Zero VOC paints.

When looking to refresh your home’s look, repainting can brighten up a room’s look quickly. First, though, you may want to explore the option of using zero VOC [Volatile Organic Compound] paint.

elementary speaking, VOC’s are the odor you smell when repainting a room. Ingredients react with other elements in the air to produce the strong scent of paint, which can result in a headache or feeling light-headed. While you may think that this is a temporary problem, in fact, VOC fumes are released over the course of years. In fact, only 50% of VOC fumes are given off during the first 12 months, meaning you breath these harmful chemicals every day.

Paint is composed of three primary parts: the dye, the binding agent that binds the paint to your walls, and solvents that keep the paint in a liquid form. This last ingredient evaporates, leaving the color pigmentation bound to walls. When made with oil-bases, VOC levels are higher than water-based paints. Therefore, aim for a VOC level less than 10 g/L

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Don’t over or under do it.

If you don’t plan to keep your home too long don’t put too much of you into it. A pink house will not have the same turnout as a neutral tone home with less to offer. Of course if this is where you plan to be until your last days, do as you wish or will. Not only is the “to do list” important but the “don’t do anymore list” sits high as well. Within the kitchen, bathroom and basement lies a great investment and often a money pit if we don’t realize when to move on to the next project. I have to say that in today’s market it’s very hard to recoup anything yet to make someone interested in viewing your property we must make it attractive from the first site.

Q and A from my inbox #002

This recently came to my inbox:

“I was recently out shopping for a ceiling fan and was curious to know what size should I purchase to accomodate the area. The room is 10 foot by 12 foot ( I believe it is). Thanks in advance, Lisa from Virginia”

In general wth a ceiling fan you want tofollow these numbers

• 75 sq. ft.                       29 – 36 inch fan
• 76-144 sq. ft.               36 – 42 inch fan
• 144 – 225 sq. ft.           44 – 48 inch
• 225 -400 sq. ft.            50 – 54 inch fan

Look for the energy star logo when making your purchase. Lots of simple steps will appear as a gigantic leap when you look back at what was spent overall on your energy bills. Three things to remeber as the climate change over the months that will help to keep your money in your pocket. Counterclockwise in the warmer months will give you a winchill effect in which makes it feel cooler. 2. In the cooler months you want the blades spinning clockwise which will produce a updraft effect. This is when the warmer air is being forced down to the level in which you occupy instead of sitting on the ceiling. 3. Fans don’t cool off rooms, they cool off people. In other words turn off the fans if the room isn’t being occupied. Thanks and enjoy.

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Furnishing the toolbox. Tape measures.

Cheap tape measures have never been the ticket for me. preferably I use Stanley and I don’t say this because they’re sliding me a check but because to me their sturdy and long lasting. There’s no check being slid to me at all except for when the jobs I’m ask to do is done correctly. FatMax is a line made by Stanley that has a coated blade and will stand out 8-10′ before it folds and crinkles. The price difference goes from $9 to $25 bit it’s worth it.

No inspections? Seriously?

Speaking with a middle aged couple the other day a friend of a friend about a recent home renovation they had done and we come across an issue. They told me of some problems they were having and when I asked “Did you get any inspections?”, they looked at me strange. Paying good money for the remodel of a kitchen, bathroom and basement yet not one inspection. Before the wall goes up before anything was covered, inspections should have took place. Many contractors will not get a permit and go the process and it’s because of the contractor usually doesn’t have his paperwork in order, has something to hide or they don’t agree with the cost which on turn will cost the homeowner in the long run. Protect yourself, do the research and ask questions of those already in the business.

Inch by inch it’s all a cinch.

Learning to add leads to multiplying just as learning to use tools leads to basic carpentry. If you wish to do it yourself, the most important part is the start. Learn the do’s and don’t do’s and you’ll take a good step but go further by learning to operate your tools properly.
Start with your basic tools such as a hammer, tape measure, level, framing square, pencil and a tool pouch. A juggler first becomes accustomed to 3 balls then goes up to four and five then throws in a bowing pin. Do the same and slowly add your circular saw and the battery powered drills.
My suggestion is grow at your own pace but don’t sit still, keep safety first and continue to build.

A little goes a long way.

Hiring a contractor is a stressful process.
We pick through the bunch and we try to keep those who do good work close and near for recommendations or our next project.
We inspect their work and make sure their doing everything that was in the contract.
We complain about where they park and the employees that may smoke or speak as if they are in a bar.
The question I have is do we say “Thank you” throughout the process? I’ve spoke with contractors and worked in places where the customer has talked down or treated the guys poorly and also where they treated them good and there is a difference in performance on both sites.
They say you van catch more with honey than vinegar, needless to say I’m a believer.
Customer #1 Suburban couple doing well for themselves. They don’t speak, wave or acknowledge the workers. Ninety nine degrees in the shade and not a cup of water offered. Complain quite a bit about small things yet not once gives off a compliment or a sign of appreciation only speaks to the Owner and Foreman.
Customer #2 Another suburban couple digging into savings to do a necessary repair on the home. They place of picture of lemonade on the back porch for the workers and on the last day they cooked on the grill as they were so satisfied with the work. Allowing the workers to use the restroom in the basement as long as they removed their boots before entering. Have the greetings and once in awhile asked “How’s the family?”.

Which one of these customers do you think will have the better results from the contractor? If something extras was needed, one customer would get it for free while the other would be charged for it. If trash or crap was stuffed in the walls of one of these projects, I want you to guess which one it would’ve been.

You owe your contractor nothing but what’s in the contract. It’s not necessary but if not why not? Customer service is a two way street. Its not different than talking to your waiter like crap and them sending your food back. Think about that.

First things first.

Many people today are taking advantage of the housing market as the prices for a home are becoming more affordable. Foreclosures and HUD homes are very common yet they almost always require a bit of work and are never move on ready. The question is always what can I afford to do and should I do first.
Painting and flooring is a very common answer yet I say let’s look at what the inspector seen and what is structurally on need of attention. These matters matter the most. Hire a professional to inspect the home then one to correct your home and last what we do is dress the home. Often the error is made to make this pretty, bring in granite and tile backsplash etc. but this can be considered a grave error. It’s like putting perfume on a pig.

The painting and tile work you can actually do yourself. Yes, yourself.

Don’t waste your money.

This here is intended for water not your money.

With a contractor comes a contract.

She hired a contractor to pour a patio pad in her yard that will prevent her from setting her furniture on her well manicured lawn. Her being a new homeowner in her early 30’s nice car, house and job. Single and beautiful. The contractor is the average contractor (minus the contract) with not a lot of jobs going on due to the economy yet his prices are competitive but he likes to get in and out quickly. She ask him a couple questions like “How quick can you have this done, how much is it going to cost and what will be done to protect my lawn?” As always when a contractor is trying to get a job he says what she wants to hear (which isn’t always the facts especially if he’ll be sending others to do the work). “Once we receive the payment we’ll begin and we’ll have your pad poured out the day after, as far as the lawn we’ll place runners along our path to protect your beautiful lawn.”

So she pays the guy half of the money and his guys get started right away. Does all he said he would. Explains to her about the pitch to keep the water off of the pad, ask if the size and location is good, places the gravel and wire in, sets runners in the lawn to prevent damaging the woman’s well manicured lawn. “Wow I’ve made a good choice.” He tells her he’ll pour the concrete first thing in the morning as they pack up there tools wheel barrels and such. She sleeps well, but wakes up to no sounds of trucks, hammers and chatting. She’s nervous. She makes a call but no answer. Again and no answer fourth and fifth with no answer. He calls back with an excuse and a delay. It goes from the rains in the forecast to since its such a short load the concrete plant put our order to the back of the list to my truck had a flat on my way over. She gives up, frustrated and seeks advice, a little late but she seeks it.

First I say don’t go into handshake contracts. Second I say be quick to call slow to draw. Call several people for quotes but don’t rush to put money in hands of strangers without checking references, past clients and if it’s a big investment check with the contractors suppliers. Taking this to court isn’t worth it. Tally the losses, learn from the lesson you paid for and move forward.

If you have questions send them to askabuilder@thebuildersbuilder.com