safety

Examples of Unsafe Renos We See

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Many homeowners have no idea that their kitchen or bathroom is a dangerous place — and could even potentially kill them or their loved ones. But we see bad renovations that create serious fire hazards quite often. Typically, what we find is that the finishes look just fine, but behind the scenes, there is danger lurking from lazy building practices.

To understand this point, take a look at this photo of a kitchen we’re currently renovating. This is an example of dangerous and illegal electrical work. This outlet is not a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, even though it is within 3 feet of a sink and dishwasher. We also think the range outlet was jumped to serve a light fixture in the basement, which is an illegal junction. The range should have its own circuit, instead of sharing it with lighting.

You can also see in the photo that the wood flooring does not extend all the way to the wall. This means the range will be hard to pull out for cleaning or service. It will also be hard to level, so it may wobble and cause the cakes baked in it to be lopsided. The range’s feet can also break easily when you try to move it.

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Accessible Homes: Designing With an Eye to the Future

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We often receive phone calls from prospective clients who are in their 40s and are preparing their home for “aging in place.” This may be for themselves, if they plan to remain in their homes long term, or for their aging parents or special-needs children who live with them. Our challenge in these projects is determining how to successfully update these older homes to make them more accessible and accommodating while factoring in the changing needs of the families who live there. Here’s a look at our process.

The first step is conducting a survey of the house to learn how it currently works.

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Unsafe Decks: Things to Look For

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I looked at a home for sale yesterday. The door to the deck off the kitchen was marked with a “Do Not Enter” sign, and “DANGER” was written large on that sign.

The deck and under it looked like this. Can you see why this deck is unsafe?

Keep in mind dozens of people are killed in the US each and hundreds injured year by unsafe decks!

In general because it is a structural renovation, decks are not a homeowner DIY project and they do require permits and inspections.

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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.

Some Kitchen Facelift Photos to Enjoy!

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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!