits your work style the best.
6. Wireless Audio

Using a wireless speaker set will help you eliminate even more wires from the office. Wireless desktop speakers are nice to have because they let you place sound anywhere in your office, like a bookshelf or mounted to a wall. The speakers even let you take your music to another room if you wish.
7. Wireless Webcam

Wireless webcams make setting up a video conference simple. Without the cords, you can share anything in your office easily and can move the conference to other areas of your home. The wireless cameras can also double as a security camera when you are out of the office. Most laptops come with these little guys built in, if your computer is missing on it’s probably a good sign you need to get a new one! 🙂
8. Wire And Cable Management

Some wires are necessary, such as power and Internet cables. The best way to hide these cables is with wire sleeves, which attach to walls or baseboards. Some sleeves come in basic colors, while others can be painted to match the exact wall color.

Eight Steps To Ensure A Successful DIY Move

Whether you are moving across town or to a different state, moving is NOT FUN! In fact, it can be A LOT OF WORK! If you do not have the money to spend on a professional moving service, moving can become even more trying. However, if you do have the money, consider hiring your local professional movers as it’s going to save you a lot of headaches and body aches! We recently moved from the Los Angeles area to San Diego, and we couldn’t even have fathomed having gone through that experience without one of the best San Diego movers we found, All Star Move. Those guys were professional, took good care of our stuff, and made the job look easy! We highly recommend them if you’re in the area.

However, if you insist in doing it your way, moving by yourself does not have to be completely painful. Here are some tips on how to move successfully on your own we learned along the way:
Get Rid of Unused Items

The first thing you need to do is get rid of the items you don’t use anymore. If you get rid of unused items, packing and organizing will be much easier. Consider donating your unused items to a charity or selling them at a garage sale.
Get Organized

Your move will be a lot smoother if you are organized. It is helpful to make a list of things you have to do each day before the move. For example, a week before you move, you should get prices for truck rentals and handle address changes. If you try to do two or three things each day, moving will not seem so stressful.
Pick the Right Moving Truck

If you are making a big move, you will likely have to rent a moving truck. Make sure to shop around so that you get the best possible deal. Also, realize that your mileage will probably not be included in the moving rates.
Collect Boxes

Boxes are essential for any move, so start collecting them. Try to get as many boxes as you can because you never know how many you will need. Go to local grocery stores and ask for boxes. Most grocery managers will be happy to give you boxes for free.
moving-yourselfLabel Your Boxes

Take the time to label your boxes. For example, you can write what items are in each box or what room they go in. Labeling your boxes will definitely make the unpacking process easier and quicker.
Tell Everyone About Your Move

Let all your family members and friends know that you are moving. Inform them at least a few weeks ahead of time so that they can make plans to help you. If you get at least a couple of other people to help you, the moving process will be a lot easier. Show them how much you appreciate their help by buying them lunch afterward.
Think About Renting a Storage Unit

If you do not think you will have enough room for all of your belongings in your new place, think about renting a storage unit. Check out at least a few different storage facilities beforehand. Make sure that the storage facility you choose is secure and modern.
Pack a Bag of Essentials

It is a good idea to pack a bag of essentials that you can carry around with you during moving day. Some of the items you can pack in your bag include aspirin, toiletries and extra clothes.

If you follow these helpful tips, moving will be a lot less stressful. Avoid panicking if things don’t go perfectly on moving day. Also, do not hesitate to take breaks when you need them.

Four Ways to Infuse New Life into Your Bathroom

The bathroom may be the hardest-working room in a home but when it comes to style, it’s often the most overlooked space. A few simple upgrades, however, can give the utilitarian room new ambiance while adding functionality to the space too. Whether you want to create a place where you can unwind at the end of a busy day or you just want your bathroom to work better, these four ideas can help your bathroom look less like a laboratory and more like a stylish, livable space.
1. The Bathroom Vanity

The vanity sink is the most public fixture in the bathroom. Typically located close to the room’s entrance, it’s often visible from other areas in the home. A new bathroom vanity is an affordable upgrade that elevates the style of the room while providing extra space for storage. The number of styles available make it easy to choose a bathroom vanity that coordinates the bath with the rest of your home. If you’re looking for a place to start shopping, we recommend checking out PremiereVanities.com as they have a great selection at affordable prices.

When it comes to counter top materials for your new vanity, stone remains the most popular option. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), the top three most-requested vanity counter materials are granite, quartz and marble. Solid-surface materials that mimic the look of stone are also popular choices.
2. Trending Colors

Applying a fresh coat of paint is an affordable and easy way to infuse new life into a tired bathroom. Gray has replaced white as the most-asked-for color in bathroom makeovers, according to the NKBA. A gray color scheme gives the room a sophisticated look without overpowering the space and works well with both contemporary styles and traditional designs.

bathroom-trendy-colors

Because the element of water dominates the bathroom, colors that evoke sand and sea are also effective. Green remains a popular color choice, with blue following close behind. For a Zen-like atmosphere, earth tones are ideal, particularly when the bathroom makeover includes spa features such as a stand-alone soaking tub.
3. Finishing Touches

Bathroom faucets, shower heads and hardware offer opportunities to give the room a coordinated, cohesive look. The NKBA lists polished chrome, brushed or satin nickel finishes as the most popular choices. It’s all about function when it comes to favorite choices for faucets and shower heads Sink faucets with touch-operation offer ease of use to both children and seniors. Multiple shower heads in the shower enclosure offer both relaxation and re invigoration. When mixing shower head sprays and faucet fixtures, choosing the same finish throughout the room helps link together the various styles.
4. Lighting Schemes

Few design elements transform the look of a bathroom like lighting. Bathrooms are typically constructed with a single, bland overhead light fixture. Replacing the generic fixture with a fashionable pendant light adds instant elegance to the room. Installing wall sconces at either side of the vanity mirror helps illuminate grooming tasks. It’s an economical way to amp up the room’s style.

It doesn’t take an extensive and expensive remodeling project to change the look, feel and functionality of your bathroom. To help choose the upgrades that will make the most difference in the space, set clear design goals. Once you decide how you want the finished results to make you feel while you’re in the room, it’s easier to select the products that will achieve the desired effect.

Ten Awesome Remodeling Tools For Your DIY Project

Are you getting ready to start a remodeling project? If you are excited about transforming a designated space in your home to dramatically change its function or appearance, it is time to equip yourself with all of the tools you will need to make your project easier. With an arsenal of all of the right equipment, you never have to worry about spending more time on a task than necessary or delaying your work to take extra trips to the home improvement store. Here are 10 awesome remodeling tools that you need to get your hands on before you start working on the transformation.
10 Tools You Need for DIY Remodeling
1. The Cordless Palm Nailer

Never let cords get in your way when you are putting up drywall or building a cabinet. While this tool might not completely eliminate the need for a hammer, nailing will become less of a grueling task with the compact tool that is powered by an air compressor. Select the pressure setting, attach the nail to the magnetized tip, and position the tool and you can drive nails into virtually any type of surface.
2. Ballistic Fasteners

Are you installing an indoor flooring system or outdoor deck boards that are grooved to fasten together? This can be a tedious and time-consuming job without the right tools. With a ballistic fastener that is designed to make contact with the grooves and fasten them together instantly, you can reduce the amount of time it takes to install your flooring by as much as 50% and take save your back in the process.
3. Hole Saw Mini Kit

If you are renovating your bathroom of your kitchen, chances are you will need to drill compact holes where electrical fixtures and plumbing pipes will run. While you might not be an electrician, you can still cut the perfect hole with a hole saw mini kit that includes a compact drill and hole saw drill bits of varying sizes.
4. Cordless Sander

Are you refinishing your floors or your cabinets? Do not pay a contractor to do something you could do on your own with the right sander and sand paper. Keep your remodeling costs low and breath life into your hardwood flooring, your cabinet faces, or your deck. With a woodworking cordless sander that comes complete with a vacuum attachment, you can prepare your floors for staining and clean up the mess at the same time.
5. Right Angle Impact Driver

Ever needed to drive a nail into a tight space that is virtually impossible to reach? It happens all too often. If you are looking for a solution, purchase a right angel impact driver with a powered motor that can reach the tight spaces without cramping your wrist.
6. Auto Loader Screwdriver

Are you tired of shuffling through your tool box to find all of your screwdrivers? The auto loader multi bit screwdriver is the answer. This single tool can be loaded with multiple drill bits so that you always have the bit you need for your project handy. Twist the tool to select the bit you need for this screw and save time.
7. Grout Out Attachment

The grout out attachment for your reciprocating saw is all you will need to remove grout in a fraction of the time. If you are tired of your dingy grout, removing it and changing the color can dramatically transform the room. This simple attachment made of carbon steel eliminates the need to manually scrape grout and will keep your tiles safe from damage too.
8. Tool Alarm

Your tools are valuable. The last thing you need is someone fiddling in your toolbox or stealing your equipment. Just like you need the right tools for your project, you also need to protect the tools you own. A toolbox alarm is a great way to remotely monitor your tools and will alert you when someone tries to enter your tool box without your permission.