As we are all perfectly aware of, Oregon weather doesn’t allow proper building projects all year round. The summer allows for the perfect time to build or add any construction project to your home. Aside from the weather, there are several reasons why you should consider the summer for your construction projects. Often times, you’ll find contractors are more willing to work during the summer. Labor is less expensive and you’ll be able to afford more. Finally, a lot of people schedule renovations in the fall before the winter weather and holidays hit, making it an incredibly busy time to build.
You’re probably asking yourself, “What projects would be the greatest use of my resources and time in the summer?” Here are several ideas: 1. Driveway Paving: Asphalt is easier to work with in the higher temperatures of summer. Colder temperatures often cause asphalt to harden prematurely, which means less time for a contractor to spread the asphalt to form a smooth surface. 2. Kitchen: If you plan to do a complete kitchen remodel, it is often difficult to find an alternative place to cook meals. Cooking outdoors is an option during the summer and moving your refrigerator to your garage is a good temporary fix. 3. Home Addition Whenever you add a room to your home, opening it up to the outside world is temporarily inevitable. Exposure will be the easiest on the room during the summer period. 4. Landscaping The summer is absolutely the best time for this home project. Planning can be made in the spring, but execution during the summer is key for good results. The health of plants, shrubs and trees is typically the best during the summer and any unforeseen problems are typically the easiest to correct in good weather. 5. In-ground pool and deck To place an underground pool in your yard, you must dig. Digging when temperatures are cooler is much more difficult than digging in the summer. It is also easier to install materials for the pool in the summer. It is also typically cheaper to hire a contractor to install a pool in the summer as it makes his job easier and faster. http://www.today.com/id/44039411/ns/today-money/t/renovations-are-cheaper-summer/#.UfFXvlPz00o
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Have you ever considered building your own house as an alternative to purchasing a home? Considering all the planning and total cost of building your own home, we thought it would be helpful to explain how a house is built and what different parts go into making a home.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5201097_house-construction-works.html Before you consider if a kitchen island is right for you, your kitchen must have the space available. Islands are designed to divert traffic around the cooking areas and are meant to be functional in nature. If you have multiple people in the kitchen cooking or cleaning, adding an additional sink or stove top to the island is a great way to avoid collisions. Both stovetops and sinks can be built into islands, as well as warming drawers, microwaves, dishwashers and trash compactors. Islands additionally provide counter space for kneading dough, serving food, and preparing the end result.
If your island has an overhang, adding chairs is a great way to add to the dining space. If you want to consider remodeling your kitchen to include a functional island, please give Fort Rock Construction a call at (541) 767-1611 and we can help plan and construct your dream kitchen. Often times, people who want to add more space to their homes don’t know whether they should add more stories to their home or do a ground floor addition. There are a few determining factors that must be considered before either project is decided upon.
Some helpful questions are: Does your neighborhood have special tenants regarding home additions? Are you willing to sacrifice some of your yard space to increase the size of your home? If you have the land and are willing to give up some yardage, a ground level addition is the most economical option. However, if this is something you’re not willing to give up and are constrained horizontally, building upwards might be the best option for you. As with every project, each one is unique and should be handled on an individual basis. If you’re hesitant on which type of home renovation is right for you, please contact us at Fort Rock Construction and we can help you get on the right track. Pressure-Treated Lumber
Even though there are many different types of materials to use, pressure-treated wood is used in approximately 75 percent of all new decks. The reason PT lumber is popular isn't a mystery: it's readily available, affordable, and easy to cut for use with nails or screws. PT lumber starts out by being milled from Southern Yellow Pine and then chemically treated to resist fungus, bugs, and rot. Most people buy PT wood in two by six and and one-and-a-quarter by six inch dimensions. You might be wondering why wouldn't purchase pressure-treated lumber, but the reason being is it isn't dimensionally stable. That means that it has a tendency to split, warp, and crack. Additionally, if your deck is made from pressure-treated wood, it will need routine maintenance in the form of power washing and applying a wood-stain to preserve the deck every two to three years. Redwood and Cedar If you're someone who wants to stay away from as many chemicals and preservatives as possible, these natural woods are perfect for you. Redwood and other Cedars are both sought after for their deep, rich color and natural look without the use of chemicals. Natural woods are able to stay healthy due to their oils and resistant properties. However, these resistant properties are related to how much heartwood is involved in your deck. Heartwood comes from the inner section of the tree and is very resistant to rot and decay. As stated by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, the four best grades of cedar for decking are architect clear, custom cedar, architect knotty, and custom knotty. Tropical Hardwoods These woods get their name because they are typically from exotic locations and dense. They are naturally durable and resist both rot and wood-destroying insects. Tropical Hardwoods such as Philippine Mahogany, Cumaru, and Tigerwood are very heavy and difficult to drill, which is why they aren't a more popular choice. They can also be expensive when compared to the pressure-treated lumber mentioned above. For any questions on which material to build your deck from, or if you're interested in a synthetic material, please contact us or call 541.767.1611 and we'll be happy to help. Accent walls can give your rooms new life and an excellent, fresh feel. Accent walls add a splash of color and allow you to create a color flow throughout the room with the use of fabrics, pillows, accessories, and furnishings. So how do you know if and when an accent wall is right for you?
If you want to create a bold statement without overpowering the rest of the space, an accent wall could be a great solution. For instance, if you want to decorate your kids’ rooms without all of the stress and expense of a full makeover, an accent wall with accompanying neutral colors is a great and simple way to add some personality. When using a strong color for your accent wall it can be really helpful to also use similarly colored decorations throughout the space to tie things together. If your accessories seem too bright for white walls, accent colors can be used in the opposite way; to accompany your furnishings. If you are going for a more subtle look, use a darker shade of the color you originally wanted to use and then pick out your strategic wall placement. This will help break up the monotony and add interest to the room of your choice. There are many situations in which an accent wall can spice up your home so contact Fort Rock Construction today to find out how we can help. As time goes by, the rooms in our homes may not fit our needs the way they once did. In the kitchen, cabinets become out of reach, appliances inaccessible, and pathways too narrow. Your kitchen’s accessibility may not be as good as it could be and right now is the perfect time to remodel to fit your lifestyle needs. If you have bending, reaching, or grabbing limitations, Fort Rock Construction can help redesign your kitchen around you.
Many times, those in wheelchairs or who are movement impaired must use external tools to grasp objects in the kitchen. This is inconvenient and unnecessary. Narrow pathways can get banged up and damaged if they don’t give you sufficient clearance. And stoves are also an issue when the controls are behind the burners causing dangerous burn and fire hazards. All of these problems and more can be fixed with a kitchen renovation. With a kitchen that’s designed to meet your needs, you can feel more independent and functional. For example, Fort Rock Construction can lower your countertops and your cabinets while rearranging and replacing old appliances as necessary. Even something as simple as stacking the oven and microwave together or raising the dishwasher for easy loading and unloading can make life a whole lot easier. Remodeling your kitchen shouldn’t be a stressful or daunting task; it should relieve you of the burdens in your kitchen. Please contact us to get started on your kitchen remodel – we’re here to help! Image Source: http://www.snaidero-usa.com Summer weather is upon us and that means you will most likely be turning on your home’s cooling systems. Here are some tips about your roof that can help save you money not only during the summer months, but also during the winter freeze as well. According to a survey done by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), almost half of the money spent on utility bills goes towards heating and cooling. A poorly insulated roof can allow too much heat into a home during the summer and allow that heat to leave when winter comes.
When considering which type of roof to place on your home you need to keep in mind your location and weather patterns. A dark-colored roof tends to absorb more heat which is better suited for colder climates. Conversely, a light-colored roof often reflects heat and sunlight and is better for warmer climates. If you already have a well-insulated roof and don’t want to spend the money on a new one, you can buy roof coatings which are designed to decrease the temperature on the surface of your roof by 50-80°F. Finding the right roof type and insulation material is only half the battle. Choosing the right contractor for your needs is the other half and that’s where we can help. Fort Rock Construction is here to assist you with all of your construction related projects. To get started on your next project, please contact us! With warm weather comes more time outside. Consequently, the more time we spend outside, the more we notice the outside of our home and perhaps the need for a fresh coat of paint. Assuming no structural work is needed, color/paint is the most cost-effective way to change the appearance of your home. Here are some of the most common mistakes homeowners make when choosing exterior paint colors.
Now that spring is here, it’s time to start thinking about and setting up your sprinkler systems. At Fort Rock Construction, we’d like to provide a few helpful tips so that you have a nice yard to enjoy with the warmer weather, as well as to make sure that your sprinklers are not set to cause any damage to your structures.
Step 1 — Be sure the ground is frost free. Filling the pipes too early can lead to expensive freeze damage. Use a shovel to check 12 inches beneath the surface as frost can hide. Step 2 — To allow air a chance to escape from the irrigation system while you’re refilling the lines, remove the sprinkler head found at the highest part of each zone. Step 3 — Start filling the main line very slowly. A quarter turn is about all it should take. You’ll want to be patient; depending on the size of your zone, it can take a while to fill each zone. But don’t rush the process! Filling the irrigation system too quickly can cause a surge of air pressure which can break fittings and burst your system. After the main line is filled, repeat this process for each zone. Step 4 — Look at the places where you removed the sprinkler heads. If the water is running clear and doesn’t contain any air bubbles the zone has been properly filled. You can now replace the sprinkler heads and continue to run each zone for two minutes to ensure any trapped air has been flushed out of the system. Step 5 — Check each sprinkler head for distance and angle. During the winter, breaks or growth may have happened in the heads causing erratic spray. Make sure all plants/lawn are being reached and that the spray is not going against your house, fence, or other structures. Excessive spray on these will accelerate the degradation of the siding or boards of these structures. Also be aware of any places where water is pooling. Make sure there is not water pooling along the foundation of your structures as this will also cause damage over time. Step 6 — Check the accuracy of your timer programs, then it’s safe to run your sprinkler system as usual. If you come across any problems during start up, or at any other time, call Fort Rock Construction at (541) 767-1611 and we’ll be happy to connect you with our favorite irrigation professionals. |
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