There’s a common perception of the residential construction world that there isn’t any real skill or knowledge required, that, really, if a typical homeowner had a little time, they could pretty much take care of everything they need construction-wise. And, I suppose, for some, that might be true. Coordinating different sub-trades- that’s a few calls. What’s so hard about that? Navigating permits- that should be pretty cut and dried. But, today, building anything really does require broad knowledge about materials, installation techniques, project management skills, building science, and interpersonal relations- along with a bit of legal knowledge and street smarts. Fixing a roof leak sounds simple, but it might not even BE a roof leak. The thought that one can hire just about anyone to replace a window, let alone build an entire house, though fairly typical, couldn’t be farther from the truth. While most decisions are based on cost, cost is probably the least important criteria to use when vetting a contractor- and probably the one criteria that, at the end, was most meaningless to a given customer’s satisfaction with the job. No one remembers the money they might have saved, if they are instead focused on the time they wasted, or the cost of paying someone to do it over. Refer back to my post a while back-https://myershomes.comhow-to-choose-a-custom-home-builder/ to help you figure out the kinds of questions you should be considering. Watching the Cavs game last night (Go CAVS!!) LeBron makes things seem easy. Like he goes out on the court, and everything just comes to him. What you don’t see during the game, are the thousands of hours he spent by himself, working on a practice court, perfecting his technique. It looks easy to us because we don’t see the total commitment it takes from him to make that spinning layup look easy-
To Make an Omelet….
The adage goes, “To make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs”. In the remodeling business, this is an often overlooked truth. To remake anything is an act of destruction, and then construction. Both of which entail making a mess. Cutting, sanding, painting/staining, varnishing are all intrinsically messy jobs that all have to be done to start and finish any project. So, to a large extent, remodeling at its base is all about mess containment and control. On many projects, there’s more to the control of dirt and dust than the actual construction. Partly this is accomplished by the use of actual barriers- there are great products now that we use to help accomplish this (note the plastic lined temporary walls in the photo). But part of the mess control is to work in an organized and planful way with tradesman that understand that we are guests in someone’s home. The work-site may be someone’s living room or kitchen. It isn’t out in an unoccupied house or building-it might be right in the middle of where a family lives. So, sometimes something as simple as taking your time to perform your trade is all that’s necessary to help keep things clean. Faster isn’t usually better- especially when someone’s sanding something in the middle of your house! And, truthfully, working in a planful manner is almost always faster in the end- less mess to clean up at the end, less damage to things that weren’t in our scope of work, and an overall better result-
Family Room ReMade
A Few Easy Updates Can Make a Huge Difference
This year has been the year of the Update! Why? I think that people have put off doing things as we all wound through the Great Recession, and, now, many are looking to make a few changes to change up their surroundings. Kitchens and baths are often on the list for practical reasons- new appliances, leaking bathroom fixtures etc. But purely cosmetic things have been on the list as well. We’re in the middle of one right now- we’re changing the interior doors and trim for a customer and totally changing the look of their home. Changing stairways and handrails is another easy way to make a large aesthetic impact without turning your house inside out. Adding a beautiful built in to a room can really change how the room feels-adding lights and warm wood tones can be a real winner too. Changing flooring, painting walls and/or woodwork, getting rid of wallpaper that you’ve grown tired of over the years are all projects that can be done on a room by room basis, and so eased into both from a practical “disruption” standpoint and also financially. Just don’t wait too long if you need things done by the holidays- they are right around the corner!!
The Danger of Lightning Strikes
One of our friends had the unthinkable happen- his home was hit by lightning and destroyed. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the home is a total loss. We’ve had clients that have suffered myriad lightning strikes and had various levels of damage-this was the worst. Lightning can hit any part of your home, and it will destroy something- we’ve seen chimneys blown up, chimney caps blown off, electrical or plumbing systems destroyed and disrupted-fortunately no injuries. The best protection is a lighting rod system installed by a trained professional company, but sometimes even that isn’t sufficient. Lightning can get into your home through any metallic raceway-conduit, wire, nails, piping-anything metal. It is seeking a way to the ground-and will go through anything that leads it that way that conducts. If it’s a body, it will generate heat and still try to go through it. So, when thinking about lightning protection, it isn’t sufficient to protect only the line voltage part of your home, or to make sure your plumbing is grounded, but also to make sure that-if you have a low voltage system (lighting or sound control) that it too is protected in some way. One thing you don’t want is to have a lightning strike be a major life-changing event!
Why You Need A Distributed Audio Visual System
Distributed Audio Visual Systems
A distributed audio system is a must have for music lovers and cinema buffs. We can distribute your entire CD collection, iPod, DVDs and most other sources through any room in your house. Now that we can stream internet sources as well- the entire world of music is at your fingertips. Our sleek, minimalist solution excels in design and installation, making listening to music throughout your home a seamless experience.
Imagine the coolness factor when you can easily control the music for your party from any location in the house. Your friends will be impressed by how easy and flexible the system is. This makes the whole experience futuristic and surreal.
Advancements in distributed audio systems mean the whole experience will be virtually invisible with discreet, in-wall speakers and wires. Wireless solutions are also available. You can easily control your audio and video through well-placed control panels and remote controls throughout your home. Advanced controls mean that you can play your favorite artist in different parts of your house or simultaneously in all rooms when having a party.
A distributed audio system is an excellent choice for your home. It is practical and makes your gives your home a “coolness” factor that’s unparalleled.
