Great Ceiling Feature

Well, the weather is warming up. The flowers are starting to bloom (maybe not in my yard yet, but somewhere) and we are working on a house in Nashville that has a great ceiling going in it. If you are building a new home or thinking about remodeling, this video will give you something to contemplate.

The Groin Vaulted ceiling has been around for hundreds of years and doesn't get much attention these days, but Broderick Builders is remodeling a gorgeous home that has one.

The title link will give you the Wikipedia entry for Groin Vault and is very informational.

Remember, give me your feedback or questions about remodeling and construction.

ArcusStone--New Products Overview

In today's remodeling market there are so many new products and processes that it's often hard to weed through them all. Well, I have stumbled onto a fairly new product and I think you're going to like it.

The company is ArcusStone and they provide decorative limestone coatings that are much lighter and less expensive than traditional limestone. It gives you a very elegant look inside or outside and it won't blow up you remodeling budget.
http://www.arcusstone.com/

Watch this video from one of the Broderick Builders remodels that is using ArcusStone on the exterior.

Congratulations....You live in Middle Tennessee

I know you've heard for months now how bad the housing market is and how many homes are going into foreclosure. There is definitely some truth to the stories in many parts of America, but not here in Middle Tennessee. Sure, we have our fair share of delinquencies and foreclosures, but Nashville is not seeing the dramatic drop in value and abandoned homes like much of Nevada, California and Florida are experiencing. There is actually a new name for homeowners who are moving out of their homes and mailing in the keys to the banks--they call it JingleMail ('cause the keys jingle--get it?).

One piece of the real estate puzzle which does seem to be happening in Nashville, is a slight upswing in Home Remodeling. When a slow down occurs in the Real Estate market, many people decide to stay in their homes and add on as opposed to move. This eliminates the expense of moving and it allows homeowners to increase the value of the home for the future.

If you are in an established neighborhood and like where you live, consider adding a new room or finishing out the attic space so the kids can have separate bedrooms. Remodeling your current home may be a little inconvenient at the time, but will allow your family more continuity in the longrun because the kids stay in the same schools and the family doesn't have to learn a new neighborhood, but you get the benefits of something "new" and add value to your home.

Creating the Bones--The Remodeling Insider

Well, the New Year has started off with a bang and remodeling ideas are flying around in your head. As I mentioned previously, I am starting an interview series this year called The Remodeling Insider. It will focus on sub-contractors & vendors who actually do much of the labor or supply the great products for a remodeling project. I am creating this project from the ground up and what better way to get started than with a Framing Contractor.

Josh Gunnels, with Frame To Finish, is our inaugural guest and he has tremendous insight into the skeleton of your home. Framing is not the sexiest part of the job, but it very well may be the most important aspect of any project. Frame To Finish is a five year old company located in Nashville, TN. Josh, a native Nashvillian, has more than 14 years experience as a carpenter and contractor in Nashville and in Boston. While attending Boston College, Josh was exposed to the wonderful world of framing in the Northeast. Although he does miss some things about the Boston area, Josh does'nt miss the frigid days outside in the winter battling gusting winds and sub-zero temperatures while driving nails and framing houses.

Frame To Finish frames additions for remodeling, new construction, high end interior carpentry and trim. One of the things I wanted to know from Josh is what are common requests he sees on the job or what are some of the trends to look for over the next year. "Outdoor living spaces are very hot right now...and not just little decks. We are framing outdoor living areas that include outdoor kitchens, flat screens televisions and outdoor fireplaces. Some of these spaces may be up to several 1000 square feet to accomodate large gatherings."

In addition to trends, I asked Josh what topics or items most homeowners overlook that impact the final result of the project. "Sometimes the Cornice Line gets overlooked from a framing perspective as it relates to the wall heights and pitch of the roof. It is important to know what the eves and overhangs will look like and to have proper venting." If that's Greek to you, the cornice detail or cornice line refers to how the roof pitch and wall heighth line up. A great idea in your head does'nt always transfer to a great design when there are different roof pitches and then the cornice line does'nt line up properly. It can throw off not only the framing crew, but it may look awkward as well.

I want to thank Josh Gunnels and his experienced crew at Frame To Finish for sitting down with me and talking about remodeling and how their business impacts your project.

Remember, your life is a work in progress so let your home be too. If you're not changing something, you're just staying put!!

Insider Series Coming...

I hope everyone had a tremendous holiday and a Happy New Year! Santa was very good to me and mine, so I cannot complain about anything going into 2008.

This year is shaping up to be an interesting year for construction, homebuilding and remodeling. Although we have heard ALL the horror stories about the mortgage mess and declining interest in Real Estate, one of the bright spots is that now is a great time to buy or remodel the existing home you're in now. When the housing industry slumps, many homeowners decide to stay put and remodel or add onto their existing home. Great Idea...just make sure you know a little bit about what you're getting into and who is doing the work.

I am starting a new interview series this year that will focus on sub-contractors and businesses that are a part of the remodeling project or important to the finished product. This series will include framers, plumbers, lighting galleries, painters, flooring companies and bath & kitchen fixture stores to name a few. I am looking forward to learning more about new products and techniques they use along with sharing some of the secrets of remodeling.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section.

It's Getting HOT in Here...

Energy Efficient Windows, What's the Real Deal?

It seems simple enough...you make a thicker window or make it more insulated and it will be more energy efficient, right? Whoa, not so fast. I was doing some research on these windows the other day and had no earthly idea what I was getting myself into. Energy efficiency, like most things these days, has gone high tech and slightly complicated. After dredging through a bunch of information getting this posting together, I feel like I have narrowed down the search and taken the "Pane" out of Energy Efficient Window shopping.

The most complete website I found on this subject is http://www.efficientwindows.com/. It will give you all the info you need to become Mr. or Ms. Efficient Window. If for any reason you need more, check out the following as well:

http://www.energystar.gov/

http://windows.lbl.gov/pub/selectingwindows/window.pdf

http://www.nfrc.org/

I hope these are helpful and feel free to give any feedback in the comments section.

Don't Forget the Furnishings

I stumbled on this http://www.contemporaryfurniture.com/ recently and thought I would share it with you. This company has some outrageous furniture and I personally found several pieces that would fit nicely in my house.

When planning a remodel, the furnishings often get overlooked because of the focus on the structure being built. Remember to add furnishing the new or remodeled space to your budget on the front end so you aren't left with a nice, new place and nothing to go in it.

No Wimpy Skylight Here

Solatube is a great product that's been around for a few years, but is really starting to catch on. Think of the skylight you always wanted with a better appearance and no leaks around the sides. These systems are designed to capture as much light as possible throughout the day and reflect it downward through a tube where it can create a enough light to illuminate a decent sized room.

Are you Kidding Me...That's My Shower?

There are many reasons to be thankful for the new products and advances in building materials these days, but one of my favorites happens to be amazing, new bathroom features. I think back to my great-grandmothers house when I was a child. Man, did I ever love running in the fields and playing chase around the barn. The joy of being a kid on an old farm was matched by the anxiety of an outhouse and no indoor plumbing.

Well, that's all a distant memory now and everything about the bathroom has gone upscale. How about an intuitive digital interface with built-in speaker or a little chromatherapy (that's color therapy if you were wondering). All this is available in the most beautiful package of tile and fixtures you can imagine. An added benefit of a bathroom like this is it truly adds resale value to the home.

Check out a few links below that may inspire you to have a little Chromatherapy:

http://www.us.kohler.com/index.jsp

http://www.starckx.com/

http://www.interbath.com/

Is It Time to Remodel?

Here is an excellent little article from the National Association of Home Builders. http://www.nahb.org/

Perhaps it was that moment when you realized that avocado green and harvest gold are no longer the "in" colors for today's trendy kitchens. Or maybe you had an epiphany one day as you stood in line to use your own bathroom. Whatever the impetus, the thought has crossed your mind: Maybe it's time to remodel . . .If you decide to follow through on that thought, you'll join millions of others who decide to remodel their homes each year. The reasons for remodeling are as varied as the projects we undertake. Some of these include:

--Adding more space.
--Upgrading cabinets, counters, appliances, and fixtures.
--Creating a floor plan that's customized for your lifestyle.
--Improving energy efficiency with new windows, doors, insulation, and climate control systems.
--Increasing the resale value of your home.

Before you head too far down the remodeling path, it's a good idea to think through your wants and needs:

--Decide what changes you want to make.
--Ask yourself and other family members what you like and dislike about the house, then create a prioritized list.
--Look at magazines and collect pictures of what you like.
--Think about traffic patterns, furniture placement, colors, lighting, and how you want to use the remodeled space now and in the future.