Why We Do It That Way

How Do You Know When “It’s Time”?

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We meet folks who have put off a major renovation, sometimes for perhaps too long. They are suffering!

We sympathize because we know these projects are expensive. After all, you saved and waited, and then called us, which we are thrilled about!

You know “When It’s Time” when:

… It looks like this:

… It’s to the point where it can’t be cleaned any longer.
… You have more than one or two layers of materials on the walls, floors, counters, cabinets.
… Only one burner works on the range, or other similar malfunctions occur with the equipment.
… The fridge uses more energy than all the other appliances in your kitchen put together.
… The room doesn’t work for you anymore, even though you can still make toast.
… The layout is bad.
… There isn’t any countertop.
… You hate using the room.

Where Is the Lead?

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Today I met the Certified Lead Inspector at our RDA/NSP House. Here are some photos of him and his fancy $15,000 “ray gun” in action.

His gun shoots and captures reflected X rays off the lead content inside the layers of paint to create a lead level reading for that surface. Readings are taken for each surface in every room of the house and outside the house as well. These readings are recorded in the gun, and then downloaded into our project home’s digital file.

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After the Reno: Finishing Touches of Design

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As you already know, Myers Constructs, Inc., can assist you with a full spectrum of design-to-build services, taking your project from concept through to completion. But what you may not know is that we can also assist with interior design and decorating – the finishing touches of your project. 

Typically, we finish a project, leaving it freshly painted, and you have a new room to decorate.

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Your Fantasy Home Projects … We Want to Know!

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All of us have home reno projects or “honey do” list items we fantasize about completing. We want to know what yours are.

We invite our readers to share their wishes, dreams, and renovation fantasies here on our website.

Some fantasy projects will be huge glamorous and “money is no object” in scope.

Some dream projects may be an incredibly small thing you have “lived with” for too darn long.

We’d like to know about the projects and project features that interest you most.

Our blogging staffers will read your Fantasy Home Project ideas and stories. The best stories will be added to the blog roll and their authors will receive recognition and an Official Myers Constructs, Inc., long-sleeve t-shirt!

Send stories to info@myersconstructs.com

Construction Pros Who Study/Think

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At our company, we are curious. We are always on the lookout for new and better ways of doing things.

In the modern world, many of the old ways of building no longer work. The building materials of old are no longer available. People live in their homes now very differently than they did 20 to 50 years ago. These changes are even more apparent when we work on an 80 – 100-year-old home. Kitchens are no longer in the shed out back to prevent fires from consuming the whole home. Bathrooms have moved from the back yard or back porch into the sleeping quarters and near new kitchen locations inside, thanks to indoor plumbing technology — which is amazing if you think about it.

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Anti-Vinyl, And Proud of It

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One of the things that distinguishes a higher-end remodeling project from a lower-end one is the products that are used.

Typically, a less-expensive project will use cheaper products. Many times, these cheaper products will not last as a long as higher-priced ones. If you think about it, you can purchase cheaper products two or three times over within the same time frame that a more expensive product would last.

Another thing to remember is that cheaper products will typically pollute more than more expensive ones. An example of this is vinyl siding. The case against vinyl siding is illustrated nicely in this video clip from the documentary Blue Vinyl.

Vinyl siding is not recyclable. It pollutes when it’s made — and later when it’s removed and goes to the dump. No one else will tell you this. The guy selling vinyl siding door-to-door in your neighborhood is certainly not going to tell you this. He will tell you it’s a green product that insulates your home. He wants to sell vinyl siding, a lot of it.

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Here’s a Post We Love from Canadian Kitchen & Bath

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BLUM hardware co created this aging suite to show you how your mobility is effected as you age, and how great kitchen design can help you age in place.

BLUM VIDEO

Listen to the speakers comments too on how most kitchen renovation buyers spend more time researching their car purchase than their kitchens, even though we all try to keep kitchens much longer than we keep our cars.

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The Glam World of Property Development: Water Damage Woes

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Part Two of an Occasional Series

Water damage. While those two words can strike fear in the hearts of average homeowners, they can be a welcome message for property developers. While many buyers would walk away from a deal on a home with water stains or active leaks, if you are a developer or first-time homebuyer with the right know-how, you can cash in on this type of property. But only if you proceed with caution!

Here is a gallery of snaps of water damage I took at a recent initial property walkthrough

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You can see from the photos that there are some buckled floorboards, dead plaster, third floor ceiling damage from the roof, and second floor paint blowing off of ceilings. This is a scary house for most homebuyers. But let’s look closer. We need to know what caused the areas of water damage so we can assess costs for fixing them.

Floor boards – This is top-nailed, 5/16” x 2, 1/4” oak. It’s easy to pull out the few buckled boards and patch in new. Then, all of the floors would need to be refinished. More than likely, the damage happened when the seller’s winterizing service allowed the radiators to drain onto the floor instead of into a bucket. Another possible cause is cracked radiator lines. Be sure to have a professional plumber look for these.

Ceiling damage – Some of the mess is due to the radiator water, and some on the third floor is from the roof. These homes have a flat roof with one scupper at the rear. Typically, this is where the roof will first fail. Be sure to have a roofer check for and make necessary repairs.

Wall damage – Some of this is dead plaster. Old plaster walls are “keyed” into the wooden lath behind them. On inexpensive homes of the 1920’s and 1930’s, we often see the plaster is thin, and with age it finally fails. We can pull the plaster off that wall and drywall it, or patch the affected area with new plaster.

The Glam World of Property Development: Wiring Nightmares

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This is a short blog entry in a series we will be doing that highlights some of the things we encounter in our property-development business. Many people are interested in property development or in buying a fixer upper for their own use, and it’s a good way to go if you have the skills. You can get into a great home for less money. But you need to be prepared for messes.

If you are buying to flip, take care, assume the worst, and do your due diligence. Here are two photos of some scary electrical work I encountered in a flip house recently.

These kinds of illegal and unsafe conditions are common. When you do a first walk-through, you’ll need to be on the lookout for these types of issues. Keep a list of what you find. And expect these signs to mean the entire electrical system has a problem.

I admit to knowing very little about electrical work. To me, it’s magic. I always have a property checked out by my licensed and insured electrician. It costs about $90 to have him check it out and make an estimate for corrections needed. This is money well spent. My electrician knows I value his time and expertise. When I call, he’s there.

Bottom line? Never cheap out on safety issues or your subcontractors when you are developing a property.