OK. The other day I saw this construction guy chowing on a plate of ribs and going on and on about how he was so green and into sustain-a-bility. He kind of remembered what he read in a magazine somewhere I guess.
Part of me thought, " Hey! Great - we're really getting somewhere! If this guy is talking "going green" then we're getting through to people! Yay.
Chomp Chomp
The other part of me thought, " Holy Cow, Here's the K-mart commercial for going green - what on Earth? How could anyone believe this guy?! He couldn't even get the word 'sustainable' out..."
"Green" has now seemed to has spanned range of the socio-economic and intellectual ladders in the US being regarded as something new to sell. Not to be cynical.
And
I'm not claiming to be the most environmentally friendly person (but I do *something* everyday) and I'm certainly not a vegetarian (although I see the benefits of cutting back). I do like the idea of just living simply, however, as a theme that has been generated out of al this "green" stuff. We have a garden now and didn't have to worry about all the bacteria issues that began arising in early summer; and I've found it really nice to just use the bicycle or walk to get from place to place when we have the time.
Construction technology is getting interesting now. I've never been one to jump in to new technology all the time - especially when you're yalking about experimenting with potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. But as time passes the developers who were willing to experiment helped streamline the processes, found the faults and helped create products that became (and are still becoming) more and more affordable... and also projects that end up giving back.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dealing With Your General Contractor, Subs
A seasoned GC should have a good long standing relationship with their suppliers and subs. Having a variety of sound go-to people will make any job more predictable and smooth going. The alternative to this is a GC that always shops for the lowest bid and often changes the subs and suppliers based on the bid. There are many components that go into choosing good suppliers and subs, reliability and quality of service are among the most important factors.
Let me give you an example. Everyone knows that things happen and we're all just human after all. But how errors are handled is key. I easily spend over $100,000 at one supplier's warehouse annually and because we have that relationship established they know I am not going to try to going to talk to them about errors that don't exist. When an issue arose and my client got nowhere with the manufacturer I had to tell my rep. Within an hour of my call there was a repair scheduled and on the books.
Also, I know my reps and I know my subs. They're great and we continue working together as long as we each feel we're being treated fairly. I certainly have met a few subs in my time that were either inexperienced or looked at the work they did as just a job. They are no longer with me. Further to keep things fresh I am constantly on the lookout for new talent. But most of the subs I use have proven consistent passion for what they do. Even the electrician. They know all the techniques of the trades and they know all the particulars of the codes of the locations we have to work in. In the end, these are time saving qualities that result in saving money.
Knowing what to expect from subs and suppliers allows communication to flow easier and building a certain level of trust only comes from knowing the people involved.
I am never afraid of the phrase, "I don't know but I'll find out." I'd rather have someone tell me that than get into a job and get stuck or end up with a mess. That's not to say that people shouldn't try new things, but generally speaking your GC will have actually experienced only 95-98% of what will go on the remodeling or construction of your house. The other 2-5% of unknowns will be due to the huge array of variables in an existing home or to modernization and changing style or tastes. The architectural drawings only will take you so far. The rest is left to technical interpretation and the GC's ability to handle them.
This year alone we have done things we didn't think were going to be possible and the results were extraordinary. If we don't go through the feeling of "how do you do that" at least once or twice, we know we're not challenging ourselves and growing as a company.
Let me give you an example. Everyone knows that things happen and we're all just human after all. But how errors are handled is key. I easily spend over $100,000 at one supplier's warehouse annually and because we have that relationship established they know I am not going to try to going to talk to them about errors that don't exist. When an issue arose and my client got nowhere with the manufacturer I had to tell my rep. Within an hour of my call there was a repair scheduled and on the books.
Also, I know my reps and I know my subs. They're great and we continue working together as long as we each feel we're being treated fairly. I certainly have met a few subs in my time that were either inexperienced or looked at the work they did as just a job. They are no longer with me. Further to keep things fresh I am constantly on the lookout for new talent. But most of the subs I use have proven consistent passion for what they do. Even the electrician. They know all the techniques of the trades and they know all the particulars of the codes of the locations we have to work in. In the end, these are time saving qualities that result in saving money.
Knowing what to expect from subs and suppliers allows communication to flow easier and building a certain level of trust only comes from knowing the people involved.
I am never afraid of the phrase, "I don't know but I'll find out." I'd rather have someone tell me that than get into a job and get stuck or end up with a mess. That's not to say that people shouldn't try new things, but generally speaking your GC will have actually experienced only 95-98% of what will go on the remodeling or construction of your house. The other 2-5% of unknowns will be due to the huge array of variables in an existing home or to modernization and changing style or tastes. The architectural drawings only will take you so far. The rest is left to technical interpretation and the GC's ability to handle them.
This year alone we have done things we didn't think were going to be possible and the results were extraordinary. If we don't go through the feeling of "how do you do that" at least once or twice, we know we're not challenging ourselves and growing as a company.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Appliances
The Question. It's a common misconception that when you're picking new appliances when updating a kitchen they should all be the same. Each appliance manufacturer has it's own forte. Not to mention you as the consumer know best how you use these items on a day to day basis - are you the house chef? Do you use the dishwasher even when you only have 4 plates and 2 cups? Do you often find your house being the place everyone goes for Thanksgiving?
These are the important considerations. Cross your habits with the specialty of the appliance and you'll find a perfect match. Look for what appliance serves your purpose and budget.
The Look. If you're worried about getting your dishwasher to match your refrigerator you should know about appliance cabinets. They can be made to look like your existing dish cabinets as well as each other and no one will know about the mis-matched branding underneath.
The Quality. Just because you hide everything - it doesn't mean you don't have bragging rights ~ It just means you have really good taste. Certainly some mismatched brands might look ok together, but not all do. The Quality of the product is more important.
American Range has just gone residential and the people are excited! This is a company that has 30 years of proven success as a commercial use workhorse. The new series is exciting because they have put a lot of consideration into use.
From the oversized ovens to the sleek efficiency of the grill top and burners.
Another eye-catching brand that offers appliances second to none is the Gaggenau brand of BSH - Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraute (Bosche and Siemens Home Appliance Group). Gaggenau is famous for it's steam oven, built in coffee makers, ventilation, modular cook tops and enornously well thought out refridgerators. The Gaggenau brand is sleek and streamline and they specialize in high performance built-ins.
These are the important considerations. Cross your habits with the specialty of the appliance and you'll find a perfect match. Look for what appliance serves your purpose and budget.
The Look. If you're worried about getting your dishwasher to match your refrigerator you should know about appliance cabinets. They can be made to look like your existing dish cabinets as well as each other and no one will know about the mis-matched branding underneath.
The Quality. Just because you hide everything - it doesn't mean you don't have bragging rights ~ It just means you have really good taste. Certainly some mismatched brands might look ok together, but not all do. The Quality of the product is more important.
American Range has just gone residential and the people are excited! This is a company that has 30 years of proven success as a commercial use workhorse. The new series is exciting because they have put a lot of consideration into use.
From the oversized ovens to the sleek efficiency of the grill top and burners.
Another eye-catching brand that offers appliances second to none is the Gaggenau brand of BSH - Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraute (Bosche and Siemens Home Appliance Group). Gaggenau is famous for it's steam oven, built in coffee makers, ventilation, modular cook tops and enornously well thought out refridgerators. The Gaggenau brand is sleek and streamline and they specialize in high performance built-ins.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Bathroom Remodel
It's natural to think that when you're ready to remodel, you're going
to put everything in it that you've always wanted. That will be your chance. Sometimes it's just not that simple. Opposition usually starts and stops with Money. But not only that, it's a good time to think about what's practical (get rid of those little incongruent spaces) and what we've learned by designing to build over the last 20 years (because chances are that's the last time your Bathroom had a MakeOver).
Once you choose your tiles, using clear heavy glass framles doors create a space that feels larger with no obstruction to the new beauty on your walls and floors.
to put everything in it that you've always wanted. That will be your chance. Sometimes it's just not that simple. Opposition usually starts and stops with Money. But not only that, it's a good time to think about what's practical (get rid of those little incongruent spaces) and what we've learned by designing to build over the last 20 years (because chances are that's the last time your Bathroom had a MakeOver).A simple, cost effective trick to keeping a bathroom looking great while maximizing e
fficiency is using porcelain tile over stone. Travertine is very common, but these days the quality in finishing and tooling of porcelain is near perfect. When grouted correctly and grout color is 
chosen to pick up the deeper flecks in the porcelain finish you end up with a very rich, authentic look. You can barely notice the differences for what it's worth. Not to mention it's a piece of cake to clean up. Travertine and other natural stones have many little holes and is very porous which requires maintenance on it's own. The porcelain is a high density material that is impervious to to water.
fficiency is using porcelain tile over stone. Travertine is very common, but these days the quality in finishing and tooling of porcelain is near perfect. When grouted correctly and grout color is 
chosen to pick up the deeper flecks in the porcelain finish you end up with a very rich, authentic look. You can barely notice the differences for what it's worth. Not to mention it's a piece of cake to clean up. Travertine and other natural stones have many little holes and is very porous which requires maintenance on it's own. The porcelain is a high density material that is impervious to to water. Once you choose your tiles, using clear heavy glass framles doors create a space that feels larger with no obstruction to the new beauty on your walls and floors.
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