More Than Father's Day

Dad with his kids, nephew and nieces

I am the son, grandson and nephew of painters. My dad worked for his dad growing up. Shortly after coming home from Korea, where he served in the Marine Corps he started his own painting business in 1952, one year before I was born.

Dad and me working on the Lake house

When I was 8 years old I was allowed to go to the job site with dad sweeping and cleaning. I eventually worked my way up to becoming the baseboard expert. I learned to sand, putty and wrap baseboards. Dad said when I could touch the top of the door casing without standing on a bucket I would graduate from baseboards. That was a day I longed for.

Painting a water tower

Dad had 3 passions; his family, his business and remodeling the homes we lived in. As a boy growing into adulthood it was the perfect combination leading to not only a career, but passion of construction. His passion gives me many happy memories related to my life in construction, the day he told my mom I was ready for my own hammer or Saturday mornings waiting anxiously as mom packed my lunch and dad finished breakfast so that we could get into the truck for the drive to work. What pride I felt sitting next to my dad holding firmly on to my lunch. My dad is no longer with us, but I still remember the first time he gave me a company truck and sent me out to paint a house exterior by myself.

Grandpa Elings

Dad taught by example and what he gave his 7 children was a legacy of hard work, resourcefulness, creativity and persistence.  He instilled in us pride of a job well done, to strive for perfection and craftsmanship. Cutting corners was not acceptable but continuing to learn and being open to new techniques was to be desired.

Grandpa Miller and Dad

Dad's other love; his grandchildren

Not so secret love; his ice cream

Five Ways Not To Write a Craigslist Ad Looking For Contractors

Have you ever read a Craigslist, or any other, ad looking for remodeling or repair help? Maybe you’ve actually posted such an ad? If we shopped for medical aid this way healthcare costs would be much lower, right?

"Date: 2011-05-10, 7:09AM
Reply to: Unskilled Labor
Need a 30x30 room plastered/drywalled and prime/ painted (2 coats)
We have all materials.
Couple days work, $100.00 (cash) for the job once finished
Please email your angies list verification page and a brief description of your company, also your bid for the job (if willing to do it less than $100).

* Location: USA
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: $100.00"

1. Always offer to pay in cash. This way you give the impression to the prospective bidder you are willing to become an accomplice by potentially skirting any State or Federal obligations.

2. Always state in the ad exactly how much you expect to pay. The contractor will be immensely relieved that there will be no need to waste time writing a bid or calculating what overhead costs are needed to stay in business so that they may do jobs for you in the future. Best of all you might be contacted by someone who is willing to do it for less than offered. What could go wrong?

"Need someone with a small tractor to move about 100 yds. of dirt in tight areas, scrape new grass to form a firebreak and scrape a driveway. 1/2 to 3/4 day maximum. (Do not need someone to tell me it will take a full day or more, or to show me how to "milk" a job!)."

3. Always tell the potential “contractor” how long it will take to do the job. This will put the “contractor” more at ease when dealing with you; they will realize immediately that you know way more about their trade than they do. Taking the time to research the time it takes to perform a task on www.howlongdoesittake.com shows you won’t be just any pain in the rear customer.

4. Always request a bid for your project by describing the scope of work in your ad.  Who needs the aggravation of contractors tramping through your home?  How much can such things as site conditions or matching existing material matter? What if the contractor had some ideas to improve the end product or make it less costly? What a bother.

"….If this job is finished to my satisfaction I have many other jobs to do around my house."

5.  Always promise more work. What contractor worth their salt wouldn’t want to bid a job cheaper on the hazy promise of more work in the future?  We all know you can lose money on projects as long as you make up for it by the number of jobs you do.

To be clear the person writing these types of ads or email are most likely not looking for a real contractor, they are looking for someone likely unlicensed, uninsured and not knowing the real costs of doing business.

To be fair not all homeowners are searching for contractors with the same goal in mind. Maybe some have been misled by how-to television shows or websites that portray to know the “right” way to find a contractor. I’m not saying don’t use Craigslist or whatever else you use to find someone to work on your house I am saying there are better ways to go about finding someone to work on your biggest investment.

Spring Maintenance Checkup for your Home

The smell of spring is in the air, when even the newest of homeowners feel a familiar urge to move the furniture, scrub the windows and dust the woodwork, ritual offerings to the return of sunshine and warmer weather. Spring, besides being a harbinger of cleaning frenzy, should provide a reminder that the exterior of your home needs routine maintenance.

 

Follow this spring maintenance checklist to make sure your home is in the best condition possible for coming year:

1. Inspect exterior foundation.

·         Springtime and rain go together which can lead to water in your basement. Most water leakage can be traced to exterior conditions around the foundation.

·         Check for loose or leaky gutters. Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space.

·         Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation. Downspouts should discharge on sloping surfaces at least 10 feet from the foundation.

·         Clean leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts.

·         Reattach gutters that have pulled away from the house.

·         Check the ground around exterior foundation, Soil should slope away from the home, making sure there are no low spots where water can pool against the home. A good slope to aim for when grading ground extending from the foundation is 6 inches for the first 10 feet.

·         Make sure your sump pump is working properly.

·         In areas where flooded basements are common, a battery backup system for the sump pump ensures that the system will work when the power goes out.

·         Make sure the water from the sump pump discharges far enough away from the foundation.

·         Check your landscaping. Cut back and trim all vegetation and overgrown bushes close to your house or garage. Not only will trees and bushes to close to the foundation cause water to enter your home, limbs and shrubs can provide a pathway for carpenter ants and other insects, scrape the paint from your siding and ultimately cause excess moisture to rot your exterior wood surfaces.

2. Inspect your home's exterior.

·         Check siding, window trim, soffit and other painted surfaces for rot, loose, peeling or flaking paint. Repair, prime and paint as needed. Failing paint on exterior wood surfaces leads to more extensive damage, find and repair while it is still small

·         Inspect the caulking around doors, windows, corner boards, any place there is a joint where two or more different materials meet. Replace caulk if deteriorating or missing. Caulking these joints properly prevents unwanted water intrusion, AC/Heat loss, drafts and bugs from entering your home.

·         Caulking the bottom joint of lap siding will cause moisture to become trapped. If interior moisture doesn’t have a way to vent it causes interior and exterior damage leading to paint failure.

·         Inspect your roof for damaged shingles. Shingles that are cracked, buckled, loose or missing granules need replaced.

·         Check flashing around chimneys, vents and skylights. This is something you may want to do from the ground or hire a professional.

·         Check decks, patios, porches, stairs, and railings for loose boards, screws or nails and deterioration. Decks need treated every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain.

·         Check foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking, heaving, or deterioration. If a significant number of bricks are losing their mortar they need tuck pointing to prevent further damage.

3. Check furnace and air conditioner

·         Change the filters in your furnace and make sure your outside air-conditioner condenser is free from debris

·         This is the best time for a professional checkup on your heating and air conditioning system. As it gets hotter the HVAC contractor gets busier and harder to schedule.

·         Annual service keeps your heating/cooling system working at peak performance, saving money and resources.

4. Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

·         Remember to test detectors monthly, keep detectors clean and change batteries in the spring and fall.

5. Inspect garage doors

·         Visually inspect garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. If the torsion spring or extension springs need adjusted or repaired it might be best to call a professional.

·         Apply a small amount of spray lubricant to the door's hinges, rollers and tracks.

·         Check that the safety sensors and reversing mechanism are operating properly.

A seasonal home maintenance and inspection schedule can keep your home looking its best, while saving more expensive repairs that can happen when routine repair is neglected. 

Visit my website

2. Think about your preliminary design

Think about preliminary design

You’ve listed your wants and needs. You’ve collected files of pictures and articles with ideas and products you like.

What’s next?

Preliminary designs are basic drawings that will aid in the final construction documents;

They can help you visualize how the project will look, identify early spatial problems, help refine design details and determine your project requirements. Putting together a basic sketch of the rooms and spaces you need along with architectural features you desire becomes the foundation for your final plans.

Where do we start?

You can start the process yourself or work with your contractor or designer of choice.

1. Measure and photograph existing area you are considering renovating, not just the room or rooms directly affected but all surrounding areas.
2. Make a list of the rooms and list their sizes. Ask yourself some questions; Are any of the rooms too small? What rooms feel right? Where do I have space that I don't use? Where could I use more space?
3. Now you can start to develop a project scope based on your needs and tastes. What architectural themes do you like? In the first step you have already collected examples of designs that you are drawn to and pictures of details that catch your eye. Now you can begin to define your needs for remodeling as well as your taste in designs. Here you find out if your design tastes are compatible with your needs. Don’t limit yourself at this stage
4. Next you need to consider budget while keeping in mind your needs for remodeling and your desires

Armed with this knowledge you are almost ready to begin construction documents and find out where the estimates will land in your budget range.

Next step:  Deciding how the job will be managed

10 Steps to a Successful Remodeling Project

Just the thought of starting a remodeling project can evoke a multitude of emotions. Beautiful kitchens with plenty of counter space, up to date bathrooms with miles of tile or that dreary basement turned into the family play center. Close behind these delightful visions come thoughts of strangers invading your home, disruption to your daily routine, noise, dust, messes, and major stress.

Key steps to the remodeling process are:

1. Understand your wants and needs

2. Think about your preliminary design

3. Decide how the job will be managed

4. Agree on a well written contract that covers all the bases.

5. Come to a mutual understanding on day to day jobsite etiquette

6. Establish good two-way communication

7. Decide on how Change Orders will be handled

8. Discuss and understand the importance of the job schedule

9. Determine method of financing up front

10. Be flexible and maintain a sense of humor

Let’s expand on these keys:

1. Sort through your wants and needs

Prioritize a list detailing your needs and your wants. Look at the area of your home you want to change. Think about traffic patterns, furniture size and placement, colors, lighting and how you expect to use the remodeled space.

At first don't rule out things that seem difficult, undoable or expensive. What you want to do is collect as many ideas that appeal to you as possible. Try to get your whole family involved in this process if possible. It will help foster understanding for the process and enthusiasm for what lies ahead.

Check out home and remodeling oriented books and magazines. There are many publications available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and your local library. Save or photocopy pages of the ideas or products that appeal to you. Visit your local product and material showrooms. Tile shops, lumber yards, plumbing showrooms, cabinet showcases, lighting showrooms, anywhere you can find inspiration.

Check out websites and print pictures of what interests you. Check out friends houses that have recently completed projects or have design details you admire. Go to area Home Shows, Product Expos or Tours of Remodeled Homes. Take pictures if allowed.

It may be difficult but this is the point you need to determine a rough budget of how much you are willing to spend versus how much you are able to spend. Until you have a detailed plan you won't have much precise pricing information so establish your list of priorities.

The more clearly you can envision the project in your head, describe it on paper and have a rough idea of costs, the better prepared you'll be in communicating your choices to others. You’ll be better prepared whether you decide to do it yourself, bring in professional designers, contractors, sub contractors or any combination of the above.

I'll expand on the remaining keys in upcoming blog posts.

Remodeling within your limits: Tips on coming in under budget

Whether you’ve lived there for five months or 15 years, it’s not uncommon to find that you are delighted with your home—with one or two nagging exceptions. You’d really like to remodel, but the project often gets pushed to the end of the “to do” list, because it’s either too expensive or too inconvenient to be without a kitchen or bathroom for an extended period of time. Still, let’s face it, the harvest gold kitchen, green shag carpeting, or the cracked bathroom tiles have got to go.


In many cases, the reason your home may feel inadequate is that the average American house was built in the 1960’s and is now pushing forty. In a sense, your home is in the throes of a mid-life crisis, and it’s up to you to address the situation with some remodeling. And, with interest rates at historic lows, there’s no better time to take advantage of home equity financing to fund your project.


Your first steps are to determine how much money you can spend and to define your vision of the completed project. Working with a professional designer will help ensure your vision comes to life and will prompt you to define your goals. For example, do you want an innovative new design, or are you striving for functionality?


When interviewing remodelers for your project, asking several key questions may enable you to save money. If you’re adding windows, see if you can use snap-in window grilles instead of windows with true divided lights. This could save you up to $200 per window. Need new flooring? Find out if you can substitute seamless vinyl for ceramic or unglazed tile; or if you can swap hardwood floors for carpeting. Carpeting costs $25 or more per square yard, while hardwood flooring can run upwards of $63 per square yard for the same space.


Remodeling is a dirty business, and you may find yourself without the comforts you take for granted, such as hot water or a flushable toilet. When signing a contract to improve any room of your home, assess the capacity for makeshift spaces. You may find the disruption easier to weather if you can carve out room for a small refrigerator and coffee pot, while your kitchen is out of commission. If not, you may want to consider a temporary move to save both time and money. Moving out entirely also will speed up the remodeling process by allowing workers to forgo the meticulous nightly clean up.

Whether your remodeling project is large or small, it’s important to carefully think through your options and talk to several remodelers before you get started. “Remodeling Your Home” provides home owners new to the process with helpful hints ranging from choosing a remodeler who is a member of NAHB Remodelers to writing a proper change order — and everything in between.

“Remodeling Your Home” is available from BuilderBooks, the publishing arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Contact the NAHB BuilderBooks store at 800-223-2665 or visit www.BuilderBooks.com to order.

Visit www.NAHB.org/remodel to learn more about remodeling and find an NAHB Remodeler near you.

Reprinted from NAHB

Footprints

I’ve contemplated footprints recently. Like many others I’ve followed in my father’s footprints, I’ve plotted my ecological footprint and left my muddy prints on the kitchen floor. Everyone leaves their mark in a unique way and maybe because of my years, I’ve been thinking what legacy, if any, I and others will leave.

Those people who are in decision making positions at remodeling companies, trade suppliers, specialty contractors and trade associations like the Remodelor’s Council today will have an enormous impact on the shape of the remodeling industry in the next decade. How conscious and intentional about leadership are remodelors and their trade partners today? Do we have a sense that we are shaping the future of the remodeling industry? Will we strive to leave the industry better than we found it?

Each time we build or remodel, be it a building, a business, an association or ourselves, no matter how big or small it leaves an impact not only on our immediate life and surroundings but the many people we contact with everyday. Everyday we have the opportunity to leave an imprint, through our businesses, our community service, or our association with others. This allows us the possibility to make a meaningful difference that can impact ourselves, those around us and our industry.

We follow the footprints of those who have gone before and leave footprints for those yet to come. We have the opportunity to build on the actions of our predecessors, and leave the remodeling industry ready to better face the future. Get involved; don’t let the footprints fade away.