The word character is so overused when it comes to architecture. Its used for everything from old and run down, to renovated and rejuvenated. When it comes to old houses, the word character fits the bill. The design layouts of old houses were anything but practical. New construction houses are built for efficiency. Old houses were built for purpose and design. However, renovating an older house can be quite expensive and frustrating if not well planned.

Planning is the first step in older home renovation, and its often the one that gets overlooked. One thing that many historians-to-be do wrong is jump into cosmetic upgrades. Older homes are obviously older, so there needs to be an assessment of architectural and structural integrity before renovating a home to its former glory. Home rebuilders need to be aware of issues that need immediate attention, such as cracked foundations or roofs in disrepair. Its fun to shop for that vintage authentic front door, but if you ignore issues that impact livability, you might face an unexpected disaster.

Another thing that renovators should do is plan with the future in mind. If you intend to finish a basement into a living area, you need to plan for this in the early stages. This could require electrical and other code upgrades. If youre working with a restoration contractor, you should make sure theyre informed of your plans as well. Contractors will be able to help you realize your vision, or they can help you reel it in if your vision out paces the reality of your older home.

One great feature of older homes is the authentic flooring. Modern flooring is beautiful, but it cant duplicate the characteristics and variations of real wood flooring. Often though, the floors original to older houses are in disrepair. So, renovators attempt to install antique flooring in its place. This is usually a poor decision because its impossible to match the characteristics of a home, and antique flooring usually looks different before installation. Flooring is a restoration world of its own. These days, many renovators are opting for faux restoration quality flooring. Basically, this is newer flooring designed to look antique. Its usually in better shape and will inevitably be less troublesome. Additionally, with restoration technology its easier to match restoration quality flooring with the other characteristics and the design goals of your old home.

There are many ways to restore an older home to its former glory using modern construction. The charm of an older home is not only the history of the past, but also its the history to be created by you and your loved ones.

Here is the original post:
Old House Restoration Inc | Making what's old, new again

Train to become a home remodeler with the online Home Remodeling and Repair career diploma program at Penn Foster Career School. You'll cover everything you need to provide home repair services, from basic blueprint layouts and framework to advanced techniques such as tiling and cabinetry. You can even gain the skills and knowledge to start your own renovation business. Did you know that the average salary in this field is $39,940? You can complete Penn Foster Career School's Online Home Remodeling and Repair Career Diploma Program in as little as six months!

In the Penn Foster Career School Home Remodeling and Repair online classes you'll cover topics such as:

Home Remodeling and Repair professionals plan renovations, prepare contracts and estimates, and choose the right materials for the job. They use wood, drywall, concrete, and other building materials to update interior and exterior spaces. Here are a few qualities that effective home remodeling and repair workers have in common:

Penn Foster is a great way to get ahead in a career and the way the program was set up, even the busiest person can get through it. I'm so glad I found Penn Foster.

I have had great feedback from my employer after my training from Penn Foster. I have also had other job offers. The knowledge that you learn is priceless. Penn Foster is an excellent school.

My overall experience with Penn Foster was great. You are allowed to go at your own speed, and the school gives encouragement to keep you going. I would recommend Penn Foster.

Your program includes:

What opportunities are there for hands-on training in this Penn Foster Career School program?

The best way to improve your skills is to practice. This program includes practical exercises that will allow you to get hands-on experience by applying the skills you have learned.

More FAQs >

See the rest here:
Home Remodeling and Repair Program - Penn Foster

Request a Quote

Recover from disaster... faster!

Our emergency response team will secure the property, work directly with your insurance company, and fully restore your home or business.

I need help with:

January 11, 2016 - Due to extreme cold weather there is a significant potential for property damages caused by frozen, broken and burst pipes throughout Michigan. If you need assistance for repairing a property from a broken pipe and cleaning up water damage, Jarvis has crews on call 24/7 - call 866-452-7847 for immediate service.

Knowing we have provided exceptional service for over 35years is our ultimate achievement. As a licensed, insured, and bonded companypracticing an internal quality assurance program, we can guarantee 100% satisfaction to each and every customer. At Jarvis Property Restoration, not only do we represent the ultimate resource for a variety of construction solutions, but we also believe that it is the customer who has set the high standards for our success, which is why we offer services that reflect our strong dedication to you. Customer satisfaction is our #1 goal!

See What Sets Us Apart

Jarvis Property Restoration is a full-service fire, smoke, wind, and water repair and restoration company with offices located in Michigan, Florida, and Iowa. Jarvis offers immediate response toresidential, commercial, industrial, and commercial property owners located in Macomb, Oakland, and St. Clair counties.

We work to assist property owners of all sizes to recover from unexpected disasters and storm damage. Whether you have a small basement flood in a residential home or fire damage at a large commercial property, our team is on call and ready to respond every day of the year, 24-hours a day!

In addition to our around-the-clock service, Jarvis maintains one of the largest emergency restoration equipment inventories in the country. Our trained staff is prepared to handle emergency situationstorepair, restore, and safeguard your real and personal property. The Jarvis team has years of experience working with insurance companies on restoration claims that will help make your claim easier for you. From cold weather ice dams and frozen pipes, to spring floodingand summer hurricane season, Jarvis has the resources ready to respondwhen nature creates an emergency.

Does your business have a disaster plan?

See Commercial Services

We work with your insurance company!

See Residential Services

When the rainy season begins to enter full swing, more and more Americans will find themselves beset by heavy rains and the attendant floods. When the flood waters strike, they can cause a tremendous amount of damage to your home, often leading...

As the rainy season begins, more and more homes and businesses will become victims of flooding. A flood can be one of the most devastating natural disasters to befall a home or business, with the worst floods causing not only extensive damage,...

A flood is a force of nature that poses many dangers. Flood damage can be extensive, and recovering from a flood is not an easy task. However, one of the dangers that is often overlooked is standing water. Standing water brings many dangers that...

From frozen pipes to hurricanes, make Jarvis your first phone call for property restoration.

Anytime/Any day. We offer 24 hour Emergency Service.

Go here to read the rest:
Cleanup, Restoration & Repairs - Jarvis Property Restoration

San Diego, CA Roofing and Construction Services

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters has been offering roofing installations and repairs plus gutter services to the San Diego, CA community since 1990. We specialize in all aspects of roof installations from new projects, re-roofing, and roof repairs. Our team is also fully prepared to handle all gutter installations and repair. Our staff offers quality and reliable expertise that you can count on.

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutterss services include: hot mop, concrete and clay roof tile, roof maintenance, and roof coatings.

Roofing Services asphalt shingles, storm damage repair, roof inspections. Light weight concrete and clay tile, asphalt shingles, hot mop, single ply, self-adhered and liquid applied low slope roof systems. Experts in roof detection and repairs.

Gutter Services seamless aluminum, copper and galvanized, leaf guards installations and rain gutters systems.

Contact Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters today at 1-800-352-3403 to schedule your on-site construction appointment.

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters Serving San Diegos Roofing & Rain Gutter Needs for Over 20 Years

Our staff is dedicated to great customer service and building strong, lasting relationships, roofing systems, and rain gutters. We take pride in using quality material and building exceptional roofing systems with our professional roofing specialists and their excellent craftsmanship.

We work hard to meet and exceed your expectations in all areas of a roofing or rain gutter project, including customer service, craftsmanship, affordability, energy efficiency, quality materials, and construction. We will get the job done in a quick, efficient, and clean manner.

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters, Inc. are part of the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. We believe in holding ourselves to a high standard and work to ensure that every customer is satisfied with their roofing and rain gutter installation.

Our Services Include:

We are proud to be San Diegos premier roofing and rain gutter contractor servicing areas in the city of San Diego, Alpine, Bonita, Bonsall, Borrego Springs, Bostonia, Boulevard, Camp Pendleton, Campo, Cardiff, Cardiff by the Sea, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Crest, Del Mar, Descanso, Dulzura, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Guatay, Imperial Beach, Jacumba, Jamul, Julian, La Jolla, La Mesa, Lakeside, Lemon Grove, Leucadia, Lincoln Acres, Mount Laguna, National City, Nestor, Ocean Beach, Oceanside, Olivenhain, Pacific Beach, Pala, Palomar Mountain, Paradise Hills, Pauma Valley, Pine Valley, Potrero, Poway, Rainbow, Ramona, Ranchita, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa FE, San Diego (County Seat), San Diego State University, San Luis Rey, San Marcos, San Ysidro, Santa Ysabel, Santee, Solana Beach, Spring Valley, Tecate, Valley Center, Vista, and Warner Springs.

We pride ourselves in serving the following cities and zip codes throughout San Diego County, California: 92101, 92102, 92103, 92104, 92105, 92106, 92107, 92108, 92109, 92110, 92111, 92112, 92113, 92114, 92115, 92116, 92117, 92119, 92120, 92121, 92122, 92123, 92124, 92126, 92127, 92128, 92129, 92130, 92131, 92132, 92133, 92134, 92135, 92136, 92137, 92138, 92139, 92140, 92142, 92145, 92147, 92149, 92150, 92152, 92153, 92154, 92155, 92158, 92159, 92160, 92161, 92162, 92163, 92164, 92165, 92166, 92167, 92168, 92169, 92170, 92171, 92172, 92174, 92175, 92176, 92177, 92179, 92182, 92184, 92186, 92187, 92190, 92191, 92192, 92193, 92194, 92195, 92196, 92197, 92198, 92199.

Whether youve had a roofing accident, such as a falling tree or a leaky ceiling, our experts are here to provide you with a plan to complete the roof repairs that are needed. We will provide an efficient consultation to come up with the best estimate at an affordable price. There is no roofing job to large or too small for our roofing contractors.

Other types of damages may include: fragile or brittle shingles, curling shingles, cracking due to hot temperatures, and loss of granules, and blisters. Generally, these are signs that you may need a new roof. We want to make sure that our estimates are based around your needs and budget.

You may not think of rain gutters as an important part of protecting your home. A properly constructed and maintained gutter system is an essential part in protecting your home from water damage. Your rain gutters will protect your home during storms and downpours by drawing the water away from your home and directing the water flow to drain properly.

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters can help you select from the many gutter types, including seamless, copper, aluminum, steel, etc. Well help you choose the right options, styles, and colors to match your home, your needs, and your budget.

Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters has more than 20 years experience and has over 5,000 satisfied customers. Our strong professionalism produces top quality workmanship and on time construction. We are equipped to handle any size commercial roofing construction project.

We provide the following commercial roofing services:

When it comes to your home, a quality roof will keep your family safe and dry. Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters cares about our customers safety and protection. We specialize in residential roofing for new roof installation, re-roofing, roof remodeling, roof replacement, and roof repair.

We offer the following roofing options for residential roofing projects:

See the article here:
Santa Fe Roofing & Rain Gutters, Inc.

Posted by randydeutsch in architect types. Tags: architects, architecture, architecture school, architecture students, commencement speech, graduation speech, University of Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Architect and educator Brian Vitale, AIA, Principal and Design Director at Gensler, Chicago spoke recently at the Convocation Ceremony of the 2015 graduating class of the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A graduate of the program, Brians speech was truly memorable and inspiring, and he was, as always, generous in sharing the transcript of his commencement speech.

Thank you! Thank you, for that humbling introduction and to Director Mortensen for the invitation and privilege of addressing the class of 2015. It is absolutely surreal to be standing here addressing you all in an auditorium that I freely admit to having fallen asleep in one too many times as a student, which given my invitation here today apparently did not matter. So thank you again for this honor and allowing me to get that off my chest.

I would also like to congratulate and more importantly thank the faculty. Though a lot has changed over the past 22 years when I was last a student here, many of you havent, and for that I am grateful (and surprised, quite frankly). You have played an instrumental role in my being asked to deliver this speech and I am sure, once this class catches up on the sleep that you all are responsible for depriving them of, they will all eventually appreciate you to. Your dedication, patience and wisdom often go without formal appreciation, but know your influence on us all (even if you all dont realize it yet) is beyond measure.

To the parents, family and friends, you also deserve to be congratulated, because for all the pride that you feel and deservedly so, it was your sacrifice, your friendship and your unconditional support that has made this all possible, oh, and the beer money, lets not forget about that. And if they told you that the money was for model materials at a place called the art coop, they were lying, that place does not actually exist.

Now, to the class of 2015!! Congratulations!! You are the most recent class from a school with one of the longest histories. You all have worked incredibly hard, you have made it through the infamous weeding out year, you have survived many all-nighters, difficult juries, and countless toxic fumes from a panoply of adhesives; your day is finally here! And make no mistake, you all are the stars of this event, far outshining me, which would lead you to assume that you have the best seat in the house, but your vantage point is not as clear as mine, blurred with concerns and nervous about the unknown. What will my first position hold, what kind of firm will I work for, will I be a success, and how hard is that damn A.R.E. exam? The view from where I am standing is much clearer, for I get to look out at you all, and know what the future holds for you, the possibilities that lie ahead and the raw potential that you all are about to capitalize on.

Well, 22 years ago, I was sitting in the same place that you all are, receiving my Bachelors of Science in Architectural Studies otherwise referred to as a BS in Architecture, really. My experience at the University of Illinois was invaluable and had unknowingly prepared me for my eventual career. (So you should all take comfort in that). Throughout these years, I have been recognized with both personal and project awards, I have been published in magazines and books, I have been exhibited in museums, I have had the opportunity to teach and have traveled all across the world collaborating in the design of buildings and working with some of the worlds most amazing people. At this campus alone I have been a visiting professor, built a building for the worlds fastest supercomputer, and now this. This school and its amazing network was my foundation and has served me well, and it will for all of you.

In preparing this speech, everyone tells you to share with the graduating class the path to your achievement; I would rather, however, tell you what I wish I would have known before I started.so you can make your own path. So I want to share with you 3 principles. Some will seem counterintuitive others obvious, but all are crucial to the way architecture is and will be practiced. After that, I have one simple request, and it wont be to fail or take risks or change the world (I mean for god sakes, do those things), but rather something very simple but I believe incredibly powerful and will change the trajectory of your careers.

But first, here are a few musings:

First, BE PROMISCUOUS:

Now parents, before you try to usher me off the stage, what I am asking you all to do is be promiscuous with ideas, concepts, spaces, program, and the people that you have sitting around the table collaborating. Create hybrids, live in the middle of those Venn diagrams we are always drawing, mix it up, then re-mix it, because that is where real innovation comes from.

In Maria Popovas review of Dancing About Architecture she cites the author, Phil Beadle as focusing on creativitys combinatorial nature, quoting, We create the new not generally through some mad moment of inspiration in fictionalized accounts of ancient Greeks in baths, but by putting things together that do not normally go together; from taking disciplines and seeing what happens when they are forced into unanticipated collisions.

Now when you work in this manner, please be prepared for some push back, as many of the firms that you will be employed by will be practicing architecture like it was 1995 and will not understand what you are trying to do, they might even tell you that you cant do it that way, I am here to tell you to stop listening to those people immediately turn around and carry on.

Second: Give up the ownership of ideas:

I know this may be counterintuitive, because if not for our own ideas, what do we have? More is the correct answer. You must worry less about being the initiator of ideas and focus on being the connector of them. Steve Jobs said, Creativity is just connecting things

In order to do this, you must always invite more voices to the table rather than less, and make sure they are varied voices, not from a singular point of view. We at Gensler work this way every day, my job at times is more of editor rather than initiator. I will freely admit it takes courage to do this, because at its core, its process means that you have no idea where a solution is headed, no preconceived notions, there is no certainty from having formulated an answer before the process even begins (which gets harder the longer people practice) but that is precisely the point. Voltaire said, Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd. You have to trust the process and then hang on for dear life.

THREE: BE CURIOUS, Really curious:

Throughout your career, you will be looked upon for answers to problems posed to you by clients, your colleagues, and society. As you progress in your career, you begin to rely on your perceived knowledge to answer those very questions. This is how we did it last time can be valuable to a point (like not touching fire a second time), but ultimately, in the case of architecture, deadly. When Picasso said, All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. He was making this very point. We often lose that discovery trait as we gain experience, we stop looking, and we create Best Buys. You must question relentlessly, test and re-test, train yourself to act in this manner and maintain the curiosity of a child for rest of your life and you will always arrive at innovative answers.

AND NOW MY FINAL REQUEST:

A student that had attended an event that I was speaking at recently asked, What do you attribute your success to? or as I took it to mean from his inflection, How the hell did you get to be where you are? And admittedly, I did not have a great answer; hard work, dedication, late nights, an incredible amount of support and some God given talent was my answer. But as I pondered this question, I began to remember a couple of similar events in my career, which I will share with you before I leave you with my request.

During my first week of High School, you can all remember that, I was brought in, with a group of my peers, to meet with our appointed guidance counselor. We sat around a conference table in an uncomfortably small room and listened to Mr. Sime speak about High School, future careers and how to be social, but not too social. When he was through with his speech about this new academic endeavor, he posed a question to the group, one whose content I dont remember (and is not important to the story). What followed was typical, awkward teenage silence, everyone trying very hard not to make eye contact as if that would help in this incredibly small room. I was sitting at the head of the table (where I like to sit), opposite of Mr. Sime and decided to speak up. I answered the question, and his response to my answer was, Brian, you are going to be successful because you had the nerve to speak up, to answer a question when no one else wanted to, to be the first brave enough to share your opinion. Many years later I confirmed with Mr. Sime that he did this every year with every new group of freshman and that he really didnt care what the answer was, but was instilling a life lesson to the group.

Fast forwarding a number of years to my first position after Grad School, it happened again. I was the most junior member at Booth Hansen, a well-known Chicago firm led by Larry Booth, one of the Chicago 7 architects as they were known. Within the first couple of weeks of my employment there, an all office design review was being held in the basement during lunch with the client present. The project was presented, and it seemed to me like very little thought went into it, and that bothered me enough that I mustered up the confidence to speak out and suggested different ways to think about the project. I remember Larry Booth agreeing with me as well as the Client and then Larry asking, Who are you? Later that day I was called into Larrys office, which was pretty cool especially for a young kid like I was, and he was asking me a lot of questions and began sharing with me things he had been working on and books that he had lying around. Afterward, I noticed that I was being treated differently not only by him, but by everyone, people noticed me and asked my opinion of which I was always happy to give. What had happened, by contributing unexpectedly is that I had created an immediate value. Soon thereafter, I was assigned to projects that Larry was working on, presenting with him to clients and becoming a trusted designer. I was now being exposed to opportunities I would not otherwise have been exposed to, I was seen differently by others; my career path was changing and I capitalized on it.

Now I have been focusing on the number 22, the number years that have passed since I was sitting in your seat, because it is also, for many of you the number of years that you have been on this planet. Let me assure you that these years go by in a blink of an eye. So to the Class of 2015, what I am simply requesting of you all as you enter your next venture is to speak up, immediately, let your voice be heard, now, and begin contributing to the dialogue of your firm, community and beyond, as soon as possible. Dont be intimidated, dont be shushed, and most importantly dont think that you are not ready to contribute, I promise you that you are, I have seen it over and over throughout my career. And when you do, it will open up opportunities for you that would otherwise pass you by. Your time is valuable and precious, the profession is changing and it needs your skills, the profession needs your talent and the profession needs your voice now more than ever before. It is now time to turn the tables and let us begin learning from you!

Congratulations, again, Class of 2015, we are expecting great things! Thank you.

If you expect to become the next Frank Lloyd Wright leave now

Those were the first words I ever heard as a college student

Admitted to the school of architecture

Attending orientation with my parents

A senior administrator got up in front and said to a roomful of 200 freshmen future architects and their parents

If you expect to become the next Frank Lloyd Wright leave now

A questionable student retention tactic even then

Had it been a Simpsons episode you would have heard the rear door slam

But as the Simpsons wouldnt be invented for another 10 years, nobody moved

Next the administrator said the 9 most important words I ever heard

Only 3 of you will ever design a building

This was before everybody gets a trophy

Apparently, back then only 3 of us would get trophies

The remainder would go on to toil away in management

Perhaps our prospects would have improved had we worn shoes?

When the administrator said: Only 3 of you will ever design a building

My first thought was: I wonder who the other two are?

It wasnt: I wonder if I should double major and get an MBA?

I wanted to design buildings, and while I also wanted a job after graduation

No one will let you design buildings with an MBA.

Its not as if for me designing buildings was a forgone conclusion

I grew up in a split-level house in the suburbs

The architectural equivalent of living in a van down by the river

We didnt come from either money or good taste

And we clearly didnt know any architects

In your career you will spend 5 years sitting at a desk & 2 years sitting in meetings.

No one ever goes into architecture because they want to sit in meetings

Yet apparently this is what all but 3 of us were signing up for

What all but three students would get to do with their lives

Architecture students are a confident and resilient bunch

Every student in that room must have wondered who the other two are?

And yet, we didnt all go on to design buildings

Some became technical architects, some became managers

The ones with MBAs became our clients

And about half went on to other fields

And so, at my first career crossroad

I chose the design of buildings over meetings

And spent 30+ years a career doing what I love

And in all that time I never had a bad day.

While I never became Frank Lloyd Wright, I became something even more important for me to become: myself

And I got to do this because at every career crossroad

I again and again chose the design of buildings over meetings

I did this because a life NOT designing buildings not acting on our world, not making a positive contribution, not adding value was for me unimaginable

But as importantly, a life NOT designing buildings was somebody elses life

And as long as I remembered this and acted on it everything would work out

And it did, both creatively and financially. And it can for you as well.

You can be one of the three

One of the three who designs buildings

One of the three who creates an innovation

One of the three who experience meaning & purpose in their work

One of the three who makes a difference

One of the three who helps transform the world

But there comes a time in every career, for some sooner, some later

When we no longer see ourselves as one of the three.

Why is that? Why do we give up on our promises and dreams?

There are times when we choose money over our dreams

And work for a paycheck.

Other times when well be frustrated or bored with what we do.

And be dissatisfied with our job.

Our dreams change, or we forget our dreams.

We give up on our dreams. But, as often, our dreams give up on us.

During an internship I designed my first building before I graduated college

And very quickly realized I had achieved my dream of being one of the three.

Michelangelo said: The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.

Our dreams, in other words, are too small

Theyre too easily achieved

Theyre not enough to sustain a life-long career

So what does it take to sustain a long, fulfilling career?

Upon graduation, I decided to find out and treat my career as an experiment

In this experiment I would do two things:

You can think of your two careers like majors and minors:

It turns out that to sustain a long, fulfilling career

You need to have a bunch of short, fulfilling careers.

Think of each as a 7-Year Career

Most careers look like this.

Which really mean they look like this.

Link:
Architects 2Zebras | by for and about architects of all ...

""Timeless Restoration has played an integral part in our organization for many years now and they continue to provide the upmost service to our agency as well as our clientele. Timeless helped us out immensely during the difficult storms of 2011 and 2012. They were responsive to our agency and our insured in a time when most other restoration companies were solely looking out for their best interests and taking only larger projects that resulted in more money to their bottom line. Timeless put our agency and our clients before their bottom line, which is unheard of in this day and age! ." Read More...

With over 50 years of combined experience in the building industry,the professionals at Timeless Restoration are ready to put their expertise to work for you. From basic home remodeling through complete property rebuilding, our New Jersey restoration contractor has hands-on experience with fire restoration, water restoration, and general contracting for residential and commercial clients alike. From your first consultation through completed build, Timeless Restoration works with you throughout the process to ensure that you are satisfied with the work and our performance.

When property damage and destruction occurs, the last thing you want to think about is how to fix the mess. We are available 24/7 in cases of fire and water damage restoration. Timeless Restoration is the company you need, with the reputation and certifications you can trust. With Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications in "Fire, Smoke & Odor" as well as "Water Damage Restoration", you know you'll be in good hands. We also work directly with insurance adjusters and mortgage companies to help ease your burden.

Read More

Where there is even the slightest fire damage, there is usually extensive smoke damage. The best solution is to complete proper restoration and deodorization techniques as performed by experienced professionals.

Read More

From natural flood damage to plumbing failure, water can very quickly cause extensive amounts of damage to your home of business. If it isn't properly extracted and dried, other issues like mold and mildew growth can also occur.

Read More

Our general contractors also complete scheduled construction and remodeling services. We offer complete design-build services and take your new construction project from blueprints through finished product. We remodel bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and whole properties for both residential and commercial clients. We also complete roofing, siding, windows, and more. We offer essentially any and every home service you could desire!

Read More

New Jersey Mold removal is crucial when it comes to maintaining your health as well as of that of your Read More

People who live in damp and moist environments or properties that have experienced flood or water damages are often faced Read More

View post:
New Jersey Restoration Contractor - Timeless Restoration, LLC

I received the following question in an email and I thought the answer might be useful to others, so rather than just respond in email, Ive posted it here .

Ive spoken to many hundreds of excited owners over the years who want to add a second floor on the house and Natalie asked the typical questions.

Question:

We need to add on to our house at least one bedroom, and a guest room would be nice as well. The way our house is situated, the most aesthetically pleasing way to do it would be to add a couple of rooms on a second floor.

My question to you is, what are the limitations with adding on a second story to a house that is currently only a single story? Can it be done, or will it be prohibitively expensive. Any experience you have to share would be appreciated! Natalie

Answer:

Hi Natalie,

I appreciate your question and I do have some experience I can share. My company has designed and built a few dozen second floor additions over the years.

Let me break down your question into segments.

Can it be done?

Yes. There is no such thing as a house that cannot receive a second floor addition one way or another; or at least not one Ive seen yetsomebody will probably send me a picture of a house under a concrete overpass or something.

Years ago, after struggling with engineer after engineer on job after job trying to determine if the existing first floor foundation would hold up a second floor, I decided to skip the first floor footings altogether.

The truth is that most newer one story homes have almost zero extra strength built into them. As such, most one-story homes have insufficient foundations for the added loads of a two-story. Each state has its own set of building codes and Florida is among the most stringent, so a local professional will be able to help you better in that particular area. The lengths Im accustomed to going to might not be required everywhere.

In the event that the existing foundation is insufficient, there are two options. First, you can augment the existing foundation with additional concrete and steel. The other option, the one I went to on all second story additions, is to build new footings for the second floor itself.

We did this by essentially building a stilt house within the existing home. Structurally speaking, these were like two independent structures. You could remove the first floor from under the addition, and it would remain intact.

This is done by placing adequate foundations directly under posts (we often used 66 posts) which supported the framing for the second floor. I would design the additions so that these posts can be placed inside existing or new first floor walls, or otherwise integrated into the first floor design with new features. The point being that these posts are invisible after the work is done.

So, this is a very long way of explaining that yes, it can be done in almost any house.

Is it prohibitively expensive?

Second floor additions are more costly than first floor additions, but I wouldnt say prohibitively so. In my experience, the cost for a second floor job is about 20%-30% more than the same square footage built on the ground level. The majority of this extra cost has to do with the requisite remodel of the area under the addition and the cost of the stairs and stairwell.

The cost of an addition can be quite a bargain in times like this when the money you might effectively lose by selling in a depressed market is substantial. If you feel an addition of any type would be a good investment, I wouldnt let the cost of a second floor addition scare you off.

Other Considerations:

Design

A good design is always an absolute imperative on a room addition. I would advise you to not compromise on this. Work until you have a design that meets your needs and you feel will be aesthetically pleasing.

Second floor design work is much more challenging, so you want to be certain that youre working with someone who has experience in second story additions. If someone says I havent really done many, but its no big deal., dont believe them. It is a big deal and the design is the key.

Living During Construction

First floor additions have the great advantage of being able to be completed to a 95% level before breaking into your living space. Even if youre remodeling adjacent space, the construction area can be effectively sealed off from your home.

Not so with a second floor addition. If the area where you plan to add-on is over an important living area, it could present a real problem. You really need to be able to move-out of the area directly under the addition for the duration of the project.

Ive had a few clients move to a rental during construction and for a major project that can be a good idea. For most folks, its not an option. So plan on camping-out in your own home for awhile and be ready for some major inconvenience.

Over the Garage

For a number of reasons, building a second floor over the garage is a great move. The garage has a pretty impressive list of advantages:

So, if it works in your plan, consider building over the garage.

I think that covers the basicsI hope it is helpful.

Go here to read the rest:
Building Second Story Additions - RemodelingGuy.net

The goal of acclimation is to allow the moisture content (MC) of the flooring to fully adjust to its new surroundings before installation.

1. Determine Normal Living Conditions Ideal interior environmental conditions vary from region to region and jobsite to jobsite. It is the installers responsibility to know what the ideal climate conditions are and customize the acclimation of the floor around those conditions. For a general view of moisture content averages by region, see the map below.

2. Control Home Conditions Accordingly Acclimation should occur at normal living conditions. Before opening the cartons, the indoor environment should reflect the room temperature and relative humidity levels expected to be present before, during, and most importantly, after installation. Operate temperature / humidity control systems as normal. Allow normal ventilation through rooms.

3. Cross-Stacking Flooring Planks For maximum stability, Cali Bamboo recommends cross-stacking the flooring at the installation site while it acclimates. Remove the flooring from boxes and cross stack planks at least 4 off the subfloor with even spacing between planks to allow for complete and even air-circulation around the flooring.

4. Acceptable Areas for Acclimation Acclimate the flooring as close to the center of the installation area as possible. Do not store flooring next to outside walls, in direct sunlight, near air vents or under conditions that dont reflect the normal home environment. Garages, and exterior patios, for example, are not acceptable areas to store wood flooring during acclimation.

5. Determine Appropriate Acclimation Time Frame Cali Bamboo flooring should be allowed to acclimate on the job site for a minimum of 5 days. Extended conditioning may be necessary depending on the climate. For regions or conditions that are extremely dry, humid or highly-fluctuating, 2 or more weeks may be necessary for acclimation.

Read the rest here:
Bamboo Floor Installation - CaliBamboo GreenShoots

How You Can Calculate Flooring Costs and Price On Your Own

Estimating your flooring costs is like anything else, it isnt difficult if you know how. All you have to do is calculate how much your materials will cost and how much your labor will cost.

Do you know what kind of flooring materials youre going to be using? If so, have you already picked out the style of that flooring? There are many options in the way of colors, finishes, etc which can make your cost per square foot go up or down. The first step in estimating your floor replacement project is to narrow down your choice of flooring material. When you have between one and three it is easier to do the math and understand the costs involved. At that point, simply multiply the square footage by the flooring cost per square foot to arrive at the total materials cost. We recommend adding 10% to this due to incidental needs like curved edges which mean you need a whole new piece, or having to cut the flooring due to the edge needed for a wall.

Calculation of labor isnt as straightforward as estimating the materials. The reason is that what contractors might charge to remove the current flooring, especially in cases of tile and hardwood, can vary wildly. Installation costs can vary just as much, so we would recommend contacting 2-3 contractors and asking how much they charge per square foot for removal and installation of flooring. Depending on your square footage you might get a discount (usually for projects over 500 sq ft).

As an example, lets say Im replacing my carpeting with tile flooring. The tile Im installing is $1.50 per square foot and Im redoing my kitchen which is 250 square feet. A contractor has quoted me a flat $150 feet for ripping up and hauling away my used carpet, and will install the new tile flooring for $3 per square foot. Lets figure materials first. $1.50 per square foot for the tile multiplied by 250 square feet, which equals $375. Add in 10% and the total for flooring materials comes to $412.50.

For labor, $3 times 250 square feet equals $750. No need to add 10% here. Add in the removal and haul away for the carpeting and the total labor cost is $900.

The total flooring installation price will be the sum of $412.50 for the materials plus $900 for the labor therefore the estimated cost is $1,312.50 (plus applicable taxes).

If you dont wish to do this all yourself, feel free to scroll up and try out our flooring installation calculator for yourself.

More:
Flooring Cost Calculator - Estimate Installation and ...

Installation is the most critical step to insure the overall performance and appearance of your new floor. You should contract a floor covering installer much like you would a building contractor. A reliable installer should carry insurance, both liability and workmen's compensation. Atdiscountfloor.com we want to help you find the best installer available. We offer these guidelines to help you make a more informed decision on selecting your installer:

1: The first and best way is through referral. Possibly a friend or relative, maybe even your builder, has had floor covering installed recently. Even if this option is available, get more references and verify them. Possibly even look at more of their work.

2: The second way and could very well be a first choice is to call the CFI (Certified Floor Covering Installers) for a referral. They will furnish phone numbers for independent certified installers in your area. Certified installers usually charge a bit more but will follow all the guidelines set forth by the Carpet and Rug Institute.

3: The third way is to check your local yellow pages under the listing "Carpet and Rug - Installers". Again, we can't stress enough, the importance of referral and verification.

You can receive a copy of installation guidelines (commercial or residential) form the Carpet and Rug Institute. http://www.carpet-rug.org

More here:
Flooring Installation - discountfloor.com