OUR BLOG
OUR BLOG
Check out what’s happening with Myers Constructs as well as the latest news and trends in home renovation.
Water Damage: Un-Sexy Yet Vital Repairs
Water. It's a word that strikes fear in the hearts of homeowners everywhere, and for good reason. The worst issue facing any home (besides an earthquake or fire) is a water leak. Water infiltration — which many of us experienced during the local storms this week — can cause serious damage to your home, including everything from rot and mildew to insect infestation and even building collapse. And while repairing water-damaged siding and trim, replacing rotting materials, and fixing vexing leaks are not nearly as sexy as installing a shiny new kitchen or fresh new bath, they are some of the most important projects you can undertake. Take pride in knowing you are protecting your home investment when you fix even the smallest of water problems. When we think about how water enters a home, we need to think about the house as a collection of interactive and supportive systems.[...]
This Week: Progress on Historic Master Bath
As you'll recall, we recently started a master bathroom renovation in an early 1800s-era home on a historic street in Philadelphia. At this point, the wiring, plumbing, and framing are complete, the work to this stage has been inspected, and we are in the process of closing up the floors and walls. Today, the radiant floor heating will get wired, and our carpenter, Chris, will apply the floor-leveling compound over that. Next, we'll be ready to install the 12 x 24-inch metallic porcelain tile! We can't wait to see how amazing it looks. The client can now start to visualize what the room is going to look like in the end. Stay tuned; we'll be posting "after" photos when this project is complete.
Avoid These Contractor Hiring Mistakes
How do you hire contractors when you're starting a home renovation project? Do you look for the cheapest, or the friendliest, or someone you know from your social circle? Do you hire a carpenter to act as your general contractor? Or do you assume that role yourself? In our experience, we find that these approaches are mistakes. The truth is, whether you're doing a kitchen upgrade, a bathroom update, an addition, or whole-house renovation, investing the time to find an experienced full-service general contractor with excellent project management skills is the best way to achieve your desired project results. Without project management, solid design acumen, and professional drawings, the following problems can and do occur: The carpenter doesn't know how high to set windows relative to the door height and the specified trim details, causing windows and doors to look “off” and the wrong trim to be installed. The tile[...]
Bathrooms: What’s In
We often hear from clients who are in need of help with maintaining and upgrading older, outdated bathrooms. In fact, we are currently working on one such project in a historic home in Center City Philadelphia. Recently, we've seen a surge in demand for bathroom elements that include the following: Heated bathroom floors, shower floors, and shower benches Large-scale tile Nickel finishes instead of stainless steel Streamlined, minimal cabinetry Do you or someone you know have a bathroom or other space that is in need of an upgrade? Please pass along our newsletter and contact information. We'll be happy to create a design to build plan for tackling the ongoing maintenance and remodeling jobs that face all of us as homeowners. P.S. If you missed it last week, be sure to check out our recent Narberth kitchen renovation on HGTV Remodels' blog The House Counselor With Laurie March!
Our Main Line Kitchen Project Featured on The House Counselor
This week, we are excited to have one of our recent kitchen projects featured on HGTV Remodels' blog, The House Counselor with Laurie March. The project, pictured here, is a big-feature, yet modestly sized, modern chef's kitchen created for a cottage-style home in Narberth. Here is an excerpt from our interview with Laurie: I Spy … Myers Contructs’ Design As you know, I like peeking in other people’s windows. I’m not creepy, just curious! When I spotted Myers Constructs’ tasteful kitchen remodel in Main Line Philadelphia, I had to find out more. Myers co-founders Tamara Myers and Diane Menke were kind enough to tell me more.... Q: What were the main items on the wish list for this remodel? Diane: The clients wanted to maintain the vintage charm and scale of this modest home while making big improvements. Very high-quality custom cherry cabinets and high-end Wolf appliances and finishes were[...]
New Life for a Historic Master Bath
This week, we are starting demolition on the master bathroom of a small early-1800s house on a charming, tree-lined street in Philadelphia. The homeowner is a returning customer whose kitchen we tuned up years ago. His existing master bathroom includes an array of mismatched items, including a gray toilet, a white sink in a "Big Box outlet" vanity base, a beige jacuzzi tub, and brown marble tile installed haphazardly over an array of shoulder-height walls, as well as a shower that is in need of a total update. To date, the homeowner and his partner have selected new gray Kohler fixtures, and large-scale brown iridescent tile (12 by 24 inches) running in a bond pattern on the walls and a herringbone pattern on the floors. Chrome faucets and accessories, including a wall-mounted shaving mirror, are from Grohe. Because the ceiling is vaulted, we will install 9' walls and a new[...]
Uncovering the Magic in Your Home
We often talk to new clients who come to the table with ideas about all kinds of "stuff" they want to buy and install in their homes. While this is a perfectly natural place for most people to start their renovation process, our job is to get them to back up a little and talk to us about their lives. What we really want to know is how they want to live, and how their home fits into that picture. Many times, we have to ask them to stretch a little, imagine a little "magic" in their everyday lives … and explain what that would be like. Typical questions we ask in the initial consultation include: What works and doesn’t work in your home? When you travel or visit the homes of friends and family, what do you enjoy about those places? What kind of experience do you want to[...]
A New Life for Your Space. A Better Life for You.
Since the 1990s, Myers Constructs has been satisfying homeowner needs for improved living spaces. We find that these same happy homeowners have called us again and again when they need more work done, or when they move on to their next homes. Past customers also often pass our name on to friends neighbors and family members, and we even get great referrals from the people who wish they had hired us but went with someone else and were disappointed with them in the end. Consider us for your next project, large or small, including maintenance services such as: adding a closet, pantry, or storage area replacing windows or doors repairing a garage finishing a basement space early spring maintenance to repair windows or doors installation of storm windows to make old wooden windows more efficient porch repairs, including wooden floors, steps, railings, and fancy millwork powder room and bathroom facelifts[...]
Do I Need to Move Out During My Home Renovation?
(Part 3 in a series that examines our remodeling customers' most frequently asked questions.) Our design build company has been providing high quality kitchen, bathroom and whole house renovations to fine homes in the greater Philadelphia area for more than 20 years. We find that many homeowner questions repeat, and this is a common one. When you decide to renovate your home, there are many decisions to be made: colors, finishes, appliances, and whether to stay in the house or temporarily find other living arrangements. The right choice for this latter decision really depends upon the scope of the project, the other rooms available for your use during the renovation, and your tolerance level for the inherent messy stages of construction. If, for example, you are renovating your kitchen but have an extra utility area with a sink, a refrigerator, and space for a microwave, you can certainly remain in[...]
Spring “To Do” List: Projects Big and Small
“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” —Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina With the first day of Spring (finally!) arriving this week, homeowners invariably turn their collective thoughts to refreshing their homes and yards. Whether you are planning a full design build renovation of a kitchen or bathroom, or any of the following smaller, repair and maintenance projects that will enhance your overall enjoyment of your Philadelphia area home, we are happy to help. Additions or space-enhancing design solutions to help the house you have feel bigger; Kitchen and bathroom facelifts, including new tile, paint, fixtures, stone counters; Hardscaping, patios, and decks; Energy-efficiency improvements that make the house you have cheaper to run and more comfortable to live in; Roofing, flooring, painting, tile, siding, and masonry, including pointing, block and flat work, and slate work; Family rooms, mudrooms, entryway enhancements, closets, and other storage solutions; Home offices, libraries, work spaces,[...]
