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Posts Tagged ‘Foundation’

Basement Bathrooms: Luxury On Any Budget

by admin, 11:15 AM on April 26th, 2012, Comments Off

Many owners of older homes would love to create a luxurious spa oasis, but don’t have the space in their main and upper floors – or the budget to expand the home’s footprint.  The answer may be right under your feet – literally.  A bathroom in the basement can be added without adding square footage to the exterior footprint of the home.

Physical Considerations

Basements can be a wonderful place to create the spa you’ve been dreaming of, but there are some structural elements that need to be accommodated.  Existing plumbing is an important one.  Often, placing a basement bathroom below an existing bathroom can help reduce the cost of new plumbing.  Wiring and electrical infrastructure should be considered as well.  The new bathroom must meet new building codes, even if the rest of the house does not.  Ventilation is another critical aspect of the new room.  Without proper venting, a basement bathroom can be very damp.

Spa Features

A basement bathroom can be more spacious than an upper floor bathroom – allowing homeowners to add creativity and luxury to the new room.  Whirlpool tubs, showers with multiple jets, saunas and heated floors are common amenities in new basement bathrooms.  Other unique accessories can include furniture-style cabinetry, vanities and accent pieces.  Older homeowners often enjoy a shower seat.  They make great storage areas but also offer a relaxing shower experience.

Our design team has helped homeowners add relaxing, luxurious spa bathrooms to many basements.  Call us today to find out how we can create an oasis in your home.

Spring Cleaning Should Include Gutters

by admin, 8:53 AM on April 18th, 2012, Comments Off

It might seem like a fall job, but gutters can collect leaves and other junk during the winter and spring, too.   Rain gutters protect you and your home from water damage.  With that in mind, here’s a reminder of last fall’s post on gutter maintenance.

Wet leaves and debris can cause water to back up in the gutters. That can force water to overflow the sidewalls or worse can pull the gutters away from the fascia boards. It can also cause erosion around the foundation, wet basements, and siding rot.

Cleaning Gutters

You should inspect and clean your rain gutters at least twice a year, once in the late fall and once in early spring. By cleaning rain gutters in late fall you can be sure to remove any leaves, branches and other debris that may have accumulated during the summer and fall seasons.  You also ensure that gutters work properly during the winter, or at least minimize ice build-up.  Spring cleaning gutters gives you a chance to check for any ice damage and to remove any debris that may have accumulated.

Gutter cleaning typically requires a ladder, garden hose with spray nozzle, and a pair of rubber gloves. Make sure the ladder is properly and stably positioned on the ground. A stepladder works well but, make sure it is tall enough that you can safely use it without having to stand on the top two steps. If you need to use an extension ladder, place a piece of 2×4 lumber inside the gutter to keep the gutter from bending when you lean the ladder on it.  Remove the leaves and debris by hand where you can reach them.  Use the hose to clean hard to reach areas.  Before you finish, be sure to spray out the down spouts.  Leaves can accumulate there as well.

Gutter Shields and Gutter Guards

Though your rain gutters may be outfitted with gutter shields or gutter guards don’t think you are immune from gutter cleanings. These systems help minimize gutter clogs but they are not perfect. Small debris inevitably finds its way underneath them and into your gutters.

Protect your biggest investment with regular gutter cleaning.  Your new home addition will thank you!

What Direction Should Your Addition Go?

by admin, 1:50 PM on March 29th, 2012, Comments Off

Homeowners have two choices for their home additions:  Expand horizontally or expand vertically.   The choice you make depends on the purpose of the addition, the local zoning laws, your yard size and your home’s existing structure.  Whichever direction you decide to build, we can create a beautiful, seamless addition for your home.

How will the addition be used?

If your remodeling vision includes a kitchen or family room, building out is usually most effective.  A two-level kitchen would be spectacular, but pretty impractical!  Family rooms often become extensions of a living room or dining area located on the main floor.  Master suites, attic bedrooms and bathroom expansions are often best-suited for a vertical addition.

Local zoning laws

Many communities have ordinances that limit the size of your home.  Some communities have “setback” rules that dictate the minimum distance a home can be from the curb.  A horizontal addition may be limited by these rules.  Similarly, communities have begun limiting the height of homes.  A vertical addition may be limited by these “McMansion” rules.  We will check your local ordinances before beginning the design of your new addition.

Your existing home

Building up puts new strains on your foundation and internal load-bearing walls.  It also means removing the existing roof and potentially adding staircases.  All of these can stress your home beyond its capabilities.  At the same time, building out can disrupt the original design of your home and reduce the size of your yard.  Regardless of the purpose of your home and the nature of your home’s existing structure, we will create a seamless, elegant addition that you can enjoy for years.

Call our design team today to start designing your new home addition.

Dealing With Water In Basement Remodeling

by admin, 2:47 PM on March 22nd, 2012, Comments Off

Basement remodeling adds significant space to a house.  Homeowners need to keep certain basement-specific requirements in mind, however.  Water is a big challenge in many homes.  Humidity and leaks are two common sources of water damage in basements.

Humidity

Humidity can be difficult to notice, but can cause long-term damage from mold and stagnant wetness in walls and flooring materials.  Before we begin a basement remodeling project, we check for humidity.   You can check for condensation by hanging a mirror in the basement–if the mirror fogs up after a few hours, condensation is present in the basement.  Fans and humidifiers can help to reduce the impact of humidity.

Leak Prevention

Controlling surface water and waterproofing basements are important parts of any basement remodel. The yard around the foundation should slope downhill away from the house.  This will prevent many of the conditions that lead to leaky basements and water damage to the foundation.  It’s also possible to coat the interior of the foundation walls with a mix of concrete paint that blends with the masonry of the foundation walls.

Floors

Remodeled basements often see heavy foot traffic.  If your basement is prone to water leaks, we can use materials that can withstand heavy use as well as excessive water.  Tile can be one durable, water-resistant flooring material option.

Talk to our design team today.  We can help you determine what water challenges your basement might face and the kinds of things we can do to prevent and minimize the impact of water on your new basement.

Protect Your Home Addition With Regular Gutter Cleaning

by admin, 11:10 AM on October 20th, 2011, Comments Off

You’ve made a significant investment in your new home addition.  An important part of protecting that investment is proper rain gutter cleaning and maintenance.  Rain gutters protect you and your home from water damage.

Wet leaves and debris can cause water to back up in the gutters. That can force water to overflow the sidewalls or worse can pull the gutters away from the fascia boards. It can also cause erosion around the foundation, wet basements, and siding rot.

Cleaning Gutters

You should inspect and clean your rain gutters at least twice a year, once in the late fall and once in early spring. By cleaning rain gutters in late fall you can be sure to remove any leaves, branches and other debris that may have accumulated during the summer and fall seasons.  You also ensure that gutters work properly during the winter, or at least minimize ice build-up.  Spring cleaning gutters gives you a chance to check for any ice damage and to remove any debris that may have accumulated.

Gutter cleaning typically requires a ladder, garden hose with spray nozzle, and a pair of rubber gloves. Make sure the ladder is properly and stably positioned on the ground. A stepladder works well but, make sure it is tall enough that you can safely use it without having to stand on the top two steps. If you need to use an extension ladder, place a piece of 2×4 lumber inside the gutter to keep the gutter from bending when you lean the ladder on it.  Remove the leaves and debris by hand where you can reach them.  Use the hose to clean hard to reach areas.  Before you finish, be sure to spray out the down spouts.  Leaves can accumulate there as well.

Gutter Shields and Gutter Guards

Though your rain gutters may be outfitted with gutter shields or gutter guards don’t think you are immune from gutter cleanings. These systems help minimize gutter clogs but they are not perfect. Small debris inevitably finds its way underneath them and into your gutters.

Protect your biggest investment with regular gutter cleaning.  Your new home addition will thank you!

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