Remodeling is tricky business. Some builders think it’s harder than new construction! And, in some ways it is. You have to match existing conditions and sometimes this means trying to stick a square peg in a round hole! Depending on how old and what kind of shape your building is in… will determine how you remodel it. A real colonial home (I mean one built in the 1700′s not a “colonial reproduction”) for example has construction techniques that aren’t used (or rarely) anymore like hand laid stone foundations, hand-blown glass, hand carved mouldings and clapboards and post and beam construction.
10 Step – Quick Start Check List
1 Take stock of what you GOT!!!
What kind of shape is your home in? Are utilities upgraded? Is the structure solid? Do you have enough space to work within the existing walls?
2 Dream a little Dream Gather your ideas – magazine articles – books – photos Figure out the style – color – look that you want Write down a half page vision statement for the look and feel of the job. Traditional – modern – white – eclectic – country – high tech? Do you need more space or can a more efficient layout do the job?
3 Draft the players for your Team Planning is key – who will design and specify the plans for your remodel? Architect? Designer? Interior Designer? Design/Builder? Who will process the permits? (sometimes a bigger job than you might think!) Who will build it? o Who will do the fine finishing’s – colors – curtains – art hanging Line ‘em all up early
4 Plan and Re Plan Overdo the planning! The more you figure out things on the front end the better the pricing, speed and quality of the job! o Make a simple model – use foam core board Draw elevations of all walls in the kitchens and bathrooms. Specify the flooring, the trim carpentry, the cabinets, the back splash, the ceiling detail, the windows and doors, the fixtures and appliances. Think about where the mechanical systems will go – heat/AC – plumbing – electric Don’t forget about low voltage wiring – phones – computers – alarms – TV
5 Green It Review products and procedures for environmental impact Energy usage – use EnergyStar appliances Toxicity – low VOC paints o Efficiency – make it work well Durability – use products that last and have low maintenance
6 Add Up the Bucks $$$ Have your builder draw up a “Rough Budget” showing the line items. Things will change as you finalize your plans – but start early – and adjust your budget Remember – you will spend more than you think – so set a budget lower than where you want to finish up Don’t rely on square foot cost ballparks – they don’t make any sense!
7 Schedule Get the architect/designer layout a schedule of the planning process – including the permit process – then check it with your city/town Have your builder draw up a rough schedule while you are still planning the project Understand the linear fashion of construction – if you make a change in the middle of the project you can ruin your schedule!
8 Contract Get your builder to finalize the costs and draw up a specific contract. Base the payouts on milestones of completion in the project. Specify products and installation procedures – oversight – clean up – security of the job – warranty of the work – follow up after completion Re do the schedule based on the final plans and specifications.
9 Build Keep your eye on the project but don’t interfere Ask your builder to provide a schedule and keep updating it Require weekly meetings and project memos that show work done – to be done and RFI’s (request for information)
10 Finish Up Get all the owners manuals and warranties for all the products used Finalize billing o Obtain notice of completion Obtain “signed off” building permit Finalize punch list items
Everyone enjoys the outdoors. The smell of the beautiful spring flowers and the feeling of that first warm summer day after the long cold winter. Some of the best days spent outdoors are relaxing with your family on outdoor furniture pieces. However, not always are you able to afford (in many cases), expensive outdoor furniture pieces to relax and enjoy on. So here are some pieces of outdoor furniture that are inexpensive, but are absolutely some of the most comfortable pieces to relax on.
Outdoor Chaise or Sun Loungers: Sun loungers are basically extended chairs that you can actually lay down on. Now if your lucky, you will find a beautiful lounger that has different adjustments you can make. This will allow you to put the back of the seat down to different heights, until you can actually fully lay down. Add a cushion to that loungers and maybe then you are truly in business.
Secondly is Adirondack furniture: Adirondack furniture comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, materials and variations in styles. Not only are there just Adirondack chairs anymore! There are Adirondack love-seats, outdoor gliders, pool furniture and much more. For the last couple of years this has become a very popular choice among many home owners and outdoor enthusiasts, for the simple fact of comfort which is always number one, but number two the amount of styles and types of materials you can purchase this furniture in, like cedar, vinyl, teak and even plastic. Adirondack furniture basically consists of beautiful arching backrests for comfort along with large, wide arching armrests. This type of furniture will surely make for a relaxing time and you will surely have “fun in the sun” on these pieces.
Last but not least are outdoor rockers. Outdoor rockers have come a long way. They used to be thought of as just something on your front porch, usually made from your usual wood material. Not any more, they have been sophisticated to a level of not just the usual. They are now offered in stylish pieces like outdoor gliders, (transformed into rockers) as well as (like mentioned above) stylish Adirondack rockers, that can all be placed easily on your deck, porch, patio and any other outdoor living space. Outdoor rockers are also a very inexpensive way to add some extra decor to your home, and are a timeless option for many.
So in the end, having “fun in the sun” is not all about the old style outdoor furniture pieces, like sofas, large sectionals, that all cost a pretty penny and are crazy hard to move from place to place. It can now be about enjoying the outdoors even when by yourself, while relaxing on something that will make you happy and be stylish and affordable at the same time. That’s what it’s all about anyway. So be sure when your out, doing some shopping for your next piece of outdoor furniture that you explore some of the options stated above and surely you will find something affordable, comfortable and something you can truly have “fun in the sun” with.
If you are planning on green home construction or remodeling, consider an alternate power source – for example, geothermal power. It appears counter-intuitive that the technology which is dependent on circulating liquid through pipes under the ground could be employed to both warming and cooling a home, but that is just what geothermal power electric (GHP) or ground-source electric does.
Exactly what is a geothermal heat pump?
While large-scale geothermal installations utilized by utility companies depend on very hot water below the ground, the geothermal heat pump heats up, as well as cools down, a house while using continuous temperatures of the earth. This is because the 10 feet of soil closest to the earth’s surface are typically around 50 and 60 degrees.
The standard GHP model consists of water pipes underground nearby the residence, a heat exchanger, along with ducts in the home. Throughout the winter months, the earth is warmer when compared to the outside air and so the warm air passes through the heat exchanger directly into the house. Through the summertime, the home’s warm air is actually drawn throughout the heat exchanger in to the cool earth. The unit can help to save extra energy and money throughout the summertime simply by heating up water while having the heat taken out of your house.
What kind of savings are there?
GHPs consume 25-50% less electricity in comparison to standard air conditioning equipment, so installing one is a superb for an eco-friendly green home building or remodeling project. Quite simply, a GHP needs just one unit of electricity to transfer three units of heat in comparison to a ratio of just 1:1 or 1:2 for others. GHPs can reduce energy usage along with the associated emissions by up to 44% when compared to air-source heat pumps and also as much as 72% when compared to conventional electric heat. GHPs are capable of efficiencies of 300-600% during the coldest nights in winter; air source heat pumps can merely reach 175-250% on simply a cool day. GHPs likewise sustain an indoor humidity level of approximately 50 percent which makes them popular in humid locations.
The up-front expense of geothermal power for a home alternative energy source is high. Nevertheless many experts concur that you could recover this investment in 5-10 years by means of reduced energy expenditures, which makes it much more appealing as a green homebuilding or remodeling project. Federal government, state, and local tax benefits along with other plans may help offset the expense of the original investment too. With minimal moving parts, a GHP unit is also sturdy and requires minor upkeep. Several suppliers warranty all of the lines for fifty years and the pump alone typically will last 20 years.