remodel / restore

• new materials for kitchen and bath

  

  While most of these lend themselves more to a modern kitchen or bath, it's certainly possible to take advantage of advances in materials science in a more traditional remodel as well. For example, I've seen several new Craftsman kitchens using pre-cast and cast-on-site concrete for countertops, and what looks industrial in a modern setting can look warm and complementary in a classic wooden kitchen. Further, now that dyes and inclusions can be added to concrete to give it a bit more character, it's a much more flexible product than it was when it first became popular as a countertop material several years ago.

  Recycled glass and wood, blocks of pressed fibers, resins and other manufactured materials and even more arcane products are being repurposed as countertop, tile, flooring and more. Take a look at a few products and manufacturers I've discovered in the last few months:

  tile / glass / stone

  • Una Terra sells interesting, unique tiles made all over the world – from Italian specialty glass mosaics to American-made stone, they've got some really neat stuff (as well as high-resolution PDFs so you can see the tile up close, something I wish more vendors offered).
  • Marazzi sells porcelain, glass, ceramic and metal-glaz tiles in a small range of basic shades and tones.
  • Bisazza is the American vendor for a large Italian glass and porcelain mosaic tilemaker.
  • Hakatai are my favorite American tilemakers & sellers. Based in Oregon, they produce hundreds of mosaic tiles in glass and other materials for pools, walls, counters, floors, murals and any other flat surface you can imagine. Well, almost.
  • Sonoma Cast Stone sells concrete, kitchen and bath surrounds, tiles & pavers and other items and materials in a wide array of colors.
  • Concrete Network is not a seller, but rather a sourcing site for folks looking for a concrete contractor. The website also includes a big gallery of photos of concrete in use – as countertops, fireplace surrounds, flooring, furniture, sinks and more.
  • IceStone is made from recycled glass and concrete, and comes in a 24-standard color palette with an infinite number of custom options.

  wood

  • Ebony & Co sell hardwood, antique / salvaged, old-growth pine and bespoke wooden parquetry floors in a huge range of woods and finishes. They are also one of the few wood floring vendors who sell specific grades to be used in conjunction with underfloor heating installations.
  • Bamboo Hardwoods has sold sheets of pressed bamboo lumber for flooring, furniture and other products since 1995. They also have a line of custom bamboo cabinetry for kitchen & bath.
  • Teragren sells bamboo flooring, panels designed for cabinetry and furniture, and veneers.
  • Windfall Lumber sells "sustainably harvested wood products," including flooring, mouldings, countertops, decking and whole timbers.
  • New York City's Habitus sells tile, stone, cement, Japanese stucco, porcelain and more, but what they are known for are their cork products: mosaic tiles, floor and wall panels, fabrics, and more. High resolution PDFs are available for download.
  • Treefrog makes and sells exotic wood laminates in interesting patterns and textures
  • Plyboo is a flexible plywood made from bamboo, and is often used for cabinetry and furnituremaking.

  other stuff

  • Yemm & Hart makes decorative polyethylene sheeting and flooring made from recycled tires, just like the stuff that was under the monkey bars when you were a kid – but colorful, stronger, and it won't break up and track all over the place.
  • Lumicor seems all over the news lately. The product is essentially a type of architectural resin which is strong enough to be used as structural material and interesting enough to be decorative. It can be cast thick or thin, and is sometimes used for countertop and tabletop material. It is often cast with various types of fibers embedded, and can be made in an enormous range of colors, textures and opacities. Their portfolio shows several dozen different uses – in homes, retail settings, office space and elsewhere.
  • Paperstone is what it sounds like: a solid surface material, great for countertops, made from recycled paper that has been transformed under enormous pressure.
  • Richlite is another popular product made from a paper fiber-based composite. It was originally distributed as a surface for commercial kitchens and baths in the 1950s, but is enjoying a resurgence as a domestic surface. It is also used for skateboard parks, of all things! It's generally considered a green alternative to Corian and manufactured granite, as it can very closely resemble those materials.
  • Brooklyn's Bettencourt Green Building Supplies sells many of these items, including Richlite, Paperstone, Plyboo bamboo butcherblock, Durapalm coconut flooring, cork, Kirei board, wheatboard and lots more.

  Additionally, Green Home Guide, which can usually be counted on for good and unbiased advice on building materials, has a guide to choosing countertop material; they also have a buyers' guide to green flooring materials, which should give you some general budget information.

  Finally, don't discount the reliable standbys: Corian kitchen worktops are affordable, last forever, quick to fab and install, and look absolutely fantastic. Many contractors are happy to use something tried and true, rather than playing with new materials they've never encountered before. In the UK, we strongly recommend Unique Fabrications in Milton Keynes, who can take on any job, from complex industrial and commercial spaces to residential kitchens and baths.

  cc-licensed image by sierravalleygirl

• Tools Every Homeowner Should Have for Small Projects & Repairs

  

  As a homeowner, you know that keeping your home in order is not easy. Your house can seem like there’s one problem after another–therefore, being prepared to fix any problem when it occurs as fast as possible requires the right tools to tackle them in short order (or at least knock out the projects until the professionals can handle them). Let’s take a look at the basic tools for home repair that every homeowner should have on hand. 

  Hammer

  If there’s one tool that you’re going to need, it’s a hammer. Make sure to get a clawhammer so that you can remove nails and pry materials apart easily.

  Vise Grips

  Vise grips can help you get a grip on tough surfaces or hold something in place while you work on the other end. By adjusting the screw at the end, you can widen/narrow the open end and stabilize all sorts of materials hands-free. 

  Tape Measure

  There are plenty of construction measuring tools out there so it’s important to find the right ones for your needs. You’re going to need to measure materials sooner or later, so a diameter tape measure makes it a cinch. Make sure to purchase an easy-lock tape measure that measure at least 12 feet or more. If you need something a little bigger and more visual, consider a wide blade tape measure. Pocket rods are also good to have depending on how much DIY you actually plan to do.

  Combination Pliers

  For all manual applications, pliers come in handy (pun intended) in nearly every situation in your home. Whether you are tightening bolts, twisting/cutting wire, removing screws, and more, you’re going to need combination pliers to get a grip.

  Screwdrivers

  Screwdrivers are mandatory when it comes to most small projects and repairs around the house. Make sure to have a variety of screwdrivers of different head sizes and types, such as the common Phillips and flathead varieties, but also Pozidriv, Torx, Hexagon, and Security T which are included on new products and appliances.

  Level

  Symmetry is the name of the game when it comes to making perfect fits and a beautiful home. From leveling your kitchen counters to hanging a picture, a bubble level is the perfect tool for the job. For more involved projects, invest in a laser level for enhanced precision. The type of level you want depends on the projects you plan to do. For more masonry focused crafts, choose the best level for masons. 

  Power Drill

  When you’ve got a lot of materials to bring together or tear apart, there’s nothing like a power drill to handle most tasks around the house. 

  Utility Knife

  Don’t sacrifice the silverware. By using a utility knife, you can make precise cuts and scores on most materials (i.e. drywall). 

  Tapes

  There are few things as indispensable as tape for semi-permanent repairs. Gather a wide variety of tapes of different strengths and applications, such as electrical tape, duct tape, plumbers tape, teflon tape, and more.

  partnered post • client image

• ofuro: Japanese soaking tubs

   

  pictured above: a beautiful custom wooden ofuro designed & built by Bartok Design

  A few years ago, I remodeled my bathroom, and removed a traditional shower/tub combo. In replacing it with a tiled shower stall and a tub, I faced a dilemma: how to fit these two new items in the same space? Luckily, my solution was Kohler's Greek Soaking Tub, substantially deeper, wider and shorter than their traditional tubs. However, I originally investigated building a custom Japanese soaking tub – or ofuro – before discarding that idea in favor of my lower-cost Kohler alternative.

  My father is facing a similar project: he wants to turn the upstairs in his 1917 Craftsman home into a small apartment, with the 1/2 bath currently there becoming a full, albeit tiny, bathroom. Being that the entire upstairs of his house is finished in rich rough wood – mostly raw redwood planks and other woods – he wants the bath to be similarly subtle and consistent, so I recommended an ofuro.

  One of the best resources on the subject is Bruce Smith & Yoshiko Yamamoto's Japanese Baths book – lots of eyecandy and ideas in it. But here are some other resources that may be useful.

  • Hydro Systems' 4040 round/square soaking tub
  • Neo-Metro's luxury baths
  • THG's Yoko
  • Neptune makes some larger whirlpools in a vaguely Japanese style
  • MTI has a huge line of luxury baths, including several space-saving corner models and a few deep soakers
  • online retailer Signature Hardware has a nice consolidated listing for several different makers of unorthodox bath & soaking tubs
  • I saw a Cabuchon tub recently installed in Portland, Oregon; it looked great but I couldn't exactly strip down and take a bath at the cocktail party where I saw it
  • Bathpro's Yubune are short and deep
  • TeakTubs look gorgeous but I'm not sure how safe they'd be on a second story, but as long as they're sealed well, I know teak shouldn't split or swell, so maybe they're fine
  • Robert's Hot Tubs makes some really nice tubs, several of which are bathroom-sized
  • Bartok Design's custom Japanese tubs are beautiful and minimalist
  • Driftwood Design also makes custom wooden baths
  • master carpenter Hiroshi Sakaguchi also makes custom tubs, all of which are absolutely gorgeous
  • of course, if the floor is strong enough, you can always frame & pour your own concrete tub to fit any possible shape or space
  • for less than $900, you can have a portable ofuro that will fit in a large shower stall or which can be placed above a drain on a tiled floor – something you can take with you, and one of the simplest solutions to this sort of problem. No reason you can't use a flexible filler, with a hook on the wall above it to turn it into a shower!
• 5 Tips on Water Damage Repair

  infographic presented by ISI Building Products – building materials manufacturers

  Water damage can wreak havoc in any home that it decides to hit. This is something that you might not want to deal with, but when the time comes, you have to know what to do. When the water ruins everything that it touches, including the home that you’re living in, then you’re going to have a problem when the time comes. There are many ways to go about removing the water and moisture from the home and the air so you can get back on track to living.

  1. Dehumidifiers are able to provide the home with less moisture. These machines essentially pull the water from the air and collect it inside a reservoir. It will need to be dumped out, but can continue to pull the water around it, inside it.
  2. Using an air mover can also dry out the many items that have been water damaged. This is because the air mover works like a fan, but on a much bigger scale. You’re able to move the air around the area, and with the help of a dehumidifier, the room can feel much more dryer.
  3. Water damage restoration can be done through professionals, though they might charge a bit more than you’d like to pay, depending on your budget.
  4. Removing the soaked and damaged items from the area can help with the cleaning up, and drying out of the area. You want to ensure that everything that has been ruined is properly disposed of so the foundation of the home can be worked on next.
  5. The small cracks, breaks and other areas of the home that became wet should be cleaned out and dried completely to ensure that this water does not seep into any other areas of the foundation, and cause further problems and damage to the home.

  For more information about water damage restoration, contact Aer Industries for both residential and wholesale sales.

  partnered post • CC-licensed image by Jo Naylor

• The Best Remodels You Should do in The Winter

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. 

  

  Generally speaking, summertime is the best season for outdoors projects. Painting the exterior of your home, adding a new room, or major lawn design should all be done when it’s bright and sunny out. But there are numerous tasks that can be performed in the colder months. If they aren’t outright remodeling jobs, then they’re planning those jobs.

  

  Remodeling the basement

  One of the first areas to start is down below. The immediate benefit of basement remodeling is that it’s all indoors. Consider your different options. Add a bar to your house. Throw in a wooden room to establish as a man cave. Waterproof the cement. Whatever your goals for the basement could be, you can be sure to achieve. You won’t have to worry about the biting cold unless your basement isn’t properly insulated, which brings us to the next project.

  

  Insulate your home for the cold

  Weatherization can sometimes be an overlooked part of homeownership, especially with older homes. There’s no better way to get the money spent on home improvement back than with energy efficient features that pay for themselves in a few years. Start with the attic and work outwards. The attic is important because the top of your home is where all the heat ends up traveling. To keep the warm air downstairs where you live, most homes use rolled batts as insulation. Bare in mind that energy approved windows and doors are equally as important. An energy efficient home is a real saver on the monthly bills.

  

  Install that hardwood flooring

  If you were thinking about getting new hardwood flooring in your room, winter is the perfect time to do so. Not only is it indoor work that won’t involve the cold, the climate is ideal for hardwood installation. Dry winter air helps cut down on boards with a tendency to gape apart. Also, a lack of humidity means that water damage won’t occur. All in all, the drying time for the board adhesives used will be cut down significantly. So the winter weather is really a bonus when it comes to hardwood.

  So don’t let them tell you that nothing can get done in the snowy seasons. There still plenty that you can accomplish. It just a matter of figuring out your budget and what you want to do with your home. If time if a factor, keep in mind you have all winter. So get motivated this winter season.

  Article written by Sean Mahan, also a writer for homeyou.com, a company that connects homeowners to reliable, affordable and professional contractors for their home improvement projects. Check more on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

• Domestic Building Work You Need to Get Right the First Time

  

  Any type of domestic building work is expensive. You have to pay for services, materials and other expenses that mount up during the lifetime of a construction project. There are certain parts of a construction project that are more important than others. Once you’ve identified them, it’s vital to ensure that high quality materials are used and the standard of workmanship is top notch. If not, serious problems can occur in the future. These are some of the most important construction-related tasks you need to get right first time, and why it can be so important to use a reliable firm with real world experience, like Sacramento, California’s A+ Construction & Remodeling.

  Foundation

  The ground beneath a new building, extension or renovation project has to be solid and secure. If it’s not, the whole building you construct can be affected and result in a wide range of structural problems down the line. The creation of a foundation of any building should be supervised by an expert such as an engineer. The materials used to create a foundation should be of a high quality, so that the building created is as sturdy and secure and possible.

  Roof

  The roof of most homes is one of the most important features. It’s even more important in places that experience extreme weather conditions. For example, if the place you live in gets heavy rainfall, you want to be certain your roof does not leak and let water into your home. Roofing a home is an extremely specialized skill, learned over many years. This means you should only use the services of established, reputable roofing companies who will ensure that there are no problems in the future.

  Electrics

  Most homeowners take electricity for granted. However, this is an important feature in the majority of modern homes. Electrical faults can have devastating consequences for everyone in a home. This is why it’s important to hire an electrician or electrical company who will safely and professionally wire your home.

  Plumbing and Heating

  One of the biggest concerns in homes is problems with plumbing. Burst pipes, broken heating systems and leaks are just some of the problems homeowners face. Calling out a plumber on a regular basis is expensive. Poor quality plumbing during the initial construction of a property is often the cause of these issues. Once again, hiring a plumber or plumbing company that provides a top quality service will prevent problems in the future.

  Windows and Doors

  Windows and doors serve many important purposes. They provide security, make a home more comfortable, let in light and increase the energy-efficiency of a home. However, not all windows and doors achieve all of these things. Some are made from substandard materials or they’re poorly constructed. In other situations, windows and doors are fitted badly which compounds the problems associated with these features of a home. Choosing high quality window and door manufacturers and installers ensures that these features will remain in your home for a long time to come.

  The features above are the main parts of a home you need to get right first time when you’re constructing a building. Once these features are dealt with, you can start to address the other features in a building.

  partnered post • CC-licensed image by tpsdave

• Better Heating in Winter

  
  

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. CC-licensed photo by Keka Marzagao.

  Heating and cooling is the largest contributor to the cost of housing or running a brick and mortar business. The structure itself might have a loan, but heating and cooling tend to consume the most energy. Unlike a fixed loan, the energy demands of heating in winter is adjustable. While the simplest solution might seem to be to set the thermostat lower, most HVAC units can be maintained to improve efficiency.

  Residents should study their energy bill every year. A variation from the norm means either an unusually cold winter or a loss of efficiency. HVAC units should be checked every year, and the rewards of maintenance are efficiency and longer unit life. Large structures have mechanics that examine kilowatt hours and clean the system to reduce its load.

  A common problem is lost refrigerant. Pressure drops as refrigerant leaks, and less viscous refrigerant does not transfer heat as effectively. The HVAC unit must run longer and harder, which both consumes power and wears the motor. Refrigerant slowly leaks from all systems, and this is one reason why HVAC units should be examined once a year by a professional heating and cooling service, such as All Weather Heating and Air Conditioning. Replacing and cleaning refrigerant is standard practice.

  Another common problem is blocked vents and air ducts. Large cooling units have a complicated set of parts, including chilling towers that use water vapor to cool refrigerant. Any surface that transfers heat should be free of debris, and vents must be cleaned to allow air to circulate. Blockage is commonly provided by fall leaves and dust.

  Residential HVAC units can also become blocked by leaves and even snow. Circulating air can allow lint to accumulate on interior parts, and these must be cleaned periodically. The key is easy air circulation and thermal transfer. Lint, grime, and other obstructions act as insulation and reduce the system efficiency.

  Other problems lay with the duct work. Damaged insulation, leaks, and blockage all reduce heating efficiency. Leaks spew conditioned air into the crawlspace underneath a house and also reduce pressure. Blockage reduces air flow at the far end of the system and overworks the air conditioner. Regular maintenance clears all these problems.

• Pros & Cons of Oil-to-Gas Heating Conversion

  

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. CC-Licensed photographs by Gnomedude and Joanna Poe.

  Oil heaters store a light petroleum in a tank and use it to fire a hot water tank or a household furnace. The advantages of oil is that it can be transported by a vehicle and many oil heater can function without electricity. This is convenient in rural areas, but there might be a better option for heating and cooling Tucson city residents might want to consider.

  City homes with oil heaters can convert to natural gas. While petroleum products can vary in price, natural gas is more stable. The average cost of heating a home during the 2008 winter was $1700 with oil while heating with natural gas cost only $900.

  There is a direct relation between the price of unrefined petroleum and oil heating. Petroleum is the base price of all derived products, ranging from gasoline to plastic to kerosene and house heating oil. While petroleum prices are currently low in the United States, this might change in a decade.

  One advantage of oil is that it has a flash point of 52 degrees Celsius. This means that it does not form a combustible vapor at room temperature. While heating oil can be stored securely, it does require a storage tank. Natural gas pipes are well out of sight.

  Natural gas risks an explosion if it leaks at a high enough concentration. The good news is that new installations have many safety features that minimize leaks. If gas does leak, aeration will remove it from a home. Oil is much more damaging if it spills, because it saturates surfaces and is difficult to remove.

  Natural gas is better for the environment than burning oil, wood, or coal. It does not leave soot or a residue, and the only byproducts are carbon dioxide and water vapor. Natural gas is safe enough that gas stoves and fire places can be installed into a home without chimneys.

  Because natural gas is delivered from an external source, there is no need to have a home inspected for fire safety every year. Oil and wood burning might increase the cost of insurance, while natural gas impacts insurance costs less. It might cost $2000 to install a gas line, but savings in annual heating might repay a family in only a few years.

• The Top 5 Home Remodeling Ideas That Will Improve Your Life

  
  

  Your home is your castle, so it only makes sense that you’d want to improve the way you live your life at home. Remodeling projects can be as cheap as buying a bucket of paint, or as pricey as doing a full home makeover. Luckily, there’s an awesome project for just about every budget and lifestyle you can imagine. Here are our top five picks for remodeling projects that actually work to improve the quality of your life.

  1. Get a hot tub or Jacuzzi installed. There’s something oh, so relaxing about being able to kick back in your very own home spa. Studies have shown that regular use of a hot tub can soothe sore muscles, improve flexibility, and also lower stress. This kind of bathroom remodeling project can easily run upwards of $10,000, so it’s definitely a project that requires a higher budget.
  2. Install new appliances. This can be both a kitchen and a laundry room upgrade, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. Though it’s not a full remodeling project, the fact is that upgraded dishwashers, stoves, and washing machines can make a huge difference in the quality of your life as well as the amount of time that you spend cleaning. This remodeling project can greatly vary in price, but in general, you can expect to spend around $500 per appliance, at the very least.
  3. Add an extra room. If you have upwards of $15,000, adding a new bedroom or living room to your house is a good way to improve your overall quality of life. Another room can make the perfect location for entertaining guests, or could be used at add a little more privacy for families that feel cramped in their current situation. It’s also worth noting that an extra room can provide a serious return on investment.
  4. Get better ventilation. Many people seriously underestimate the huge impact a well ventilated room can have on a person’s wellbeing. If you have allergies, or are prone to falling ill during certain times of year, a room with cleaner air can make all the difference. Getting a good medical grade air filter can actually be quite affordable, depending on the size of your house. Besides, a good air filter for your home also can make it easier to clear out foul odors that tend to linger.
  5. Install a pool in your back yard. Pools are often the home improvement choice of people who want to become the “fun house” of their block.
     

     Author bio: A parenting writer and home improvement aficianado, Regina empowers women through her writing and parenting tips. If she’s not writing or walking her dog, you can catch her surfing the web for what’s new at Ventis. Note: partered post • CC-Licensed photograph by Jeremy Levine Design

   

• 7 Improvement & Remodeling Ideas to Increase Home Value

  
  

  Thinking about updating your own kitchen? Check out this Kitchen Visualizer Tool – it's a great resource!

  1. Remodeling the Kitchen

  Most people consider the kitchen to be the heart of the home, and because of this, updates in this room pay off. According to HGTV, you can expect to recoup 60%-120% of your investment on a kitchen remodel, as long as you don’t go overboard. You should never make your kitchen fancier than the rest of the house, or the neighborhood.

  2. Bathroom Addition

  If your home only has one bathroom, you can recoup a large chunk of your investment by adding another one. HGTV estimates that you can recoup 80%-130% of whatever you spend adding a bathroom.

  read the rest of these 7 remodeling ideas here

  Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication.