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 … [Read more...] about It Looked Easy
Remodeling
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, … [Read more...] about To Make an Omelet….
Frozen is Good for Soup, not for Pipes!
This February is officially (well, named by me anyway) Frozen February! For the first time that I can remember, we've had sustained polar cold settled in over the NE Ohio area for over a month that doesn't have a family holiday in it, with lows as low as -21-and multiple days and multiple weeks with negative temperatures. The effect of that on homes can be catastrophic! First, … [Read more...] about Frozen is Good for Soup, not for Pipes!
Things that Last
This past week I visited the historic town of Charleston. One of the more interesting things is that the history of the people is marked mostly by the things they built. The homes all come from certain eras of Charleston history- colonial, antebellum etc. A Hugenot church built when the French threw them out of France and they came to the New World, or the oldest Synagogue. … [Read more...] about Things that Last
We Build Homes But Create Magic
My wife and I had the great opportunity to join one of our clients for a holiday dinner with their family and friends. During dinner, their friend asked what I thought about the whole process, now that I can see my client's family living in and growing up in their new home (which is about 6+ years old now!). My answer had to do with a complex of feelings about building a thing- … [Read more...] about We Build Homes But Create Magic