Problem: Article: Most animals enter attics through small holes or man-made openings such as vents and chimney pipes. Larger animals will even bite and claw through weak spots in the exterior to create an entrance to the attic. The most effective way to keep animals out of your attic is to walk the perimeter of your home and find and eliminate any vulnerable areas in your home's exterior. Look for any holes in the roofing or between the roof and the siding or brick. Lift up the damaged shingle and the ones surrounding it. Remove the nails that are underneath with a pry bar then slide the damaged shingles out. After patching the hole in the roof, replace the shingles with new ones, hammer the nails back in, and secure everything by covering the nail heads in roof cement. Keep in mind that even small holes can be a potential problem because squirrels can fit through holes 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter, and bats can get through gaps as small as .38 inches (.95 cm). Get inch (1.27 cm) or (0.64 cm) inch hardware cloth from a box or hardware store. Make sure that the hardware cloth is made of wire, not mesh. Securely fasten the cloth over any vents on the roof that may provide access to the attic. Don't forget to install covers on your soffit vents as well. Your soffit vents are located on the underside part of the roof that hangs over the sides of your home. First, inspect the chimney with a flashlight and look for any signs of animal inhabitation. Once you're sure there are no longer animals inside the chimney, install an animal-proof chimney cap that will allow smoke to escape without giving animals an entrance. If you have trees that extend over your roof, you may want to trim back the branches to restrict access to the roof. Remove larger branches with a pruning saw or chain saw. Make sure that you trim any branches that are within 8 feet of your home to keep squirrels from being able to jump to the roof. There are many ways that you can trap animals, but live catch and release traps are the best because they're humane and they're available in a wide range of sizes. Set up the traps with a desirable piece of food and the animals will be drawn to it. If there's an opening somewhere, doing this will give you an idea about where it is and keep animals from getting into your home until you can find and fix the opening. Make sure to check your traps frequently to keep any trapped animals from dying of thirst or starvation. Release any animals that you trap in a park or natural environment away from your home.
Summary: Inspect the exterior of your home. Fix holes in your roof. Install vent covers. Install a chimney cap. Trim or remove tree limbs and branches. Set up traps for the animals in your attic.

Problem: Article: It's very important to have the right kind of equipment to complete the projects you are hired for. The required equipment will vary greatly depending on the types of projects you plan on accepting. Buying used equipment is a great way to save money, especially when you're just starting out. Renting might be economical as well for equipment that you seldom use. Unless you plan on starting very small and doing all of the work yourself, you will need to have a team of skilled and reliable workers. You can find employees by posting job listings on popular job boards like Craigslist or Monster. Make sure you only hire qualified people for skilled jobs. If you have lots of steady work, hiring your own team of full-time and part-time employees might save you money. Hiring employees also means you will have some additional responsibilities, like paying payroll taxes and providing benefits. Another option is to hire independent contractors or subcontractors. This offers you more flexibility because you don't have to keep paying a staff during a quiet period. Additionally, if you didn't like working with a specific contractor, you don't have to hire that person again. It's very important to get out there and engage with the local community if you want to be successful. Try joining community organizations to make connections with people who will be able to help you grow your business. The more connected your are to the local community, the easier it will be to spread the word about your business. It's just as important to build relationships with suppliers, subcontractors, building inspectors, and developers. These people will be instrumental in helping you complete your projects, and they may be able to refer new business to you as well. Marketing your construction business business should be one of your priorities when starting out, so be sure to dedicate the necessary time and money to doing it right. It is absolutely essential to have a user-friendly website that shows up in search engines. A strong social media presence is a good idea as well. This will allow potential customers to see pictures of your work and read reviews from other customers. Invest in good quality printed marketing materials like flyers, postcards, and business cards. Make sure you have a professional logo that is consistent across all of your marketing materials. Don't underestimate the power of word of mouth and simple advertising, like putting up signs in front of houses you are working on and on all of your construction vehicles. If you have a larger budget, you might want to consider television, radio, newspaper, or billboard advertising. Go to trade shows whenever possible. This is a great way to meet potential customers and let them know what you have to offer. Your marketing can be much more targeted if you know what kind of customer you are looking for. Think about factors like the scope of the work desired, budget, and lifestyle, and target your marketing campaign to people who meet these specifications. You will probably be able to become more specific in your marketing once you have established yourself a bit. In order to secure jobs, you will need to be able to provide accurate price quotes and deadlines to potential customers. A good construction management software can help you manage this process. Keep in mind that most customers prefer fixed-price quotes. Don't make promises you can't keep! It's much better to finish a project earlier than expected than to finish it late. Your prices need to take into account the cost of materials and labor, as well as your profit. At the same time you need to remain competitive. Consider hiring an administrator who is experienced in bidding projects. Your administrator can quote jobs in a timely fashion, while you focus on completing projects. You could also have the same person submit invoices and collect your payments on time so you have the funds to pay for materials without accruing excessive interest. Before you start any job, you should always have a client sign a contract. Be sure to include specifics regarding the scope of the work to be done, the costs and payment terms, and the scheduled completion date. You may also want to include terms regarding additional work the client requests or unforeseen expenses. It's a good idea to talk to a lawyer about the kind of language you should include in your contracts in order to best protect your business.
Summary: Buy equipment. Hire employees. Network. Establish a marketing campaign. Learn the art of bidding. Write comprehensive contracts.

Problem: Article: Depending on the sun and cloud cover, you may want to pick a different lure. On sunny days, try using a silver lure. The silver will help reflect light and attracts attention. Contrastingly, use a gold lure on a cloudy day. Gold has high reflective properties and will help give off light on an overcast or stormy day. Pick your lure style based off what kind of fish you are aiming to catch and where. If you're fishing in freshwater, try a jig. A jig will work well in fresh water by using feathers and a metal head to attract fish. A spoon lure will work well for fish that prey on small fish. The spoon will wave back and forth to mimic the movement of a fleeing fish, attracting the bigger predators. If you're looking for an all-purpose lure, try a spinner. A spinner is a metal piece that will spin in the water as it moves. This attracts a lot of attention and should be used in a particularly difficult-to-catch location.
Summary:
Pick the right color based off weather. Choose a lure type.