OUR BLOG
OUR BLOG
Check out what’s happening with Myers Constructs as well as the latest news and trends in home renovation.
The Glam World of Property Development: Wiring Nightmares
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[...]
What is an Air Switch?
Here is a photo of an air switch kit. We use these all the time in our kitchens. These "air powered" switches use a puff of air to turn on your garbage disposal. The black box and hoses are mounted and plugged in, under your sink in the cabinet. All you see from the sink side is the chrome button of the switch. A hole is cut in the stone to allow this to be mounted next to the kitchen faucet. With this air switch, you never have to touch your electrical appliance (disposal) and water at the same time. Neither do you have to put your hand into a sink full of greasy dirty water, using the batch feed handle some disposals come with. These list for about $140.00 plus installation. We've used cheaper in the past, but this brand is the best we've used.
Think You Have a No-Maintenance Exterior? Think Again
When I was a little girl, I helped my dad on hundreds of home projects. It’s on these home projects that I cut my teeth learning to work on houses. My dad did everything from roofing to tree removal (dangerous) to kitchens and bathroom renovations and lots of other stuff. Dad’s still a big DIY guy when it comes to home renovations, though he is terrible at car maintenance. I guess he keeps dreaming of the no-maintenance car – just like a lot of folks think they have a no-maintenance home. Let’s take a look at a few of the “no-maintenance home myths” dealing with the exterior of homes. We’ll deal with interior-maintenance myths in another post. Vinyl Siding – One of the materials used in the name of “no maintenance” is vinyl siding. Many people think if they have vinyl siding, they will never need to paint,[...]
Some Kitchen Facelift Photos to Enjoy!
Here are some snaps of the kitchen facelift project we are doing. In these photos you can see; 1. How the tile backsplash looks in process. We miter the outside corners for a nice finish! Our guys' tile saw was freezing up in the cold! 2. The electrician in installing all new switches and outlets, now that he has corrected the dangerous wiring problem. It could have started a fire! Project highlights include replacing counters, backsplash tile (insulating first here since there was none!), repairing dangerous wiring to the outlets and appliances, replacing the fake wood floor with a real pre-finished one, installing a new patio door, installing new and better lighting, painting, and reworking the cabinet trim. We had a custom table built in stainless steel as well. Check in later to see more photo updates!
The Green Movement: A Holistic Approach
Going green. You hear it everywhere these days. It’s become the catchphrase of the moment. And while the sentiment behind the movement is a vitally important one, going green is not a quick fix, “strap-on” kind of strategy, as many homeowners and some contractors think it is. We integrate green into everything we do as we run a small business and work on people’s homes. […]
A Helpline for Homebuyers
We often get phone calls from folks who are have recently purchased an older home and want to make some renovations or upgrades to it. Typical homes in our area – Philadelphia and its surrounds – are 50 to 100 years old. These home buyers usually love the character of their older home. We do, too. After delving deeper into the situation, we often find that the buyers’ real estate agent gave them advice about what certain repairs or renovations for their home would cost, and they purchased it with these cost expectations in mind. Unfortunately, most realtors do not know the true costs for renovations, and they end up giving flawed information, as a result. We don’t fault them, really. It’s not their job to know this information. As you know, buying a home is one of the most expensive purchases you will make in your lifetime. But[...]
Myers Constructs in The Philadelphia Inquirer!
Check out one of our recent renovations profiled yesterday in The Inquirer's Haven section. Here's the link.
Christmas Counter Tops
We are re-tuning a kitchen for a family who just bought this 1960’s rancher. The kitchen was not very old and the cabinets were pretty good, so we decided to work with them. This kitchen tune-up approach is much cheaper than replacing a whole kitchen. Here are some photos of the new counter tops going in. You’ll see some of the challenges we had to work with to get things looking right. […]
At the NSP Event Yesterday
We attended the Neighborhood Stabilization Project (your stimulus dollars at work!) press event yesterday. More NSP news to come.
Mayor Nutter Showing Some Love to The City’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)
Under this program, the city of Philadelphia will receive $16.8 million from The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to turn vacant, foreclosed properties into owner-occupied homes. Today, Mayor Nutter will be singing the praises of all who contributed to the recent renovation of the city's first NSP-funded property. Details on the NSP, which is managed by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, are here. Myers Constructs, Inc. will be renovating houses under this program. Attending today's event will be Dana Priesing, Diane Menke and Tamara Myers.
