Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Austin Remodeling

One of the many wonderful aspects of the Austin, Texas real estate market is the variance you will find amongst properties found within the city of Austin. While many large national tract home builders have entered Central Texas, the actual city of Austin still maintains its wide array of choice and design for home buyers. Throughout the city, especially in such areas as Tarrytown, Cat Mountain, Westlake, Hyde Park, and others, remodeling, and even complete tear downs have become increasingly popular. As a buyer or seller considering such a project in today's marketplace, you must be careful to avoid certain pitfalls.

Unlike what you may have seen on television shows which glorify and oversimplify the process, remodeling a home with the intent of profiting in the near future takes careful planning and discipline. The most important decision you will make is picking a property in which you can not only add value, but also one in which there will be demand for when the time comes to sell. Help differentiate your investment by looking for certain features that are both unique and highly desirable for your particular market. A great example in Austin is a property with a view of Lake Austin or the hill country. School districts can help differentiate your property as well. Affordable remodeled homes in the Eanes school district historically have a very low days on market.

Getting a number of bids from licensed contractors and selecting contractors that you trust is extremely important. Ask for references and for examples of past work. Since time is money, find out how long it is truly going to take to finish the remodel. Do not take everything said at face value until you can validate it. Since many times financing is involved, you will need to understand the process of draws and the lender's inspectors that will validate certain work is completed before releasing funds. While this may seem burdensome, it may allow you to sleep better knowing that certain things are being completed to a lender's satisfaction. It is important to understand the budget and to be aware of where cost overrides could potentially occur and what you will do if there is one. Having some type of buffer in place is much more advantageous than being tapped out to the last penny.

Before moving forward with a remodel, be certain you know the true market value of the property in its current untouched condition. Unfortunately, making a strong investment decision isn't as simple as weighing your predicted future value versus your original cost of investment plus remodel cost. You must also look at such factors as realistic carrying cost of the debt, taxes, construction time, in addition to factors affecting possible future market conditions, such as current market supply versus demand, trends for the future, etc. Simply remodeling doesn't guarantee profits. Make smart decisions and consider all of your risk prior to moving forward with any remodel. Remodeling for the sake of remodeling is a risk you don't need in today's market.

Donald Plunkett is President of Congress Realty, a flat fee listing company which serves Austin and many other markets in the Western United States. His company is a member of over 50 MLS systems. More info: http://www.congressrealty.com

Concrete Stairs With Three

Monday, April 28, 2008

Not So Big - Not So Smart!

Interested home buyers, Architects and Builders should become quickly aware of the ramifications of designing and building 'Not so Big' (NSB). The term has connotations of environmentalism and universality, which may be why little or no critical response has challenged the tenets to date. While obviously not a new concept, its base appeal is gaining popularity and creating expectati1C84ons that one can afford to design and build a substantially 'better' home by merely cutting out relatively inexpensive floor area and dedicating it to upgrades, additional trim, better quality doors/ windows, etc. The consumer should understand that the added costs for building Not So Big are typical of any custom design project, and can raise the soft and hard costs to double or triple for the work required to fulfill their 'wish list'.

A NSB house then is basically a fully detailed project that is ultra customized for a relatively smaller home than would be built for that budget otherwise. The concept was developed as a result of allegations by architect Sarah Susanka that the existing 'system' is designed to offer consumers only larger, less detailed and out of scale houses -- houses that simply do not have any real architectural character and have unnecessary wasted and normally unusable spaces. These 'mcmansions' have unsightly exteriors while offering ill proportioned and merchandised interiors that do not respond to an unserved market segment requiring better detailed and built homes. She contends that potential homeowners have few options in terms of cost/ value and that the market is leading the consumer to build bigger but not better.

Ms. Susanka also believes that most people do not understand that architects are actually charged with designing houses (among other building types) - rather than builders. She is championing an awareness of the design professional as primary in the home design process. Her proof that her assessments have struck a deep felt chord is mainly evident in the number of requests for smaller, but highly detailed and more imaginatively conceived houses her firm and others connected with her program have received after publication of her two seminal books, and the call for personal seminars from various parts of the country to hear her speak. Newest on her agenda is a holistic approach to designing the built environment that will probably address suburban sprawl, while appealing to green building, feng shui, etc. to cure the ills of the world.

The idea of building smaller but better is not a new one. Anyone contemplating construction must meet the same issues of size versus quality at the very beginning. Budget is discussed at initial meetings with an architect or builder and the question is immediately raised concerning space in relationship to quality of finishes, materials selection, style and size of home. Building professionals must constantly advise their clients with cost estimates based on outline specifications at the beginning before proceeding with design schematics and until complete specifications are issued.

The question as to how much smaller does one have to build in order to make the final result 'better' in terms of design and quality is complex and is dependent on the skill of the architect, the capabilities of the builder, the availability and transport of materials, and the experience of the trades and subcontractors. But by embracing this carefully crafted statement, potential custom home clients assume that it is a relatively simple trade-off:

This is the art of the Not So Big House: to take out square footage that's seldom used, so that you can put the money saved into the detail, craft, and character that will make it eminently comfortable and uniquely yours. In short, it favors quality over quantity.

In order to implement this idea Susanka then offers up this incredulous statement -- one must plan for a home that is "... approximately a third smaller than your original goal but about the same price as your original budget." The gain for this maneuver includes such items as "...a beautiful stair railing, well-crafted moldings around windows and doors, and useful, finely tailored built-ins."

The idea is compelling but the practicalities are flawed. For openers: how can you plan for a house if you know you should take out 30% of it before starting to plan for your house? What Zen! And doesn't this reasoning remind one of a similar argument made by many builders to the potential client: "Select one of the pre-designed plans from our portfolio and 'customize' it. Cut out the architect fees and put it into quality finishes or a bonus room."

Building professionals know that this sleight of hand just doesn't add up. It is a recurring reality that the wish list (basic requirements in terms of number of rooms, circulation, storage, etc. organized in a fashion that will have spirit and a style of its own), when translated in cost per square foot typically exceeds initial budget estimates. The client is overjoyed at the initial drawings that fulfill the program, but know that he must cut back somewhere in order to meet budget.

The first attempt to solve this problem is to cut some of the rooms down in size. This is a gut-wrenching procedure that seems unavoidable. The second step is to eliminate one or two rooms, which invariably induces near cardiac arrest. But for some reason budget is still exceeded. The answer is simple: one cannot cut out empty rooms alone and expect substantial savings. One has to reduce the quality of materials and finishes, perhaps lower ceiling heights and roof pitches, opt for less expensive cabinets and counter tops, architectural trim, etc. in order to meet budget.

There is no straight-line correlation between cutting overall living area in order to put savings into quality of space. The extra goodies Susanka offers up cannot be had by cutting raw space (living area square footage) alone. The budget must increase as well. In other words, taking out 1000 square feet from a 6,000 square foot house priced at $100/ SF (without lot costs), a 16.7% decrease in overall living area, will certainly not allow one to put $100 grand into general upgrading.

This point is well understood in the industry but confounds the consumer: if one keeps the basic elements of a house intact -stock cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, windows, doors, AC and heating system, TV/ media/computer connections, etc-- and simply cuts out the formal Living Room, extra bedroom, exercise room, etc. cost savings (in the above example) is at best only $25-50/ SF. Cutting out the elbowroom and extra spaces of a house may save on energy costs at best, and will buy some upgrades - yes, but not nearly how much is implied by the Not So Big approach. At the worst, eliminating 'unused spaces and rooms' may make a house feel cramped and less marketable at resale compared to its bigger but potentially less detailed brethren. And how can you possibly cut out one third of a much smaller house anyway without seriously affecting livability?

Imagine this scenario. A potential client meets with a building professional for the first time and claims -- "I have been thinking about building about 3,000 square feet for my family. We have three kids and would like a three bedroom, two-bath home with a formal living/ dining, kitchen open to a family room and breakfast area. If you can squeeze in a study we would be thrilled, and another bath." The professional responds with this: "Well, you know that if you cut 1/3 of your house down we ca5B4n offer you some tremendous spatial effects, upgraded cabinets, inspiring trim, wood windows instead of aluminum..." The typical homeowner would stare in disbelief, get blue in the face, bluster under his breath, and storm out.

Actually, if one double backs two secondary bedrooms to a single bath, cuts on the upgrades in kitchens (appliances, cabinets and counter tops), elects for a basic communications/ electronics system rather than the top of the line home automation extravaganzas, specifies uniform trim and molding with just a few highlights, selects medium quality flooring, etc. then house size can be appreciably increased by a factor double that of the reverse-engineering Susanka proposes. And this is what Americans elect to do, from starter to luxury homes. The 'Not so big' concept actually works best for those with more money to spend, not less. More simple space is much less expensive per square foot than more detailed/quality space per square foot.

Mass production merchant builders offer up the best value for the smaller entry level, move up or empty nester home. This is done by building a fairly priced product through the economies of large-scale construction. Building 'not so big' also involves a degree of customization that will require additional soft costs: "Achieving the degree of tailoring that she champions, however, requires the services of an architect and a custom builder." -- Katharine Salant, Inm5B4an News. By her own admission, Susanka's back to back 'not so big' version of the basic home of the same size proposed in Life magazine's feature project a few years back, cost nearly twice as much!

The larger the home, the more a client is willing to invest in 'architecture', not the other way around. It is a numbers game: the merchant builders attempt to meet market demand. At this time more than ever before, there are home options for all demographics - condominiums, starter plans, empty nester designs, retirement homes, new urbanist houses, etc. You can be in a high-density urban setting or out in the suburbs. But the facts are that we are building bigger on the average.

Susanka blames the housing industry for leading the unknowing consumer into wasteful larger, less detailed homes (horrors!) and implies a dark conspiracy involving the financial cartel, materials suppliers, utilities providers, U.S. public policy, etc. This is patently absurd. American home buyers know exactly what they are getting into -- know that architects are available to design any whim they might have in mind, but prefer in overwhelming numbers to grab the largest home they can find in the best neighborhood possible at the best price - usually erected by a merchant builder. Recent research (by Robert Frank, a Cornell University professor of economics, ethics, and public policy) proves that "...it is the ongoing behavior of our peers which ulti5B4mately determines how much we spend and how we spend it" - not ignorance, a national conspiracy, or Wall Street marketing hype.

The extra quality of life features opined by Susanka and other Arts and Crafts proponents (anti-classicists and modernists as well) simply cost much more than a space tradeoff. Such homes, which happen to be smaller as built at the turn of the century, were also built with an emphasis on hand work as a protest to machine production. Reactionaries to the Industrial Age, this movement could not withstand the increase of space required by families of all sizes and economic profiles that could only be offered in a Democratic capitalist society which depends on mass production to increase the quality of life for all.

Susanka challenges long-standing theories of space perception and cultural mores with such statements:

"With its tall ceilings and marble floors, it was designed to overwhelm and impress visitors, not to welcome."

"We are all searching for home, but we are trying to find it by building more rooms and more space. Instead of thinking about the quality of the spaces we live in, we tend to focus on quantity. But a house is so much more than its size and volume, neither of which has anything to do with comfort."

These and other like quips are patently false or misleading. Tall ceilings and marble floors work to impress and welcome. And so what if it is one and not another?5B4 Is this class war? Size and volume has as much to do with comfort as anything else. Her comment about floor plans is that "The "feel" (of a house) comes from the experience of our senses, not just from the route we take from one room to the next." The experience of moving through space certainly has an effect of our perception of it.

Susanka claims that it is wise to cut the formal (read: presumed excessive or unusable) spaces such as Dining and Living rooms in favor of directing that booty towards a smaller total living area with better details while making up with spatial trickery. Are formal living and dining areas completely useless or so infrequently used that they ought to be left out of a Not So Big House? Traditional formal areas provide transition space from the 'outside' or public realm, to our inner sanctum, a well-developed tool for architectural spatial progression. A formal staircase, central to the house -practical and decorative, normally is situated in a large foyer. It offers up decorative detail and potent imagery. The typically situated formal rooms, for many people, have tremendous impact psychologically beyond being a 'comfortable' or 'necessary' room. Depending on the region, they are an inbred tradition: they are part of a culture of graciousness, they are an expected feature, they provide at least one area in which to get away from otherwise 'rustic' activities and yes, they offer a showcase fo5B4r fine furniture/ antiques. Most importantly they make an opening statement about who we are. (The most endearing quality though may be that they originally allowed grown-ups to entertain and socialize with each other apart from the din of children screaming in the back rooms, something a 'not so big' house cannot offer.)

Susanka offers basic design motifs that are routinely employed by large and small space creators alike: "shelter around activity", double duty space, diagonal views, change of ceiling heights, private and public space, perspective and scale, etc. These are not new revelations, just techniques often left out by the ignorant (or soon-to-be bankrupt!) merchant builder it seems, but not by all builders and architects. The astute custom or semi-custom builder will attempt to satisfy market demand and hire the appropriate talent to deliver it. 'Hot buttons' in terms of creature comforts and specialty space sells.

Susanka implies that all 'larger' houses are ill designed and have no soul, a comment that also contains a tinge of class envy). She especially despises tall ceilings. Those who design, build and live in large(er) houses offer models for the smaller budget builder to emulate. Those who build larger can afford more intellectual and technically capable architects who take the art to exemplary heights while often breaking the status quo to test new concepts and reinterpret the past. These innovatio5B4ns are routinely adopted by smaller home builders. They typically look to large luxury homes for design elements that they can incorporate in other price points. And note this: those who build the avant garde or 'modern' new concepts usually end up spending 2-5 times the cost of the conventionally constructed house.

If we stretch either point we have absurdity: either a tiny, cramped but nicely appointed house is better or one that is an out of scale pretentious marble barn with endless rooms. The fact is that both can be well proportioned and detailed to satisfy a great range of spatial experiences and gratify a smorgasbord of lifestyles with varying economic means. 'Character' is not exclusive to size; it is how space and finishes are organized/ specified. Most architects concur:

"The same materials and expense thrown away on an ugly, ill proportioned building, if guided by good design, would produce an elegant building, and this is why the architect is brought into requisition, to treat the materials placed in the architect's hands so as to give an expression of beauty to the simplest form." -- George Palliser, 1878

Is it possible to think great thoughts in small(er) spaces? Most likely. Can larg(er) spaces be inspirational as well? No doubt. Is bigger better? Not always. Is smaller better? Not for everyone. And how do NSB houses look and work? Most of the examples are cleverly designed, well thought o5B4ut homes that respond exactly to client needs and expectations it seems. But they also appear tight and inflexible. The explanation? "One of the most surprising aspects of building Not So Big is that the measurable dimensions are smaller, but the psychological dimensions are bigger."

The first impression one gets upon entering Ms. Susanka's personal home, as illustrated in her book, is a blank wall immediately at the Foyer. Her not so big house, on the outside, consists of a two-car garage slamming into a narrow box of living area, not much different from the typical mid-west suburban 'great room' tract house on a small lot. Yes, there are some attractive 'craftsman-like' details in low ceilinged rooms, materials contrast, color work, and smart combined space use. Most of the not so big plans featured in Susanka's books are situated in rural areas (avoiding the garage in your face malady) and appear small and crampy outside their central 'everything open to each other' space, with narrow halls and passages, tight kitchens, occasional fixed seating, minimum baths, etc. providing little storage space and the ability to move furniture around or be able to 'customize' rooms over time. In fact, some feel like mcHobbits versus the mcMansions she decries. They are static and obsessively designed to fulfill the unwavering initial mindset of the owners and architect. Of course it is difficult to offer flexibility in smaller space,5B4 but not multiple spaces. These not so big houses are extremely idiosyncratic; in short they are ultra-customized and would have severe resale consequences in a typical subdivision - which is probably why most are nestled away from one.

Homes with many rooms offer options to experience day-to-day tasks under different circumstances: the change of light and season, for example. It is revealing that the European villa type of the 16th century and later was constantly internally reorganized depending on the seasons. Dining and Living rooms were interchanged depending on breezes, lighting, views, prevailing temperatures, etc. How often does one wish to escape the monotonous fate of having to do everything in a limited space, over and over?

The drive towards larger, bigger-is-better, happens to be a national epidemic, er...characteristic. It is evident in everything we do -- how we build our cities, cars and roads, and where we live. Building more or bigger offers cost savings due to volume purchases and mass production. You can generally get more for your architect's fee and from your builder --as you can by buying in bulk-- by building bigger. In fact, most architects would charge more as a percentage of construction cost for a smaller design than a larger one. And if you have to situate your specialty home away from the immediate suburbs, your costs of construction will increase as well.

For better or worse, Amer5B4icans crave the freedom of larger rooms, larger houses, more land, bigger offices, theaters, sports and recreational buildings, etc. The average livable area in new homes is at a record high. From 1971 to 1998 the average American home grew over 40% from 1,520 SF to 2,190 Sf.. Builders and architects simply respond to the market.

What then makes for character in today's homes? More often than not, and unfortunately so, 'character' is what people are carrying around with them as they move up or down career/ job-wise from town to town. It not as evident in the physical house structure of our time as compared to houses built before WWII. We customize our interiors with our movable belongings and gadgetry. Our mobile nature and meager artistic schooling (of late) combine to yield this unfortunate cultural sandwich: we care little about fine art nor recognize the extra details that can make architectural ingenuity and embellishment add meaning or comfort to our lives. We would rather fill our air-conditioned homes with space-age, high-tech gadgets for entertainment, communications, and business, and, with our furniture/ accessories -- take these things with us every 2-5 years rather than throw surplus cash into architectural refinements. Our disposable housing mentality is reflected in how houses are built as well. We do not build heritage estates for our families or posterity because... we have condo mortgages to take care o5B4f and need to upgrade our cars every year or two!

If you can afford to build 'better' for the long term, fine, but we do not hold onto houses as long as we used to, therefore the adage: 'They don't build 'em like they used to'. In the end: we buy what we can afford or not, what we rationalize, how we wish to project ourselves (as far as luxury goods go -- and the Not So Big House is a luxury item!), and how we intimately wish to live behind our four walls.

Bottom line: we would all love, -- no, lust to have bigger homes in which to live. That appears to be our first priority when contemplating a new home. Less can be more to some people, but less is less to most. I find little truth in this statement: "A Not So Big House feels more spacious than many of its oversized neighbors because it is space with substance, all of it in use every day." -- Susanka. Space is viscerally discernable and less space feels like it! Of course, small house builders use every trick in the book to make the houses appear larger!

Susanka has a section in one of her books comparing housing to automobiles. In a recent online poll (About.com) SUV owners were asked how much they would pay for fuel before trading in gas-guzzlers for subcompacts.

30% said $3.50
8% said $5.00
1% said $6.00
59% said "You'll pry that steering wheel from my cold dead hands"

Building 'not so big' could be detrimental to your client's bott5B4om line, the 'savings' tradeoff does not work number-wise, and Susanka's sweeping statements relating size to quality of space also do not hold up to established architectural theory. She has managed to lure many more people than would normally visit an architect to their offices, but I am afraid many of these folks are becoming disappointed and annoyed when the bottom line becomes evident. The expectations are simply too high based upon this feel-good approach and may cause bitter client/architect/builder relations in the end.

As it stands, we will build first as large as possible considering budget, then as good as possible. This is tradition, at least of recent times. To be really green about it: cut out the large yards, build three times the density of the typical suburb or eliminate it completely, and put the savings back into the quality and features of our homes, externally and internally. Whether we like detail or space is an economic and cultural consideration. If any 'art' can be invoked in all of this, so much the better.

Every man's body is a measure for his property, just as a foot is a measure for his shoe. If then, you abide by this principle, you will maintain the proper measure, but if you go beyond it, you cannot help but fall headlong over a precipice, as it were, in the end. So also in the case of your shoe; if once you go beyond the foot, you get first a gilded shoe, then a purple one, then an emb5B4roidered one. For once you go beyond the measure there is no limit.

Epictetus, The Manual

Epilogue:

At first the prophet only wished to write a practical manual on home design, but now bolstered by respectable book sales and positive feedback from her wide-eyed constituents, the author of this mini-phenom, picking up on the karma, has launched into a new-wave environmental campaign. At a recent conference for the AIA, Susanka preached a combination of home design basics and general observations peppered with feng-shui mysticism and save the planet epithets. We were not impressed.

John Henry is a practicing Architect based in Orlando Florida (acclaimed for period style detailing), Urban planner, writer, and winner of regional design competitions. Quoted and published in local and national publications concerning architectural/planning theory and period style projects. In practice for over 21 years. Master Architecture, Texas A&M University. Member American Institute of Architects, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Please see following websites and contact info:
http://www.DreamHomeDesignUSA.com Residential Design
http://www.FloridArchitect.com Comme31Frcial Architecture
http://www.EuroDesignVIP.com Urban Design

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Outdoor Fireplace Designs - What You Need To Know

Outdoor fireplace design is quickly growing in popularity among homeowners in the U.S. Having an outside fire burning in your backyard while entertaining friends and family is life at its best. But, what should you be aware of with any outdoor fireplace design before installing one? Here's a quick look. Basically, an outdoor fireplace is the same as an indoor fireplace with the exception of a damper.

Your fireplace design can include standard bricks to cultured stones. Cultured stone differs from natural stone in that it is a cast stone, which makes it easier to work with.

A chimney is also used with outdoor design just as it is inside. The difference here is that you can use anything from a standard brick chimney to Mexican style chimney pots and many other designs as well.

Fireplace construction can be done with terra cotta, aluminum or cast iron in addition to brick. You can really get creative with any outdoor fireplace design.

Your outdoor fireplace can also include items such as a hearth, mantel and shelves if you would like. A stone16D0 mantel can be most attractive and a real conversation piece.

If you live in an area with frequent rain or snow, a masonry design may be your best choice. It will not rust or create other problems like metal can.

If you are in the process of an outdoor fireplace design, let your imagination flow and have fun with it.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

By the way, you can learn more about Outdoor Fireplace Designs as well as much more information on all types of fireplace designs at http://www.FireplaceDesignTips.com

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Colonial Exterior Door

Cordless Metal Cutting Tools

That's cute.....

The first time I saw a Panasonic cordless metal cuttin saw, I thought, "that's cute, but I can't see that thing being of any real use on the job". I was wrong. If you visit any job you will see cordless metal cutting saws in use in almost all of the trades.

What are they?

Cordless metal cutting saws are simply a cordless circular saw turning a carbide tipped metal blade at the appropriate rpm. These saws typically have an extra guard to help with the metal shavings. These saws cut mild steel very clean and cool. One of my favorite stories is that of a sales rep walking into a customers office and cutting off a piece of threaded rod with the tool and threading a nut on, before the customer could through him out. He sold many, many tools that way.

What can they cut?

Cordless metal cutting saws can cut most mild steel including threaded rod, unit-strut, metal siding, EMT pipe, duct work, really any mild steel. Blades are available for aluminum also. I have heard them being used on copper, not sure that it is recommended though. By for the most common use is for cutting threaded rod, strut and EMT. If you are cutting mostly thin metal, blades are available with more teeth that will give you a better cut.

Who makes them?

Metal cutting cordless saws are availble from Panasonic, DeWalt, Milwuakee, Ma5AEkita and others. If you already have a cordless circular saw, you can buy carbide tipped blades for most saws, Tenyru is among the biggest supplier of this type of blade. I still think the tools specifically designed as metal cutters do the best job as they are set up just for that, but many of my Bosch customers have had good success with a carbide tipped metal blade on their saw.

Give them a try.

Many cordless power tool manufactures have a 30 day no questions asked return policy. I have offered this to many customers, but once they see what these tools can do, I don't get a single tool back.

You can find more on specific metal cutting tools at
http://www.protoolguide.com/Panasonic_Metal_Cutting_Saws.html
Check out http://constructionfastening.com/ for specialty tools and hangers for the low voltage industry.

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Bonsall Remodeling

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Patio Designs

and Creative Patio Design Ideas

Seated Walls

Instead of building a flat patio, consider building up portions of the patio to include a seat wall, which adds some depth to the patio. This can done very nicely with stone, brick, and wooden patios and can easily be a do-it-yourself or add on project for later down5B4 the road. The only difference between a flat patio and a seated wall patio is deciding where the seats will go, how large they will be and how many will be needed. From here, it requires building the stones or bricks up in these areas into the shape of a seat using a cement and sand, or mortar mixture, to seal them together. Because this requires stacking the bricks or stones, quite a few more will be needed to get the job done.

Built In Fire Pit

Along with seated walls, a built in fire pit is a wonderful way to add continuity to your new patio and a place to entertain guests. The area of the fire pit is usually in a central location on the patio. Before placing stones or bricks, it's important to mark off the area where the fire pit will go and begin the patio there. Most fire pits are built in a circular shape, so this will have a large impact on the bricks or stone patio design as well. The bricks or stones for the fireplace will be laid in a circular pattern, one layer at a time, until reaching a desired height and will be sealed with mortar to ensure they will remain in place.

Garden Feature

There are several ways to incorporate a garden into your patio. This may include a raised garden area built with stone or brick pavers, a portion of the patio left unpaved to incorporate a small garden, or weaving a garden around the borders of the patio. The garden feature can help the patio maintain a na593tural feel, but can also incorporate the same material as the patio for edging in order to maintain continuity throughout the design. Any number of garden feature ideas can be implemented.

Water Features

Although it may be more difficult for a first time do-it-yourself patio installer, a water fountain or waterfall as a centerpiece to a patio can add beauty and tranquility to a variety of patio designs. Most water fountains are made of cement or stone, but there are also some made of copper, fiberglass and ceramic. If you aren't interested in "running water", you may also want to consider a small, still water pond. This can be created using stones built up around an area of the patio. Remember if you're interested in running water, you will need an electrical pump that flows from up under the waterfall or fountain to keep the water moving. This will require more excavation if you are planning to do it yourself.

For more creative patio designs, please visit Great Landscaping Ideas Stairway Ideas

Friday, April 11, 2008

Granite Countertops

The Cost of Granite Countertops

The beauty, hardness and utility of granite makes it a highly desirable material for countertops in home design. In addition to its natural strength, granite is a beautiful stone that adds color and warmth to a room. Though the cost to add granite countertops to any new kitchen or remodel can be quite high, they remain the premiere choice in many new and remodeled homes.

The price of granite countertops ranges from $60 to $120 a square foot, which may or may not include the cost of installation. Discount granite can be found for as little as $30 per foot, not including installation. The premium cost is not in the stone itself, but rather in the costs related to transportation and installation.

The stone industry remains unregulated, which can make it confusing. Every entity that handles the granite, from the quarry to the supplier and fabricator, can establish their own pricing based on the demand in the local market. Dealers who provide full service, so that a homeowner doesn't have to do the shopping or planning, will add a markup of up to 50%.

Granite suppliers will typically have three or four groupings (or “tiers”) of granite to choose from. The first tier will consist of the premium products that sell for the highest price. Stones are grouped based on several criteria including the country of origin, color, veins or patterns, thickness of the slab, amount of soft minerals in the stone, and current fashion trends. Some granite colors exhibit ""movement"", or a distinctive pattern within the color. The combination of color and movem1699ent also affect the final price of granite countertops.

Granite from lower tiers has the same beauty and utility as the slabs in the upper groupings. Additionally, stones in a lower tier could be harder than stones in a first tier, so it pays to get out and look around. A lower tier could also be referred to as “commercial grade.” Typically the commercial grades have a large number of “pits” that have been filled in. The presence of softer minerals may require additional cabinet supports or penetrating sealant, which adds to the final price of granite countertops.

Cheaper, thinner cut stone may be a little less than two centimeters instead of a recommended three, in which case the installer would laminate it to plywood backing for additional stability. Discount granite suppliers will typically deal with a thinner cut stone; many suppliers now carry stones that are intentionally cut thin and laminated at the quarry. It is now common for stone that originates in Asia or India to be cut thin and fabricated prior to shipping. Pre-fabrication does create a lower cost product with less waste being shipped to the supplier. In addition, the fabrication is done in countries with much lower wages, saving on the labor costs at the final destination.

The price of granite countertops is greatly affected by the number of seams and cuts that will have to be made in the stone slabs. Discuss how the cuts will be made when the installer or fabricator makes their preliminary measurements for the template. Another thing to question are the hidden costs of wasted material. Depending on the length of countertops being installed, there will be at least three square feet of waste by the time the fabricator is finished. The cost of wasted material is paid by the homeowner.

Shopping for granite countertops doesn't have to be frustrating. Focus on finding a reputable supplier and installer who are willing to answer all your questions. Despite the fact that labor expenses are the largest price of granite countertops, this is one project that needs to be left to the professionals. The oversized sheets are extremely delicate and must be precisely cut. Failure to properly set a granite countertop could create an expensive mistake for a do-it-yourself homeowner.

Granite Countertops provides detailed information on granite kitchen and tile countertops, advice on installing and cleaning granite countertops, information on price and locations to purchase discount granite counter tops, and more. Granite Countertops is the sister site of Kitchen Sinks Web.

Choosing Home Theater Seating Furniture

The home theater is a growing trend. People want a quality entertainment experience right in their own homes without having to go to a cinema. There are plenty of benefits to a home theaterB22 system. Convenience, privacy and comfort are just a few. A home theater can be set up in any spare room of your home. The best rooms to consider for such a system are spacious and dark. There needs to be ample room for not only the screen and speakers but also the seating. Home theater seating furniture comes in a variety of styles and prices to suit many budgets and preferences.

Berkline is one of the most popular manufacturers of home theater seating. They offer home theater loungers which recline for maximum comfort. You can order your loungers in various fabrics like leather and microfiber. Some even come with convenient cup holders which allow you to enjoy your favorite beverage without having to place your cup on the floor next to your seat and risk a spill. One of the most innovative optional features of Berkline loungers is called the butt kicker, which is a subwoofer which can be installed into the seat for an amazing experience. The buttkicker causes seat vibrations which vary with the intensity of the sound.

In addition to loungers, you will also find other types of seating made by not only Berkline but other companies as well. Club chairs with ottomans, loveseats, sofas and sectionals are more examples of popular types of seating for home theater rooms. If you´ve got young children, you can also find an assortment of seating choices for them as well. There are child size club chairs and fun beanbag chairs that young viewers will love. The point is, no matter what your individual seating needs are you can find plenty of choices.

Home theater seating furniture ranges in price from fairly cheap to very expensive. Comparison shopping can help you locate the perfect seating for your theater room. There are also a wide variety of accessories you can add to create an ambience reminiscent of your favorite cinema. For example, a few extras like some movie posters and a popcorn cart can really spruce up your theater room. Because home theaters are so popular, there are plenty of furniture choices and accessories in stores today.

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Thursday, April 3, 2008

10 Tips for Working With a Contractor


By: Debbie Rodgers



This is the year you're going all out. You're going to build a deck, add a porch, erect a gazebo or lay a patio. You've done the research. It's well within your capability and you're looking forward to the satisfaction of creating a structure of beauty.

Or not. Yes -- you'd like to proceed with an outdoor structure but for you, it isn't a do-it-yourself project. How can you find the right person to do it for you? Here are 10 tips for hiring and working with a contractor.

1. Plan your project carefully. Clip pictures, make sketches, write a description. This will help you accurately convey to the contractor what you want the finished product to be.

2. Make a list of contractors. Ask your neighbors or friends for the names of reputable tradesmen. Contact material suppliers -- lumberyards, for example -- and ask for recommendations.

3. Get at least three written bids for the project, but don't give in to the temptation to automatically accept the lowest bid. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials, workmanship and reliability. If you get a very low bid, the contractor may have made a mistake or forgotten to bid on everything you wanted. If they have deliberately low-bid, they may use cheaper materials or take shortcuts to make a profit.

4. Many states and provinces require registration and/or licensing. For the USA, www.nationalcontractors.com provides a starting point for your state and type of construction. Click on Verify Contractors License. If licences are required in your jurisdiction, be certain to ask to see your contractor's licences and be sure that it's not expired.

5. Ask for references and then check them out. Look at the projects and ask the previous clients if they are satisfied with the quality of work done, if it was started and completed on schedule and if it is complete.

6. Get a signed, written contract and be sure you understand it. The Construction Contractors Board of Oregon claims that the single biggest cause of homeowner-contractor disputes is the written contract: not having one, having a poor one, or having one everyone ignores. A good contract should include:

The company name, address (not a post office box) & phone number, the name of the builder, contractor and licence number, if applicable
A detailed project description
A materials list
A statement that all necessary permits and inspections are the responsibility of the contractor
Starting and completion dates
Warranties of workmanship, the length of the warranty, and specifically what's covered and what's not
Contractor's guarantee that he carries liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage
A statement that clean-up will be done by the contractor
The total price and payment schedule
Be wary of hourly, time and materials or cost-plus pricing where the final price is not determined until completion of the project. Although it may seem higher, a fixed price may give you the best protection and price.
Be cautious about upfront payments for more than 15% of the contract price.
The schedule and criteria for each instalment should be clearly defined in the contract.
Any instalments should be not be required on a certain date, but correlated to work completion.
Do not pay cash. A reputable builder will ask for a check.
7. Make any changes to the project in writing with a "work order change" to avoid misunderstandings and surprises.

8. Keep pets and children away from the construction site. This will ensure not only their safety, but also that of the workers. In addition, it helps keep the project on schedule.

9. Inspect the work regularly.

10. Pay directly and promptly according to the contract.

Above all, you should feel comfortable communicating with your contractor. If you sense he is being evasive when you are getting a quote, it won't get any better during the construction period. Find someone you understand and who understands you, and who is open and forthright.

Working with a contractor takes a little preparation, but following these steps is well worth it. Are you looking forward to your new outdoor space?

About The Author


Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com