Replacing Windows

Windows are not often the first things that come to mind when you are considering updates to your house. Typically, you may feel a need to update something that you interact with more often, such as a kitchen or bathroom sink, oven, or shower. Windows, however, play a large role in the value and energy efficiency of your home and should never be overlooked when considering updates or remodels to your house. Windows, much like your roof or siding, sometimes need repairs or replacing to maintain their function and efficiency.

There are some obvious warning signs that you are in need of replacement windows. The first, and most important, is a difficulty in opening or closing a window all the way. A window that does not close all the way will leak energy and may fail to lock, leaving your house open to break-ins. Windows that are difficult to open can end up being a fire hazard in rooms that don’t contain a door leading to the home’s exterior. Make sure all of the windows in your house can open and close smoothly, and can be locked tightly.

Perhaps one of the most obvious signs that you need a window repair or replacement is a draft blowing through your home. Not only does a draft indicate a major energy leak, but also a severely damaged or inefficient window. A draft in your house can signal a need for both replacement windows and replacement doors, so be sure to check both if your house is feeling windy. The draft can be caused by gaps in the window’s fixture or a damaged seal.  One of the main purposes of owning a house is to protect us from the elements, and inefficient or broken windows diminish our home’s ability to do so.

If you have multi-pane windows and you notice condensation forming between them, you should consider replacement windows. The condensation occurs when the seals of your windows are failing. Because the seal is no long doing its job, moisture may enter and form condensation, indicating that the window is no longer effectively keeping out cold air. Often times you will notice a white film left behind by calcium deposits from condensation, another sign that the seal has failed. If you notice any of these signs, you should immediately replace the window as it is no longer effective at keeping out cold air.

If you feel that one or more of your windows is ugly, or doesn’t fit with how you want your house to look, that is a perfectly acceptable reason to go about looking into replacement windows. Sometimes people will replace their windows just because they don’t like the way that they open, or want a different style. There is nothing wrong with changing a component of your house just because you don’t like the way it looks or operates.

Replacing windows can be a big commitment in both time and money, but it is almost always a worthwhile investment. Windows that are drafty, not functional, or just plain ugly are not doing their job. Not only can bad windows cost you money, but they can also be a hazard; so be sure you take action immediately if you find yours are showing some of the aforementioned signals that they need to be repaired or replaced.

Deciding If You Need a Bathroom Remodel

The bathroom is a sanctuary in your home. It’s the one room in your house that you can have a good excuse to retreat to multiple times a day, whether it be for 30 seconds or an hour. With all of the tile, moisture, faucets, showerheads, and various other things that our bathrooms are made out of, it tends to be the room of our home that requires the most maintenance. At times you may feel that the bathroom is no longer a pleasant place to spend your time, and the environment it provides you no longer gives you any sense of solace or comfort. It is at this point that the idea of remodeling might pop into your head, but given the investment of time and money that usually accompanies a remodel, how can you be sure that you really need one? Well here are a few tips that should help you decide whether or not you can justify the expense of a bathroom remodel.

The first thing you need to remember when remodeling any room of your house is whether or not it will provide you with a return on investment (ROI). According to the Wall Street Journal, a bathroom remodel is the best home improvement you can make when looking at ROI. This is an indicator of just how highly the quality of a bathroom rates on potential homebuyers’ minds. While you may not even be considering the sale of your house, it is always wise to take into consideration how an improvement or remodel will affect your home’s value. Given that you will recuperate your investment in remodeling your bathroom, it usually makes financial sense to do so if your bathroom is in poor shape.

Financial benefits aside, the main reason to remodel your bathroom is to make it a more enjoyable and functional place to spend time. If there are things that annoy you about your bathroom every time you use it, you are probably in a good position to have it remodeled. Typically things that would influence someone to remodel their bathroom are being dissatisfied with the lighting, tiling, layout, or bath/shower setup. Sometimes feeling that a bathroom’s layout is inadequate at making good use of space will influence one to consult with a professional on changing the layout to allow for more storage or a better atmosphere. The tiles of the floor or walls in your bathroom might be outdated or old and chipped, leaving your bathroom with a permanently grimy or dirty feeling. Some people opt for a nicer bathtub or shower setup, making the bathroom more relaxing. A new sink with more storage space, or perhaps less storage space but with a sleeker design might make your bathroom either more practical or better looking. And yes, sometimes people remodel with a better toilet in mind for enhanced comfort and aesthetic appeal.

The lighting in your bathroom also plays a much bigger role in its appearance than you might have previously suspected. If your bathroom is centered in your house and does not have any windows, you might want to optimize the lighting to give it a more natural ambiance. If you find that you have a difficult time seeing yourself in the mirror while you shave or put on makeup, you might want to consider a different lighting fixture above the bathroom mirror. Often times, remodeling the lighting of your bathroom is enough to make the atmosphere of your bathroom exponentially more pleasant. Some people even enjoy dimmer lighting for when they bathe to make the experience more relaxing and meditative.

These are just a few of the reasons that might influence your decision to remodel your bathroom. Sometimes the only reason you need, however, is that you feel that it would improve your life or the way you feel about your home. If you are just thinking about remodeling your bathroom, don’t hesitate to call us and we will see what we can do to help!

January Home Repair and Maintenance List

Every year our houses degrade a little bit more. Rain, snow, hail, wind, and direct sunlight continually pummel our houses’ exteriors, while children, pets, and even the adults wear out their interiors. The only way to keep yourself from being overwhelmed by needed repairs is to stay on top of them throughout the year. By starting the New Year off by taking an inventory of what needs, or soon will need, some attention, you can make a list and check off the needed repairs as the year goes on. Taking inventory of your house’s condition can also prepare you for things that might pop up as the year goes on. If you find anything damaged, take note of it on a piece of paper or on your smartphone.

Begin with the interior of your house and go room-by-room checking for loose electrical outlets, damage to the walls, floor boards, and door jams. Make sure all of your windows can lock tightly and that you don’t feel a draft when they’re closed. If you have tile floor in your house, check for chips or holes in the grout. Make note of any damaged drawers or cabinets in your house that need new hinges or any other sort of repairs. Check to make sure that you can close all the doors in your house and have them latch properly. If you have a screen door, make sure that it closes properly and is in good working order.

Your bathrooms and kitchen should be given an extra attentive look when inspecting your house for needed repairs. First, you should check under the sinks for leaks and moisture. Bathroom and kitchen cabinets can be hotbeds for mold due to the added moisture in these environments. If you have leaky or faulty faucets, now is the time to take inventory of them so you can make repairs or replace them. Check for mold or grime on the caulk around the tiles in your shower or bath and rust around the drains. Run all of the faucets to make sure that your water pressure is good, and observe whether or not your drains are slow or stopped up.

Once you are finished with inspecting the rooms of your house, head outside to give the exterior a look. Check your siding for holes that could cause energy leaks or open your house up for pest infestation. There should not be any gaps along your upper exterior where your siding meets the roof of your house. Be sure to check around all of your windows for damages in the screens. Take a look at your A/C unit’s coils to see if they need to be cleaned. If you have a deck, determine whether or not it needs a treatment. Walk around the perimeter of your yard, looking for damaged panels of your fence and take note of how many there are. Any other sort of blemishes on your exterior should be accounted for, so you can come back to them later.

Obviously, this list is just a basic outline of what you should look out for, so don’t ONLY look for what is listed; by all means, you should take note of everything that needs attention. Don’t overwhelm yourself by tackling everything at once. The point of making this list in January is so you can fix things throughout the year and use the list as a guide in how you can spend your free time to improve your house. Also, remember any major repairs you come across should be left to a professional! 

Designing the Perfect Fireplace Surround

In any room, a fireplace stands out as a focal point. Taking that into account, it's important to plan properly so your fireplace complements the space and existing furnishings. Choose the design, materials, and mantel carefully so they command attention but don't look out of place.

These Tualatin homeowners wanted a clean, traditional classic mantel with surround to tone down the brick of their existing fireplace. We demo’d the top portion of the brick mantel, and in coordination with the homeowner’s, designed the surround to fit the existing structure. Because of the existing window on the right and shelving cabinet to the left, the surround design had some confinements. The custom built recessed panels and layers of trim moldings make this fireplace exude casual elegance. The stately profile of the mantel is eye-catching and because it’s now wider and can house personal treasures. The brick adds texture, but the light color helps maintain the clean look. The new TV mounted above the fireplace signals that the room is suited for relaxing.

 

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Do I Need A Contingency Fund?

While creating a strict budget is helpful, homeowners should also have an emergency fund prepared if the remodeling job goes over budget. It is common for remodeling jobs to go over schedule and rack up additional costs, so having extra cash stored away can help homeowners get out of this jam. Contingency funds are for these unexpected items that present themselves during the course of the project.

 

The guideline is to set aside between five to twenty percent of the quoted estimate for contingencies. The actual percentage depends upon the complexity of the project and the age of the house. For instance, a new roof generally does not require other ancillary items be repaired or altered in order to install the roof. Therefore the minimum contingency of five percent is usually sufficient. On the other hand, a large addition to your home involves many more trades and materials that likely require the maximum contingency of twenty percent. For example, relocating one load-bearing wall could likely involve re-engineering; demo subcontractor; concrete subcontractor; framing subcontractor; structural connection supplier; steel supplier; architect; general contractor; lumber supplier; etc. As a rule if any portion of your existing walls, floors, or ceilings must be demolished or opened up in order to install the new materials you need a contingency towards the maximum. Although a contractor may have vast knowledge of the construction process he does not have X-ray vision. Often times there are situations that complicate construction contained within these areas that cannot possibly be known about until the area is opened.

Therefore, it’s advisable to thoroughly ‘live thru’ the plans in a patient and comprehensive manner, so that when one is confronted with the real world reality, it’s no surprise.

Storing Christmas Decorations

The holidays have come and gone, but the reminders they leave behind are all over your house… literally. Christmas lights are still clinging to your roof and tied around your hedges. The cardboard candy-cane still greets the mailman, weeks after Christmas morning, and Lucy wearing a Santa hat is still tricking Charlie Brown on your front lawn. It is time to pull the decorations down and store them until Black Friday rolls around later on in the year. Here are a few tips that can help you feel less stress with the pulling down and storage of your decorations.

Sometimes you can find yourself in a hurry while putting away your Christmas decorations, and damage them in the process. Whether you decide to just yank the lights down off of their staples or holders, or drag the big wooden cut outs up the driveway because you don’t want to wait for someone to help you bring them back into the garage, always take your time when pulling down your decorations to prevent them from being damaged. Having to buy new decorations during the holidays is the last thing you want to add to your budget when you are already worried about buying presents for everyone.

When taking down lights, do it in an organized fashion. Unhook each bulb from its plastic hook, if that’s what you used to hang the lights with. If you stapled the lights to your house (which I don’t recommend doing), be careful not to tear the wire when pulling it free of each staple. Go ahead and wrap the string of lights around your elbow and palm as you take it down to prevent it from knotting and to keep it organized. As far as storing lights goes, the boxes they come in are often times difficult to fit the strands back into, so I recommend using a Rubbermaid storage tub with a lid. Be sure to label your tubs before you stack them into your garage or attic. This will save you an abundance of time when looking for your lights next year. If any of your Christmas lights went out during the holiday season, don’t put them away broken. You will forget the strand needs to be replaced and waste a lot of time troubleshooting next year. Go ahead and fix your lights as they go out to save yourself a lot of time.

As far as the bigger decorations go, don’t toss them into your garage uncovered. I recommend using thick plastic covering to wrap them in before you store, as this will prevent the paint from being scratched out and help keep spiders and other nasties from making nests in them. Go ahead and place the bigger decorations out of the way in your garage or attic, otherwise you’ll be tripping on them all year. Don’t let your decorations eat up space that’s better suited for commonly used items, such as bicycle or tools. If you have kids, you’ll definitely want them put up out of the way, because let’s face it: kids break things.

Smaller, indoor decorations should be wrapped in an organized fashion that will prevent them from being broken. I always recommend keeping the boxes to Christmas ornaments, as they are well-suited for storing them during the off-seasons. Stackable Rubbermaid tubs come in handy here, as well. If you put away your Christmas decorations in an organized fashion, you should be able to fit everything into just a couple tubs. If you have an artificial tree, keep its box for storage. Typically, it’s not too difficult to fit a Christmas tree back into its box, but if you have trouble, use two thick trash bags to store it in. Be gentle when placing it into storage, especially if it’s a pre-lit tree.

The holidays can be a stressful time, so being organized with your decorations can alleviate some of the stress. Remember to take your time when storing your decorations so you will not feel overburdened during the next holiday season, nor will you have the added financial stress of replacing broken decorations that were stepped on or broken due to poor storage.

Open Layouts & Aesthetic Improvements Drive Kitchen Projects

 

When it comes to kitchens, bigger isn't necessarily better – at least according to a new survey conducted by Houzz.com. The Fall Houzz Kitchen Remodeling Survey, which polled more than 7,500 consumers about their kitchen remodeling plans and progress, showed that while the majority of consumers aren't expanding their kitchens, they are favoring open kitchen plans.

In fact, while only one-third say they plan to expand their kitchen square footage, a whopping 77% of those polled say their kitchen remodel involves opening up the space to other rooms of the house. Consistent with the open-space design, some 61% of survey respondents note that they are incorporating an island into their kitchen design.

As far as their remodeling motivation, reasons cited were all over the map, from major life changes to natural disasters to a simple desire for an updated look. However, when asked about their primary reason for remodeling, aesthetics still topped the list, with 79% of those polled citing "an improved look and feel" as a key motivator behind their remodel (see Graph 1). However, functionality was also a strong factor, with 59% of survey respondents citing "improved function" as a primary reason for the remodel, 52% noting updated appliances and 48% saying improved storage was key.

Other factors cited as key motivators for remodeling included increasing the home's value (38%), creating an open floor plan (36%), improving the entertaining space (33%) and adapting to a changing lifestyle (23%). Less critical, yet still cited by 12% of those polled, was the desire to increase energy efficiency.

Additionally, what consumers are giving up in added size they seem to be putting into getting their dream kitchen just right, with an increasing number of homeowners choosing to do a complete remodel from the inside out. In fact, 49% of those polled say they are gutting their kitchen and starting from scratch, compared to 42% who are merely updating an existing kitchen.
By Janice Costa, writer for Kitchen and Bath Design News Magazine, December 2013