Remodeling

Deciding on Siding

While establishing the features you want to include in the construction of your new home, cottage or remodeling project, the type of siding to be used will need to be addressed. Obviously the type of material and color of the siding you select will have a tremendous impact on the curb appeal of your home, so it is advisable to educate yourself on the different products available. Prior to deciding on a siding product, there are some general considerations that you need to address that will be helpful in your decision making process. Since siding is exposed to weather extremes [...]

Choosing the Right Fireplace for You

Whether they are in use or not, fireplaces are the focal point of any room they are installed in. The fireplace is one feature in a new home that, at once, is a decorative fixture and a functional part of the home. It can help create ambience in a space and at the same time provide physical comfort. From the time our earliest ancestors discovered that fire could be controlled and used to their benefit, humans have been fascinated by its beauty and power. While learning the benefits of fire, it also became apparent to our predecessors that it could be [...]

Choosing a Stairway Balustrade

Stairway balustrades are one of the more prominent features of any multi-level home. Railing systems can be constructed with different materials and arranged in ways that serve to compliment the overall style that you desire in your new or remodeled home. Although there is a great amount of design flexibility for stairway railings, there are several building code requirements that will have an impact on the appearance of your railing. One of the codes that greatly influence the design of a railing system is the requirement that one must not be able to pass a 4” sphere through any part [...]

So You Want to Build It Yourself…Really?

Every now and again, I’ll hear of someone who has made the enormous commitment of attempting to manage the construction of their home by themselves. Their reasons for taking this leap may be many but the only one that is certain to deliver is the thrilling adventure of taking on this task alone. Like a certain company deciding to change a decades old successful soda formula, riding a helium filled zeppelin through a thunderstorm or performing an appendectomy on oneself, some decisions should just be avoided. There are myriad reasons for relying on a professional builder to oversee what is [...]

Four Myths About Winter Home Building

Among the many words of advice that one will receive, when discussing the possibility of building a new home, is that you should not have a home built in the winter months. As is the case with most free advice from casually informed people, the value of said advice is somewhere between very little and not very much. Many myths have been perpetuated over the years about winter building and like so many other myths, what seems to be based on common sense becomes, over time, accepted as fact. Let’s look at a few of these myths and clear up [...]