Top Remodeling Trends for Outdoor Living Spaces

Creating a fully functional outdoor living space is one of the top remodeling trends of 2016. More and more homeowners are seeing their outdoor living space as an extension of their home. Whether it is your backyard or your front porch, your outdoor living space can be a great place to spend time with family or entertain guests. Three of the top trends this spring are:

Creating an Outdoor Living Room

Imagine a room without walls. Often outdoor living rooms are covered spaces, all-weather furniture, sound systems, lighting, and even ceiling fans. They can be a perfect space for spending warm spring, summer, and fall evenings outside. Pictured here is a front porch restoration that allows the owners of this Fan home to enjoy sitting outdoors and connecting with neighbors in a space that fits with the architectural design of the house. 

Installing a Fireplace

Adding a firepit or fireplace to your outdoor living space allows you to enjoy the outdoors on chillier evenings.

Designing an Outdoor Kitchen

Creating an outdoor cooking space allows you to entertain guests or cook meals for your family while enjoying the outdoors. Ranging from simple designs with a built-in gas grills to elaborate set-ups with refrigerators, countertops, and bar seating, you can take pleasure from nice weather without leaving home. 

10 Steps You Should Take Before Starting a Remodeling Project

 

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) provides a top 10 list of steps homeowners should take before breaking ground on their next remodel.

#1) Research your project. Taking time to research projects on the Internet and  NARI.org will provide a good sense of what is involved such as price, scope of work, return on investment and new product/material options. Also, research property values in your neighborhood to make sure your project is in line with other homes in the area.

#2) Plan project around the long-term. How long do you plan to stay in your home? How might your family structure change over time? Life can change quickly -- these questions should be answered early on to ensure your project will fit your lifestyle long after it's complete.

#3) Set your budget. Deciding on a realistic budget and arranging finances to support your project are essential. This number needs to include everything -- the project, products, contingencies, etc. Don't be afraid to share this with your remodeler; professionals are respectful of a client's budget and will create a plan around it, not over it.

#4) Use advanced search for professionals. The online world makes it easy to gather information about strangers. Ask friends, family and neighbors for referrals and then spend time researching that person online. Professional remodelers take their reputation seriously and hold credentials beyond licensing, such as certifications, memberships in trade associations and additional training. Look for examples of press coverage or involvement in industry presentations or events. Check online reviews and social media to see how they interact with past clients and peers.  CCI has an A rating with Angie's List, and we've been awarded the Guildmaster Award by Guild Quality for customer service.

#5) Ask the right questions. Time and cost are important, but getting the right information requires the right questions. Ask your professional remodeler about his educational background, training, specialties or past issues with clients. Ask about how the remodeling process will work.

#6) Verify your remodeler.

Don't take their word for it. Check the information given to you such as references, license numbers, insurance information and certifications by calling providers to verify. Request a visit to an active client's jobsite. Make it known that you are checking on him-a true professional considers that as a positive sign to working with a homeowner.  Rob Wright is a Certified Remodeler, Universal Design Certified Progressional and a Green Certified Professional  with NARI and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist and Certified Green Professional with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In addition, Rob holds licenses for Master Gas Fitter, Master Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, and Master Plumber with Virginia.

#7) Review contracts word-by-word. A remodeling contract protects you and your remodeler. Homeowners should review this carefully. Professional remodelers have done this before, and know what should go in a contract. Homeowners are not as familiar with remodeling and should ask about terms if they don't understand. Pay attention to details about change orders, payment, additional fees, timeline and responsibilities. If it's not in the contract, it doesn't exist.

#8) Your design guides the entire project. Think about what you dislike about your current space and the intended use of the new space. Use Websites such as Pinterest.com and Houzz.com to gather design ideas. Make sure you can articulate specifically what you like about that design when talking to your designer. Professionals don't recreate a photo -- they incorporate accessibility, functionality, ease of modification, style and value into your design.  You can find CCI on houzz.com here.

#9) Make your selections. Deciding on products and materials is a larger process than most imagine. With so many options to choose from, product selections are one of the primary reasons for project timelines to get extended. Base decisions on quality, function, price, style and availability. Include selections in the contract to lock down pricing and keep your budget intact.

#10) Create a communication plan. A common downfall in remodeling is lack of communication between homeowners and remodelers. Your remodeler should lay out a communication plan at the beginning of the project. If not, ask them to do so. This plan should clarify roles of everyone involved, communication methods, availability, and frequency of communication that is expected.

 

The first step to hiring a professional is through NARI, whose members are vetted and approved by industry peers to ensure they live up to the professional standards that NARI sets.  As a NARI member, I am proud of my affiliation and commitment to professionalism.

May is National Home Improvement Month

May is National Home Improvement Month which celebrates the traditions of home improvements that take place in the spring. 

Do you have a project you've been thinking about or do you need inspiration? Below I highlight requests I often hear from our prospective clients, as well as creative solutions to address them.

Bring your Kitchen into the 21st Century

A challenge in many older houses in the Richmond area is renovating kitchens in a manner that retains the character of the home while incorporating the latest innovations. At CCI, we are skilled at keeping historic charm while adding appliances and fixtures that provide performance and efficiency, and have won awards for our designs by doing so. You can read more about one such project here.

Turn your Master Bathroom into a Spa-like Suite

Do you wish you had a retreat for relaxation in your master bedroom? Do you dream of a steam shower or a heated bathroom floor? Homeowners often CCI in order to make these a reality. Whether you envision a bath with modern features and fixtures, or one that is more traditional and luxurious, we can help you design the bathroom you've always wanted. 

Add a Master or Mother-in-law Suite with an Addition

Your current space constraints don't necessarily need to be a limiting feature when you are considering home improvements. CCI has added space to Richmond area houses by adding second-story additions, popping-out a wall, and even adding new structures to the property. We added a comprehensive master suite to a small 1927 arts and crafts bungalow style home and nearly doubled the home's square footage. This project is highlighted here. 

Convert your Basement into a Living Area

What do you wish you had space for in your home? Your basement can be transformed into almost anything you can dream of -- a casual den for relaxing and entertaining, a home theatre or game room, a new bedroom suite. CCI will work with you to help you realize your dream, as we did with a client who wanted to convert their Monument Avenue basement into a modern, urban space with a "loft feel" to offset the formal, Georgian character of the rest of the house. You can read more about this multiple award-winning project here. 

Add or upgrade your Outdoor Living Room  

Now that we are finally getting warmer temperatures, do you have an exterior space where you can enjoy the outdoors with friends and family? If not, now is the time to build your dream deck, create the outdoor kitchen you've always wanted, restore your front porch, or add a wrap-around or screened-in porch. CCI can help you design the space and build a top quality outdoor living room that you can enjoy this spring, summer and fall.

Regardless of the home improvement project that inspires you, we know you are making a big investment, personally and financially, when you decide to renovate. At CCI, we strive not only to produce high quality work, but also to build satisfying long-term relationships with our clients. Please browse our website and get to know us a little better. Then get in touch with us to help us learn more about you and your ideas for your home renovation.

It's Easy to Be Green

Green Building is not just a catch phrase for us at Cabinetry & Construction. We have always believed that remodeling is inherently greener than building a new house. Moreover, the close-in Richmond neighborhoods in which we work are the opposite of sprawl.

And by incorporating the latest green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices, we are in the unique position of truly ushering the modern era into the historic beauty of the homes in the Richmond area.

Green products include those that may consume less energy during use, those that produce less waste or use recycled products in their manufacture, or those that contribute to a healthier living environment.

Certainly, some options for ecologically responsible construction are more expensive than others, but even small investments can have a great impact on the performance of your home, improve its efficiency, and reduce the lifetime operating cost of your home.

In the spirit of "going green," we'd like to share some information about our environmentally aware repertoire.

Read below for more information on the green innovations we use not only to enhance the aesthetics of your home renovation project, but also to improve its performance.

We welcome your questions and concerns about our green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices. We can tell how they will help improve your home's performance and how they work with historic renovations.

Let us help you help the environment and your pocket book. Give us a call or send us an email today about how you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.

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Operating and maintaining a home correctly is the only way to make sure it "lives green," and Cabinetry & Construction can explain the hows and whys of green building and help you decide the aspects that are appropriate for your project -- from helping you choose the right products to advising you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed. 

Some options for green building products that we like to provide our clients include:

• Energy star rated appliances
• Energy star windows
• WaterSense plumbing fixtures
• Richlite counters
• Concrete countertops utilizing recycled content
• James Hardie siding products
• Whole house ventilation
• Rinnai tankless water heaters
• Slant Fin high efficiency boilers
• NuTone ecoLogic high efficiency HVAC systems
• Cabinetry made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood
• Upgraded insulation packages
• Marmoleum flooring
• Recycled, natural floor products
• Paperless drywall
• Solar heating
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints
• Radiant heated floors

You can learn more about these products and our green practices on our website.

Certified Green

  

At CCI, we can help you help the environment and your pocket book.

Rob is certified as a  Certified Green Professional (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. This certification identifies builders and remodelers who are committed to making your home green and who are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects. 

While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the CGP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. CGPs understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the right products and materials can help create a home that's healthier and more efficient-while being kind to the environment.

Rob has also trained to become a Green Certified Professional through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). This certification recognizes and identifies remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects.  These principles include indoor air quality, resource conservation, and renewable energy. 

Rob Wright is certified as a Lead-Safe contractor, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, for following appropriate practices to prevent lead contamination while performing renovation on structures built before 1978.

Give us a call or send us an email today about how you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.

National Fix-A-Leak Week

Fix a Leak Week is celebrated in March of each year as a time to remind Americans to check their household fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

If you suspect you have a leak and need a plumber, call Cabinetry & Construction. Rob is a licensed plumber and can help you address all of your plumbing needs.

The Facts on Leaks:

• The amount of water leaked from U.S. homes could exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year. That's equivalent to the annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.
• Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
• Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. All are easily correctable.
• Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.
• Keep your home leak-free by repairing dripping faucets, toilet valves, and showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts don't require a major investment and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers.
• The vast majority of leaks can be eliminated after retrofitting a household with new WaterSense labeled fixtures and other high-efficiency appliances.

Leak Detection:

• A good method to check for leaks is to examine your winter water usage. It's likely that a family of four has a serious leak problem if its winter water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month.
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
• One way to find out if you have a toilet leak is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank.

Faucets and Showerheads:

• A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A home with WaterSense labeled toilets could use that water to flush for six months!
• Leaky faucets can be reduced by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them if necessary. 
• A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That's enough water to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher.

Toilets:

• If your toilet is running constantly, you could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day.
• If your toilet is leaking, the cause is most often an old, faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays, or minerals build up on it. 
• If you do need to replace the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model. If a family of four replaces its older, inefficient toilets with new WaterSense labeled ones, it could save more than 16,000 gallons per year. Retrofitting the house could save the family approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the lifetime of the toilets.

Outdoors:

• An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing.
• An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
• Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench. 

Get more information on how to detect and repair leaks at: www.epa.gov/watersense

Preparing Your Home for Winter

Overall, it has been a fairly mild winter in Richmond despite last month's near record-breaking snowstorm. But it's not too late to check on some items to ensure your house is prepared for cold weather.

 

Inspect Your Home's Exterior and Foundation

Walk around your home and visually inspect the exterior and foundation. You'll want to replace any missing roof tiles or fix any other damage. When checking your gutters and drains, you'll want to be sure these are free of leaves and other materials that might cause a clog as leaves and tree debris may have fallen into your gutters.

 

Check for Drafts

Check each of your home's windows and doors looking for any gaps that create drafts, as these will reduce your home's energy efficiency causing you to pay more each month for heating. You can use sealants, such as caulk and weather-stripping, to stop the drafts.

 

Service or Replace Your Heating System

You'll want to change your filters and have your heating system serviced to ensure it is operating efficiently. You'll also want to have your boiler serviced, which should be done once a year, to minimize the chance of a breakdown when you most need it. If your system is over 10 years old, you should consider an upgrade. (See last week's blog post for advice on when to repair or replace your HVAC system.)

 

Insulate your attic and pipes

As you know, heat rises. This winter you'll want to make sure it doesn't escape from the top of your house by ensuring that your attic is insulated adequately. If your attic hasn't been insulated in a while, check the thickness of your insulation and replace or top it off if needed.

 

It's also important to insulate your water pipes to protect them from freezing in winter, ensuring you don't cut off your water supply and preventing pipes from bursting and damaging your home.