Build a foam core model before building a house

Fresh out of architectural school, the summer of 1990 presented many job search challenges, much like what graduates are facing in today's economy. Not able to find a job in my field of choice, I settled on a position with a start up company that was nestled in the far reaches of what was to become the Cummings Center in Beverly. An English lad by the name of Peter Lloyd took a chance on me and hired me to work in his new shop called Woodtech. My very first assignment was to turn some 2D plans into a 3D model to help the owner see what the massing would look like before the construction plans were finalized. Modeling never crossed my mind as a career path but I jumped all over this opportunity as I had completed a few foam core models in college.

Today most designers utilize Sketchup or some other form of computerized 3D modeling to help clients visualize their projects before construction starts. Back in the day the technology was not yet available for CAD 3D so we had to go "old school" and I found it to be extremely effective. It was a fairly simple way to show clients what their homes would ultimately look like and it allowed us to present them several options, especially roof lines which are difficult to show on paper. Although we don't like to admit it, the models also help us designers and builders work through some tough design challenges that even we can't visualize on paper. Over the years I have seen many roof plans that just don't work well and a simple roof model would have made every one's life easier. Most roof drainage problems could be minimized with these modeling techniques.

One of my first large projects as the owner of Meadowview Construction had me facing a challenging roof dormer project where the clients were having a hard time deciding what the roof would look like and the budget implications of each option. Much to their surprise I arrived at our next meeting with a model laid on the tailgate of my truck for them to see how things would look. Not only did this enable them to perfectly visualize the final roof design, they were blown away with this extra service that they ultimately signed a contract to work with us. We take a tremendous amount of pride in going above and beyond what is expected (and paid for)and it has been a major factor in our growth as a company since 1996.

Do my granite counters emit dangerous levels of radon?

Recently I have heard this question from at least 2 clients for whom we installed granite counters. Following a story published by The New York Times in July 2008, consumers started to question whether they made a mistake by choosing granite for their homes. They had frightening images of the Three-Mile Kitchen island. The reports were about granite counters that contained radium which can emit radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.
While some granite counters have been found to give off trace amounts of radon, very few granite countertops pose a real threat. The EPA has even issued a statement saying that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that granite countertops are a source of radon. EPA lists a safety limit of 4 picocuries per liter of air so if you are worried, pick up a home testing kit for about $25. If you see levels above the EPA's limit, call in a specialist.

I have included a few web links that explain this topic in more detail.

http://safegranite.blogspot.com/
http://www.khou.com/images/0805/trifoldradonbrochure_080507.pdf
http://www.marble-institute.com/
http://www.marble-institute.com/industryresources/radontesting_u-akron2008.pdf
http://www.marble-institute.com/industryresources/assessingexposureexecutivesummary.pdf
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS179560+11-Aug-2008+PRN20080811

It's all a big front

It always strikes me how common it is to see people place all the emphasis on the front of their house. Do we only care what passersby think when they see our house and are we so self conscious that we feel the need to present a certain image of our home but only on the front side? Something can be said for good curb appeal, especially when selling your home but it almost always seems like the emphasis is placed solely on the front facade. Take a look around when you drive by homes. How many homes do you see with shutters just on the front? Ninety nine percent of them are just for looks and don't function properly nor are they sized correctly for the windows. Since when did plastic shutters just on the front of the house become an acceptable aesthetic feature of a home?

Another tactic that originated hundreds of years ago is to install more expensive wood clapboard siding on the front facade while using lesser expensive cedar shingle siding on the other three sides. This made sense back then but not in today's labor market. Back then it was difficult to get long straight pieces of wood clapboard so it was reserved for the showy side of the home while the easier-to-manufacture shingles would suffice. With today's labor rates so high it is far more costly to install wood shingles because the average house has about 25,000 shingles and 50,000 nails to install. Do the math!

Many new homes have a stucco or faux brick front facade with vinyl siding on the other walls. this seems like more of a McMansion feature including the 25 foot tall white columns.

When investing in landscaping I bet that most people start with the front, probably to give a positive first impression to visitors. How many people actually spend any time in their front yard if they also have a back yard? The general feeling is to shift all the activities out back where the deck or patio is. I would love to experience the feeling of the old days when people actually preferred to sit on the front porch and interact with their neighbors. There is nothing like a well-designed front porch to enjoy the morning coffee and newspaper. Does anyone still get the newspaper?

When budgets get challenged I have often seen windows get scaled back by using a traditional divided lite pattern on the front windows and the other windows are a cheaper alternative with less detail. Who are we fooling? Besides, the back needs loving too. It's funny because sometimes I see homeowners try to paint their own house and they start on the front facade. If it was me and I didn't do a lot of painting I would make sure to practice out back where nobody can see the ladders set up for months on end. Then if I wanted to hire someone they wouldn't have to redo the entire front of the house to fix up my mistakes while my neighbors watched.

I think Maine has a different culture because I have never seen so many spare cars sitting on front lawns with trees growing up through their rotted-out carcasses. Perhaps there is not as much pressure to conform to a certain "look". Several local neighborhoods in my area even have rules about what you can have in your front yard, even excluding the overnight parking of vehicles in the driveway. One feature I like to see on homes is a boldly-painted front door. It is a nice departure from the norm and it shows a little personality without going over the top.

One thing I noticed on a recent trip to Newport, Rhode Island was that the ocean-front mansions consider the back the front. Logic would suggest that as you drive in the front gates that this would be the front but in fact the front was the side that faced the ocean. This must be so that all the people on their boats can see what an impressive house they had built. If you ask me it's all just a big front.

Kill those pesky germs in your sponges

It should come as no surprise that our kitchens harbor the lion’s share of our home’s bacteria, although my first guess was the bathroom. Germs are rampant in the kitchen and I read somewhere that one germ cell can multiply into 8 million within 24 hours. Yikes! Whenever you use a sponge or dish rag to clean your dishes or wipe off your counters there is a good chance that you are also spreading germs. Washing the dish rags or towels once a week is a healthy habit to get into and I have even heard of some folks soaking them in bleach or running them through a cycle in the dishwasher. Dishwashers only get up to about 140 degrees so this is not the most effective way to kill bacteria. My preference is to put them in the microwave. Make sure they are rinsed in cold water so they don’t burn and then turn the microwave on for 1-2 minutes. The sponge is going to be super hot so be careful when removing it. I have not tried this on cotton dish rags but I assume it will work just as good.

Tips for washing towels (and bed sheets):

• With energy conservation on everyone’s mind I am seeing people switch over to all cold water for their wash cycles. Cold water is not good at killing or removing bacteria from towels. If your machine has a hot rinse cycle I would recommend this or maybe saving up all the towels (and bed sheets) and running an entire load of just hot water for these. Hot water (120 degrees or greater)kills bed bugs where cold water doesn’t.


• Never use liquid fabric softener on towels or dish rags because water just sheets off instead of being absorbed.

Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser really works

It came right off the wall with little effort and saved me a lot of time, aggravation and money. Wouldn’t it be great if this happened all the time on a remodeling project? A final walk-through with a client at the completion of a project usually reveals any last minute items that were overlooked before a final check is released. On this day, the only item that surfaced was a pencil leveling mark that was used to place the wall mirror. The mirror was mounted away from the wall so if you looked in from the side you could barely see the pencil mark but it had to be fixed or the client would always remember it. I asked Cory to go out and grab the Magic Eraser from the van while I removed the pivoting mirror. While I held the fancy mirror Cory soaked the Magic Eraser in water and rung out any excess. Carefully rubbing the white eraser over the pencil marks quickly removed the marks with no damage to the painted wall. Something so simple left the client very impressed and in a matter of minutes we had the mirror back on the wall and a check in hand.

This Magic Eraser is an amazing scientific discovery which became available in stores around 2003. I think the formulation was originally intended for another purpose but someone must have discovered that it worked well at removing dirt and the rest is history. The box says you can use it in the kitchen for appliances, counters, faucets, tile and grout as well as just about any other place in the house like the bathroom. After you squeeze out the excess water you rub the eraser on a dirty surface and watch with amazement as the dirty lifts off like magic. It works great on pencil, pen, markers, crayon and grease. I would caution not to rub too hard on painted, glossy or shiny surfaces because it might create some microscopic scratches.

Where it really shines is removing soap scum from glass shower doors. Soap scum is hard to remove with common household chemicals so I can’t believe it works so well. When using it on glass you can try two things. First drench the eraser and don’t squeeze it out before rubbing over the soap scum. The soap scum tends to be hazy and if the sponge is too dry it spreads the haze all over the glass. After you sponge the entire glass surface you can finish up with some paper towels or dry newspaper (newspaper works great on glass in lieu of paper towels). Another option is to pour some Dawn dish soap on the Magic Eraser which will give it a little extra help to clean those stubborn streaks. The soap seems to lubricate the surface nicely and you’ll need to rinse it down with clean water. Hot water works best as it will evaporate quickly with no need for paper towels. If you want to kick it up a notch you can also add a coating of Rain-X after the glass is dry. If you’ve ever used Rain-X on your car windshield you know how well it repels water.

I now keep plenty of Magic Erasers on hand at all times including in the work vans. You never know when you’ll have a mess to erase. I am sure there are hundreds of other uses and I’d love to hear of them if you’d like to leave a comment.

Washing machine advice

Today started out simple enough with plans to finish painting a small mudroom and laundry area but ended up with an important lesson about washing machine maintenance. As part of any proper painting job we moved out all the contents of the room including the washer and dryer so we could work comfortably. When we slid out the washer we noticed the floor was wet and the black rubber hose had a small bubble in it. Either of these two problems could have caused some major expensive damage had they not been caught early on. Let me address these two issues in more detail:

-A bubble in the water hose means that the inner portion of the hose has been breached and it is only a matter of time before the thinner outer wall of the hose will burst. A burst washer hose can release about 500 gallons of water an hour and they never burst when you are home. They always burst when you are at work or worse yet, vacation. You can only imagine how much damage this $8 hose can cause. First off, make it a point if you haven’t already, to replace the black rubber hoses with the new braided stainless steel hoses which are virtually burst-proof. The black hoses are about $14 and the braided stainless hoses are $20. If you ask me the $6 is a cheap insurance policy. Second, have your plumber install one of these manual shut off valves so you can quickly and easily shut off the water whenever you are done washing your clothes. Get in the habit of shutting it off each time you are done. Make extra sure you shut it off when you go away for any length of time. There is an even better option which I recommend whereby an automatic valve opens up the supply of water once the washing machine is turned on. The valve senses the flow of electricity and opens automatically while closing after the machine shuts off. You can even get an optional sensor which sits on the floor by the machine that can sense if any water is leaking and tells the valve to shut off if the machine is mid cycle.

-These days most clients want their washer and dryer on the second floor closer to the source of the dirty laundry but what happens to the rooms below if the machine leaks? I have repaired many a ceiling due to leaky washing machines so what I recommend is to install a pan below the washing machine which is attached the the main drain in your home. It doesn’t take more than a trickle of water to create a stain on the ceiling below and mildew or mold is possible too. The pan can be basic plastic with a PVC connector or a custom copper pan which would made up by your plumbing supplier. A pan basically drains away any water resulting from an internal leak or overflow but I have never seen an overflow. The washing machine we moved today appeared to have an internal leak which was not obvious but the water that was on the floor was pretty minor so we installed a plastic pan which will collect any drips. The plan is for the water to evaporate on its own but it warrants keeping a close eye on in case it gets worse. If the valve is shut off after use then there will be no chance of the machine leaking other than when it is in use. That is where the water sensor comes in handy. The water pan will do nothing to collect any water that leaks from a burst hose so the auto shut-off valve is the key defender here.

Additional tips:

• If you have a front loader the seal around the door is airtight so it’s a good idea to leave the door open for a while so you don’t trap in the moisture causing a musty smell


• A machine that is not leveled properly will probably shake and wobble. Take the time to adjust the leveling feet and get it as close as possible


• You can buy this vibration control platform which will supposedly reduce vibration up to 95%


• Some washing machines have a balancing device called a Snubber which can wear out over time. Check out this link for some good info about replacing a worn-out snubber.

In a future blog I will discuss dryer safety tips

Making the decision to recycle

Recycling seems to be the buzzword these days and with good reason. The thought of all this stuff ending up in the landfill when it could be reused or recycled has really been eating at me lately. Many of my daily habits or routines involve the consumption of items which could easily be recycled. Take for example my morning coffee-iced coffee usually comes in a clear plastic cup with a lid and if you look close you will notice a triangle with a number inside of it, in this case the cup is # 5 and the lid is #6. It turns out that the town of Ipswich (where I live) accepts both of these items so I have learned to gather up all my cups and toss them in the recycling instead of the trash. It’s a good start, but ultimately I would like to learn a better way to reduce my use of these cups. It might be as easy as not buying the coffee and making my own but maybe I could bring in my own reusable plastic cup or mug. The latter option seems more feasible since I don’t like making iced coffee. I found that Cumberland Farms now has $.99 iced coffee and it’s not too bad, certainly good enough to keep me from spending $2.50 at Dunkin Donuts. The good thing about Cumbies is that it’s self-serve so I can bring in my used cup and reuse it. Dunkin’s would probably object to this for health reasons. I am simply suggesting that maybe we could all take a closer look at some of the most commonly un-recycled items and see if there is something we can do about it.

I have a 5 step system that I recommend to my clients (and friends/family) to start recycling at home which I will address in a future blog but the first step is to admit that there is a problem with the current system. If you are currently doing nothing to address the lack of recycling in your household then that would be a great place to start. Without admitting there is a problem it is unlikely you will be able to effectively address the problem. Many towns are starting to make recycling mandatory which is great for many reasons but unless you have a good system in place it can be a huge inconvenience. I have even heard of some municipalities who have fines if you don’t recycle. Some trash pick-up companies won’t even take your trash if they see any items in the trash which can be recycled. It is hard to enforce but if the trash trucks refuse to empty your trash then what choice do you have? Every family will have to come up with a system that works for THEM which may be different that their neighbors. I can testify that in the end it is pretty easy to implement a system which works well for you. If you are having trouble getting started then I would be happy to do a consultation either by phone or at your home. Please take that first step by admitting that there is more we can do and do some research because there are so many resources available online.

Never run out of gas for the grill

It never fails for me. At some point during the summer I go out and fire up the grill, bring out the marinated meats and then start grilling to discover a few minutes later that the propane tank is almost on empty. With a pile of guests showing up any minute I panic when I remember it's Sunday afternoon and all the stores are closed. Even if I had a spare cylinder it'd probably take 10 minutes to make the switch-out which would screw up the cooking of the expensive meats. Why does this always happen?

The first thing I would suggest (at a bare minimum) would be to have an extra propane tank on hand at all times and when one is empty make sure it gets filled right away. They have a tendency to get thrown in the garage and people usually forget to fill it up until both tanks are empty. On a job a few years ago we discovered an easy solution to this age-old problem and it was as simple as hooking up the gas grill directly to the home's natural gas piping. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it was simple nor do I recommend you attempt to do it yourself because any work on gas piping should be performed by a professional (plumber). We work with several of the area's best plumbers so feel free to ask if you need their names.

When purchasing a new grill you might have the option of getting it set up for propane OR natural gas so you first need to determine the fuel source. Propane is more common in rural areas with limited natural gas underground piping and propane has twice the amount of BTU's per unit at natural gas. But with natural gas being about 1/6 the cost even with the efficiency being half of what propane is, you still end up spending about a 1/3 what propane would cost. With the small amount of gas you use I think convenience is what you are really paying for, especially since you will need to pay for the plumber to do the piping. If you already have a grill and need to switch over to a different fuel then you will need to see if you can get a conversion kit from the grill store. Otherwise you might need to upgrade your grill. Another thing your plumber will hopefully check is the regulator which adjusts how much pressure the gas will be under when it arrives at your grill. Too much or too little and it'll likely not work correctly. The gas pipes will need to be sized properly with a shut-off near the grill or where it exits the house and I would also suggest installing a Quick Disconnect fitting so you can easily remove the pipe without the need for any wrenches. There will need a flexible hose coming off the hard pipe exiting the house so the grill can be shifted without disturbing the fittings and causing a gas leak.

A common trend I am seeing is for folks to install outdoor kitchens on their property and with good planning this can be an amazing space for your family to enjoy during the warmer months. Even during the cooler months the space can be outfitted with those upright patio heaters you see at restaurants in California.

After I installed several of these hook-ups for our clients I decided to switch over to a charcoal grill which I have not regretted one bit. As much as I like the speed an convenience of gas, the smell and taste of meat cooked on charcoal is so much better, especially with wood chips thrown on for good measure.

Flatscreen TV over a fireplace?

Plasma TV over the Fireplace? I am here to dispel the rumor that you cannot put a flat screen TV over a fireplace but you do need to take a few precautions. First, understand that flat screens operate safely in a temperature range of 32-100 degrees so you need to find out how hot it gets above your fireplace. Simply tape a thermometer to the wall at the lowest point where the screen would hang and get a rip-roaring fire going. Since the TV sticks out 3-4 inches you might want to mount the thermometer out 3-4 inches to simulate where the actual screen would be. After a while check to see the temperature readings. If it is at or above 100 degrees then it is too hot to have a fire and turn on the TV together, but as long as you don't try to do both you will be fine. The TV can be stored (or hung on the wall without a fire) at about 120 degrees without damaging the display, but I doubt many people keep their house at 120. Sometimes it's a matter of moving the TV up a little. Every mantel is different and if it sticks out far it might deflect heat much better than a puny mantel. Heat can also radiate out from the chimney so it's important to let the fire burn for a while, maybe an hour or more to get an accurate reading. TVs are designed to operate at a low-medium ambient temperature so manufactures will void the warranty if the TV was operated under high ambient temperatures for an extended period of time. On the flip side, if the TV gets too cold them the performance will start to degrade. I guess the moral of the story is don't bring the TV outside on Superbowl Sunday if you live up Nawth.

Proper air flow is important so recessing the TV in the wall is not a great idea and when you want to upgrade from a 42" to the new 50" model you will have to rip the wall apart and enlarge the opening. Having the TV up so high puts it well above the optimum viewing height so you will need a good sturdy mounting bracket which can be tilted. If you have ever been in a sports bar you know what I mean as all the TVs seem to be staring down at you from the ceiling. Although it's fine for a while, watching a TV with your head tilted back might cause some neck fatigue so be prepared for this possibility. Optimally you want the center of the screen at eye level when seated in your comfy couch or Lazyboy. On the flip side, maybe one way to get the children to watch less TV is to make it less comfortable by placing it high on the wall.

Staining blotchy woods like cherry, pine or maple.

In my years as a cabinet maker I have repeatedly tried to get an acceptable finish on maple, cherry and pine, all of which are tough woods to stain easily. The bottom line is they look blotchy when you use Minwax stain right out of the can. One obvious solution is to use Minwax's Wood Conditioner on the wood first as a pre-treatment. First you apply the conditioner to the freshly-sanded wood and wait a few minutes for it to dry to the touch. Next you apply the stain over the conditioner. I am not sure why you have to stain right after the conditioner is applied but it must have something to do with how they work together. Other companies make conditioner but just to be safe I would suggest using the same company who makes the stain although I doubt it makes a huge difference. This method works reasonably well but one thing I notice is that unless the wood is sanded properly this method will come up short and even if it's sanded well it could also leave you disappointed. The bottom line is that it is better than not using it and for most homeowners and clients that's "Good enough".

Not one to settle for just "Good enough", I learned a nice trick from an old timer called "Spit Coat". What this amounts to is basically applying a clear finish on the bare wood before applying the stain. You don't want to use polyurethane as the Spit Coat though as this will not work too great and it takes a long time to dry. They key is to use a mixture of 5 parts denatured alcohol to 1 part shellac. There are a few kinds of shellac including one that is tinted amber for a darker color and one that is more clear. Shellac even comes in dry flakes that are dissolved in a solvent before using. Bullseye makes a good pre-mixed shellac so I prefer that. Mix up the 5 to 1 ratio and you can apply it directly to the wood. Shellac adheres to just about any surface except waxy surfaces so it is commonly used in primers. Shellac dries real quick so you can plan on staining within a few hours (or sooner). Next you can lay down a nice coat of stain after you lightly sand the shellac. I would also use a tack cloth to clean off the sanding dust. If you are doing any quantity of trim save yourself some aggravation and avoid the cheap throwaway brushes. They are junk and they shed their bristles and don't lay down the stain very well. I think foam brushes work ok but the best brush I have used is called a Shipmate made by Elder and Jenks. It is a 100% white China bristle brush which is much finer than the black china bristle brushes. Never use a cheap nylon brush because they are not compatible with alcohol and they can dissolve.

The stain can be applied and left to sit for a while before wiping off or can be left on and not wiped off at all. My choice would be to wait several minutes and wipe off the stain and then apply a 2nd coat of stain. This just makes the finish a little richer in appearance. Obviously the longer you leave the stain on the darker it will be. I would suggest testing a few pieces of scrap wood first to get the color just right. Once you are satisfied with the color you will need to let it dry overnight before starting the final coats of finish. You have several different options for the clear finish coat but most people use polyurethane which comes in a few different sheens such as matte, semi-gloss and gloss. You can always start with the more dull finish and work up to the gloss but it's not a good idea to start with a gloss and work down to a matte finish. So if you are not sure how shiny you want it you can start off with the first two coats matte or semi-gloss and then do the last coat in gloss if it's not glossy enough. Again, it is imperative that you use a good white china bristle brush to get a good smooth finish. Avoid the foam brushes for a good finish because the foam introduces too many air bubbles into the surface of the finish. NEVER EVER shake up the polyurethane before you use it. Stir it slowly because shaking it will fill the finish with bubbles resulting a terrible finish.

If you wish to skip all these extra steps, my advice to you would be to avoid using a stain that is much darker than the natural wood color. Using a dark stain on maple is certainly not going to look good. With the cherry it is helpful to know that it will naturally darken considerably over time so if you are patient you can get that rich cherry look without stain. It'll just take a few years. Cherry oxidizes in the presence of air (and sunlight) and that is what causes it to darken. If you set an opaque object on a piece of cherry and sit it outside in the sun for a few hours, there will be a lighter colored area where the sun did not darken it under the object. Sometimes people set cherry outside in the sun to accelerate the aging before finishing. After a few days in the sun it will darken quite a bit. It is very difficult to predict the final color of cherry so try not to introduce too much color. If you do you might be sad in a few years when you discover how dark your kitchen is.

For a little background info on Shellac check out this link http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/author/zinsser/shellac.html

Here's another related blog with some photos showing the process

http://www.josephfusco.org/Articles/Blotch_Stain/Blotch_Stain.html

Common mistakes in ceramic floor tiling

I often get called into to figure out why a product installation failed and floor tiles are a common installation that fails. First I have bullet pointed a list of problems I commonly see and below that there are more some detailed points Here are some of the things I find and why I think they happen:

• Inadequate subfloor and improperly secured cement board substrate leads to cracks
• Tile choice can impact the final outcome. A better grade tile improves chances of success
• Choose the correct size tile for the existing floor conditions
• Failure of adhesive. I suggest a high quality thinset mortar instead of pre-mixed mastic
• Don't tile over a cracked concrete floor without using a crack isolation membrane

1. Cracks are telegraphed through the tiles which indicate where the subfloor has movement (not a good thing). Usually when I see a linear crack that travels across several tiles it indicates that there is an improperly sized and/or secured plywood subfloor. If the plywood is too thin it will deflect under foot traffic and will transmit a crack through the tile. It all comes down to deflection and another way to prevent deflection is to use a cement board substrate and sandwich a thin layer of thinset mortar between the wood sheathing and the cement board. It needs to be screwed down but it is not critical that the screws hit the floor joists. The thinset mortar acts as a gap filler and an adhesive. I never see perfectly flat wood sheathing so thinset takes up the space under the cement board that would otherwise settle therefore creating movement up into the tiles. Thinset makes the whole floor much more stiff which means a less bouncy floor. Less bounce means less movement which also means less grout cracking. I would never adhere tiles directly to plywood or "luan" which was common back in the 80's and 90's. Although cement board is not waterproof, it does make a very good surface to adhere tile to if the cement board itself is properly secured to the subfloor and does not deflect too much. Cement board is very flexible so it will conform to a bouncy floor. Another reason a floor might be too bouncy is that the framing is under sized. You might need to stiffen up the framing before it is capable of being tiled. Staggering the seams of the cement board over the subfloor joints is also important.
2. Often times the crack could have been avoided by simply choosing an appropriate floor tile. Most folks group all types of tile under the term "ceramic tile" but there are two types of commonly available tiles and they are Ceramic and Porcelain. They are made using a different combination of materials and Porcelain tends to be stronger and harder. Both types of tiles are Graded and come in Five different grades from 1-5 (or I,II,III,IV and V). You will find the grade of the tile on the bottom of the tile and it corresponds to its hardness or wear rating. Tiles with a V grading will be much more durable than a I but tiles with a V rating are usually reserved for high traffic commercial use and come in limited styles and colors. I would never choose a floor tile with a Grade less than III so it's important to look at this when buying the tiles. Grade I and some Grade II tiles are primarily for walls and backsplashes and are much easier to work with and cut. Porcelain tiles are harder to cut and require special tools.
3. If you have a room with an uneven floor and a little bounce I would highly suggest you avoid large tiles. Selecting a large tile (12x12 or larger) will increase the odds of it cracking, especially with a weaker product like natural marble tile. Any deflection at all in the floor will also crack the larger tiles easier. Keeping the surface of all the adjacent tiles is difficult if you have an uneven floor and even more so with larger tiles. Marble tiles have a very small beveled edge so the margin for error is tiny as opposed to some ceramic or porcelain tiles with a larger beveled edge.
4. Another thing I see is people using the premixed mastic on floor tiles. This is an absolute no-no and will almost guarantee a failure over time. I always use a thinset mortar. Thinset is available in many forms such a plain or modified and can contain additives to improve strength and elasticity. It is important to mix the mortar properly for it to work right. If it is too soupy it won't lay down right with the notched trowel. If it is too thick you won't get the adhesive properties you need to hold down the tile. If it is too dry the mortar won't stick to the back of the tile and will fail which will usually show itself by cracked grout lines all around the tile. You need to mix mortar in a bucket with a slow RPM drill and a proper mixing paddle. If you mix too fast you will introduce too much air and it will weaken the mix considerably. After the mortar is mixed it should sit for a few minutes and then give it a final mix just before you use it. This is considered allowing it to "Slake". Make sure there are no dry clumps in the mortar and it is best to put the water in the bucket first and then add dry mortar. Using the correct sized notched trowel is also important so you can refer to this chart for more info http://http//www.custombuildingproducts.com/HowToTile/notchTrowelSizeGuide.aspx?user=dis&lang=en
5. Often times I see cracks in the tile where it is installed over a concrete slab. This is almost always because there was a crack in the slab before the tile was installed. The tiles are not strong enough to hold the slab together and prevent it from moving so a Crack Isolation Membrane should also be used when tiling over a cracked slab. The membrane only needs to be used over the cracked area if it is flexibly roll-on material. There is also a product made by Schluter which comes in a roll and serves a similar purpose but needs to cover the entire floor area http://www.schluter.com/6_1_ditra.aspx A crack isolation membrane is also critical when the tile will be installed over two adjacent and dissimilar materials such as concrete and wood subfloors. This is a crack waiting to happen because both materials move and flex at different rates.

I have seen many tile floor failures and I would be happy to help you troubleshoot a project. If you have any questions feel free to comment or find me at http://www.mvconstruction.com/ where you can email me any questions.

How to determine the age of your toilet

To some I am considered somewhat of a House Detective because I often employ many of my age old tricks to quickly determine the age of a house or when it was last remodeled. One of these tricks is to find out how old the toilet is. This will often date the house as well if the house is relatively new (less than 40 years old because many older toilets have been replaced by now with new low-flush models). It is as simple as removing the tank lid from the toilet and flipping it over to find the date stamped into the lid. The manufacturers stamp the date it was made into the lid when the clay is still soft. I believe I have also seen some companies print the date instead of stamping it and some do not have dates or are hard to make out. I would say the vast majority of lids have dates so this is a pretty reliable method of at least finding out when the last time a bathroom was remodeled. You can impress your friends and family now with this bit of knowledge. Just be prepared for the strange looks you'll get when you are caught looking under the lids. Toilets are considered dirty and taboo in most cultures. The truth is, the toilet tanks contain fresh water and are QUITE clean.

Why would anyone pay those crazy contractor prices?

Every once in a while I get a prospect who fights me every step of the way during the sales process and they feel compelled to try and control every aspect of the meeting. Although they pretty much never say it to my face, I know there have been many lost prospects who end up muttering something to the effect of "Why would anyone pay those crazy contractor prices?" or "He's not going to make any money on MY project". The truth is, if they had become my client I undoubtedly would have lost money with that attitude. Our best and happiest clients are the ones who allow me to do my job and utilize my 20 plus years of experience to help them make their project run smoothly and with the least amount of headaches. All projects are going to have something not work perfectly.



Two weeks ago I was starting demo on a bathroom project and on day two I did a quick survey of the existing conditions. My eye caught what looked like a toilet flange that was further away from the wall than normal. My Stanley 25 footer confirmed my suspicions because instead of it being 12" off the wall it was 14" off the wall. The clients had already ordered the plumbing fixtures so we had to intervene and swap out the Toto low flow toilet with a specially sized one. Because we were in charge of the scheduling and things had to be completed by a certain date there was no allowance for any delays. To make a long story short, we discovered the problem early enough, corrected the fixture order and proceeded to finish with no delays. Had the client been trusted to handle the project it would have messed up the plumbing which would have impacted the painting and then the electricians would have been bumped a few days. I am guessing it could have delayed the job by atleast 1 week if they were lucky enough to get all the subs back. This is one really small example of why it pays to have a progessional remodeler on your side running the project. Not to mention the free trip to the supply house because they gave us the wrong toilet seat. We like to think of this as "spoiling" our clients without them knowing it. Needless to say the young boys were able to take a bath on the night I promised them the week before.



One other issue with the toilet was that since the door was so close to hitting the toilet we had to plan it just right with the proper sized toilet to clear the door when it opens. With a little double checking I found just the right toilet and little did I know it would be so close. The plumber called me up to tell me we could barely fit a credit card between the edge of the toilet and the door. Good planning or too close for comfort?



When someone asks me why they should pay a contractor to manage a job I have dozens of similar examples to share with them. It doesn't always win me the job but I leave feeling comfortable knowing that I will sleep good that night.

Spoil the crap out of your clients

Who doesn't like to be spoiled? There is something nice about knowing someone went out of their way to treat you extra special whether it be in a personal or business relationship. Being an only child I guess you can say I was constantly being spoiled with love and attention where I felt like the only person in the world. Sound familiar?

I remember a story my parents told me when I went to college. Once I moved off to college in September they moved to another small town about 15 miles North (and, yes, I found them). Less than two months later as they were handing out Halloween candy to the neighborhood children they noticed a slight sense of disappointment when the kids watched the bite sized candy bars fall into their pillow cases and plastic pumpkins. What my parents failed to realize was that these kids had photographic memories and they were spoiled by the previous owner's frivolous candy-giving ways. What he did was hand out full-sized Snickers bars and he soon became the neighborhood hero. I think they even had kids showing up in minivans from 5 towns over just to get some goodies. Over the years the word surely spread about how generous this guy was so when mom and pop doled out puny candies it ushered in a new era. The previous owner spoiled the crap out of the kids and they kept coming back for more. He was memorable. I feel bad for my parents as they must have been horrified.

In my construction business one of the big keys to my success has been to spoil the crap out of my clients so they keep coming back for more. We continually seek to go out of our way to spoil them so they won't forget us. It might start during the first meeting when I bring in the newspaper instead of driving over it. The site crews extend this spoiling as they lay down excessive floor protection to keep the clients' floors from being damaged. We have a hundred little tricks that have become habit and they all help create lasting clients. If you own a business I would suggest you start to find some of these tricks of your own that help set yourself apart from the competition. Sometimes it is the smallest things that make people remember you. An example is when we go to a client's home we usually try and find a door that is sticking and fix it. It is amazing how many homes have sticky doors and after a while they don't even notice it. After we explain that we fixed it at no charge they are so thankful. In fact I have received several referrals that I directly attribute to this trick. Go out of your way to give the clients more than they paid for and you will be rewarded with lifetime clients. After 13 years in business I am finding a larger and larger percentage of our clients are repeats. This is one of my rewards as a construction business owner. Don't forget to Spoil the Crap out of your Clients!

My new title - Professional Juggler?

In all the networking that I do as a building professional you'd think I would have perfected my 15-30 second elevator speech because I get asked almost daily "what do you do for work?" Speaking with great confidence about what I do for a living has never been one of my strengths as I tend to lead by example and don't usually feel comfortable babbling on about myself and what I do. Not that I have yet to perfect my speech but yesterday I had a revelation about how to answer this proverbial question. From now on I will be answering this question like this - "I am a Professional Juggler"

I had an interesting lunchtime discussion yesterday with a new friend about our (construction) industry and how hard it can be some times. I compared it to being an air-traffic controller which is actually very similar, but when I thought about it, it is possibly even more difficult than being an open heart surgeon. Let me explain my logic: Traditionally a doctor spends many years after college practicing their craft under more experienced doctors until they are skilled enough to perform open heart surgery. An inexperienced contractor would never (or should never) rip into a client's home to do a remodel without knowing a great deal about how a structure is put together, much like the doctor and the human body. The doctor spends many years watching videos and performing surgeries on cadavers before he or she can actually work on a real live body. Unfortunately contractors don't have fake homes to practice on nor do we have the same sort of formal college training that would prepare us for what we will see out in the real world. We rely on on-the-job-training with many potential surprises awaiting us. Some of the best contractors are the ones that have made most of the mistakes at least once and preferrable on their previous employer's dime.

Unlike doctors who can, with a great deal of certainty, predict where the aortic valve or right ventricle might be, contractors cut into walls every day with no idea what they will find underneath the surface. I can't count the amount of times I have opened a wall and found a pipe or wire where I'd least expect them to be due to improper planning by previous contractors. On several occasions I have opened floors to shift a toilet location over a few inches and the previous contractor cut out or notched the joists so badly that it required a few thousand dollars to repair the damage. Sure, there are plenty of doctors who do shoddy work, but I am guessing there is a much higher level of skill and accountability as a doctor with insurance premiums being so high. I wish there was more accountability in the construction industry.

Doctors can rely on the research and development of many previous doctors who have perfected the same surgical procedures and ever year there are advances in techniques and technology. The same holds true for the construction industry, but unless contractors and their employees take the initiative to read trade journals, watch HGTV shows, attend trade shows and go above and beyond what is required, the industry as a whole is going to suffer and the biggest losers will be unsuspecting homeowners. Continuing education is a way of life at Meadowview Construction and it has kept us at the forefront of what is going on in our industry.

Remodeling someone's home, in my opinion, is the ultimate form of juggling because of the hundreds or thousands of pieces and parts that have to come together and all fit together. These pieces include obtaining permits and inspections, getting materials in a timely manner, having the correct subcontractors on the job at the right times and shifting man power from one job to another to keep a good balance. And that is only 25% of the challenge that we face as builders. The other 75% consists of marketing, sales and administration. I cannot think of many other professions where there is so much at risk. So many things can go wrong and it takes a professional juggler to keep all the ball in the air. As soon as one falls they can all fall. Many jugglers count how many catches (or throws) they can do for many of the big tricks they are working on. Not only does counting help keep the rhythm of the pattern (especially for passing), but it gives the juggler a measure of how his skills are progressing. In my business it is virtually impossible to keep all the balls in the air all the time, but if we can keep some or most of the balls in the air at all times I feel like I have accomplished something special. AND NOW FOR MY NEXT BIG TRICK......

No more $.009

There are a number of important components in my industry that have recently become less expensive including the cost of building materials, some insurances (not health care) and of course gasoline. The recent gas prices have been a nice break but I vividly remember the pain I felt last year. I was on a July fishing trip in Canada where we drove 10 hours North from MN and the cost to drive that distance was insane. All I could think of were dollar signs as my fleet of four Meadowview Construction vans were commuting all over the North Shore of MA from one construction site to another. I have yet to invest in solar powered, hydrogen or hybrid work trucks so the 10 mpg trucks are our best option to carry our full compliment of tools and materials. I am not sure how the new technologies will be able to address this specialized segment of vehicles. A routine fill-up was costing me North of $150 a pop every time a van filled up.

One thing that has always mystified me was why the oil companies tack on that extra 9/10 of a cent onto each gallon. After a little research I discovered why. The bottom line is that this extra $.009 per gallon equals an astonishing $2 billion extra dollars per year for Big Oil. Broken down to an amount I can understand, that is about $4.50 for the average driver. Since my company employs 6 above average drivers, I reckon that sum is closer to $9.00 per year per employee, or $54. I figure we are above average because our trucks get 10 mpg and we generally drive more miles per year than the average driver. Imagine all the things that a small business owner could do with $54. I could take my wife out to eat at a decent restaurant, buy a good bottle of Patron Tequila, invest in 1/2 hour of business coaching, or even buy two MA state fishing licenses.

I am sick and tired of Big Oil consistently eeking out an extra $54 a year from my business. It's time we take a stand. No more $.009.

Being Ignored

I kind of figured that by this stage of my career I wouldn't be ignored so often. Yet, when I emailed one of my best friends last week to say hello and inquire about something we were working on together, I got nothing in response. This wasn't the first email. When, a week ago I contacted a prospective client to ask if they had any questions about a bid we gave them, I am still waiting for a response. It doesn't seem to matter that the bid consumed well over 40 hours of my time as well as many hours from my fellow business owners who perform various sub trades.

Being ignored is dispiriting, even to someone who has a pretty full and meaningful life. You almost feel like you don’t count. This time of great uncertainty, I am convinced, is causing many to crawl under a rock and hide or to stick their heads in the sand like an ostrich. Perhaps ignoring someone has become easier with the electronic age. I know I get lazy sometimes with my email responses and if it is something I would rather not deal with I tend to put it off or IGNORE it. Maybe the sender will just forget and I can always say I didn't get it or it got caught in my Spam Filter. I find myself constantly emailing people several times to get a straight up answer. In most cases (when it comes to proposal acceptance/rejection) I would much rather have a simple NO as opposed to nothing at all. After all, every NO is one step closer to a YES.

And if you’re one of those people who feel ignored, please take comfort in knowing that unfortunately, in our ever-faster-paced society, the human touch is often lost on us. There are plenty of very worthy people who are also being ignored these days. I suppose the best thing we can do is to not feel sorry for ourselves and try and keep your antennae out for opportunities to bring a little humanity into other people’s lives.

What ever happened to....?

In an ever changing world we live in we all need a few things that stay the same. After I left Dunkin' Donuts yesterday I had an old memory pop up that begs the question......what ever happened to the day when you could get a warm Dunkin donut? I recall being able to arrive bright and early most mornings and you could actually get a fresh donut that was made in the back by Fred himself. Now you can't ask for a glazed cruller or the employees will look at you funny-you have to ask for a glazed stick. Somehow glazed stick does not roll off the tongue quite as easily as glazed cruller. I say we start a petition right now to get back the term glazed cruller. Fred would be proud of us.

While we are on the topic, whatever happened to the McDLT ? Don't we all remember George Costanza skipping around in this 80's commercial for the new McDLT? I have to be honest with you, that was one of my favorite McDonalds burgers. I can't fault them for doing away with it though. The McDLT was sold in a novel form of packaging where the meat and bottom half of the bun was prepared separately from the lettuce, tomato, American cheese, pickles, sauces, and top half of the bun and both were then packaged into a specially designed two-sided container. The consumer was then expected to finalize preparation of the sandwich by combining the hot and cool sides just prior to eating. The company discontinued the sandwich in 1990 to appear more environmentally friendly as it moved away from polystyrene packaging which was integral to the McDLT experience. I just remember a visit to Mickey Dees a few years ago where my wife misread the name of the newest burger called Big 'N' Tasty. I think she read it is Big 'N' Nasty. Imagine her relief.

Hey, at least I still have the old classic jingle for the Whopper committed to memory for use at a later date.

How to design or select a bathroom vanity

Custom wood vanities, like the one pictured, take a bathroom from vanilla to hot fudge sundae. Today’s bathrooms are “practical sanctuaries” and custom cabinets bring the warmth that fine furniture brings to other rooms in the home. Whatever design style you chose, a vanity made especially for you makes the most of the space. Homeowners have not always given such careful consideration to bathroom décor. Bathrooms used to be purely functional, non-public rooms that weren’t worth the effort to make into special places; the designs and finishes available were generic—one size (and one finish) fits all—but not anymore! With all of today’s choices, choosing the right vanity for your space is an exciting process . Solid design is the basis of good function with many factors needing to be considered. A great vanity design considerings space limitations, storage requirements, light and mirror placement, and sink style. Would a corner unit work best, or are his-and-hers on your “necessary list”? Does your room contain an awkwardly shaped space? Perhaps you could get rid of an underutilized closet if the vanity allowed enough storage…

Mahogany vanity hand-crafted by Meadowview topped off with a vessel sink from Porcher

A custom design will provide the solution to all these layout dilemmas. After the practical logistics are decided, the vanity then becomes a way to add extra luxury and personal touch to your bathroom. Style shines with the perfect wood, wood finish, countertop, sink, and cabinet hardware. Many of the wonderful accessories incorporated into modern kitchen cabinetry design also function perfectly in the bathroom and make the most of even small spaces and powder rooms.

We met on Craigslist

There are many websites stored in my list of favorites including Fox Sports, Google, ESPN, Boston.com and of course Meadowview Construction, but 2 of my most visited are Ebay and Craigslist. I went through a period on Ebay where it seemed like I was constantly bidding on either a tool or bass fishing item. Becoming the winning bidder on Ebay can be a science as certain items draw more interest than other. My rule of thumb was to not spend more than 50% of the replacement value of any item I was bidding on but when bidding on collectibles or rare items you can throw that policy out the window. There are plenty of greedy sellers who try to get far more for their crap than it's really worth and I was constantly on the lookout for a good bargain. In fact, I probably outfitted more than one crew with all the tools they needed from Ebay and I couldn't even begin to place a value on the tools I purchased.

A few years ago my focus shifted to Craigslist, primarilly because you can find more local items and there are no commissions to pay for the items. Cash is king on CL and it usually involves a local pickup and no shipping which is nice because you can see what you are getting. When I was outfitting my cabinetry shop 2 years ago one of the big items I needed was a metal storage cabinet for flammable liquids such as paint and solvents so I turned to CL. Immediately I found a guy in Andover who was getting rid of a sharp yellow flammable storage cabinet for about $400. Although I can't remember if I got him down in price, I do remember that he responded in 5 minutes and suggested that for $40 he would drive it over to my shop in 30 minutes. Wow, what customer service. My shop manager, Bryan, took his card when he dropped off the cabinet and I actually never met the guy but I saw his Dodge pickup pulling out of my driveway. I am sure glad Bryan grabbed his card because Jonathan Rummel turned out to be one heck of a gem. Come to find out, he has a cool company called Hand Forged Works where he designs and builds custom architectural metalwork pieces from handrails to fireplace screens. He even makes a line of custom metal belt buckles which you can see on his website.

My wife and I decided to bite the bullet and call Jonathan last year and invited him to our home to consult with us on 2 projects. The first was a metal handrail to finish of our new stairway and the second was to come up with a unique powder room vanity. We were immediately impressed with Jonathan's design skill as he listened to us describe what we were looking for. We showed him photographs and sketches and he came back to us a week later with some amazing designs to choose from. We chose to combine features from each design and we speechless when he came back to us a few weeks later with the final version. "Holy Crap" was what I think I said when he showed us. You have to believe me when I say that the finished product was 5 times nicer than we even imagined. This stairway is kind of small and needed something that could hold its own without being too gawdy. Jonathan created a masterpiece with this railing and what had me scratching my head was how he made all the connections. Some of these connections would be tough enough trying to accomplish with wood where you can easily cut it and glue or nail it together. Each piece of metal is perfectly fit and shaped with each textured baluster flaring out at the bottom and the top rail has a gentle curve at the bottom with the softest oil/wax finish you can imagine. It feels so perfect in my hands each time I walk up and down the stairs. I could go on and on about his work but I guess the point I want to make is that this guy is an Extreme Craftsman who I have the utmost respect for. It is an honor to recommend someone like Jonathan where I just know he will blow people away with his work. And just think, we met on Craigslist.

Outside the box

Ok, so I occasionally stay up late and happen to see the odd cable channel commercials that leave me shaking my head. I tend to think out of the box but a few recent As-Seen-on-TV ads have taken this to the extreme. First is the Snuggie. When did having a nice blanket to cuddle in become not good enough? Now they have this blanket that you actually wear like a robe with holes cut out and sleeves. I constantly make fun of this ad but it is probably the ad that I will long remember among all other ads. What is it about this ad that is so memorable? The concept, the bad family actors, the tacky camera work, and the ugly colors might have something to do with it. I have to admit, there have been several occasions this winter where I could have envisioned myself on the couch with my very own Snuggie, especially with our effort to conserve oil by turning back the heat. I suppose I ought to be willing to try something this out-of-the-box in this day and age to drum up business.

The other TV ad that got me thinking was the Topsy Turvy upside down tomato plant hanger. I never knew you could grow a plant upside down. I wonder who the first person was to stumble upon this idea. It had to be an accident or maybe the plant pot tipped over and they left it there. I always thought plants grew upward toward the sun but gravity kind of overrides logic in this case. For $19.99 anyone can buy this marvelous invention and supposedly be able to harvest tomatoes up to a month earlier than with convetional growing methods. I can see many crops that this would be applicable to. What's next....hanging carrots? I can see a world record 1500 pound pumpkin in the near future all because of the Topsy Turvy.

All these ideas are silly and far fetched but I imagine someone's making a boat load of money and they were willing to take the risk by thinking outside the box. I can guarantee The Topsy Turvy company had to ask more than one investor before they got financing for this idea. Persistence is probably the other key factor. Now if you'll excuse me, I just spilled my coffee so I am going to clean up with my new Shamwow.

What happpened to Good Customer Service?

I spent the better part of a half hour on the phone the other day with a representative from Panasonic because I was having a problem with a bath exhaust fan that we installed in a client's home. I was totally expecting to get the run-around so when I finally got a human on the phone I immediately asked if I could speak to someone who was very familiar with these bath fans because they make so many different products. The last thing I wanted was to speak to some guy in another country who had no idea what I was talking about. As luck would have it, that's what I got. He spoke broken English and what should have taken 5 minutes took closer to 15 minutes after we got everything squared away. The bottom line was he could not help me and all he could do was establish a case # so someone more qualified could get back to me with help. Well, that was 8 days ago and do you think I have heard back from them yet? What has happened to good Customer Service?

I know I/we are not perfect in our business when it comes to customer service. When a problem arises we make it our priority to address the issue as soon a humanly possible. I am sure that Panasonic genuinely cares about their customers but I am not sure they are committed to finding the best way to satisfy them when a problem arises. It was hard enough just to get a human on the phone. It seems as though all these big corporations are concerned about is finding the cheapest country to handle the staffing needs. Here is a cool website that has phone numbers so you can reach an actual human being at most large corporations.

http://www.dialahuman.com/

I experienced a different kind of poor customer service yesterday as I ate lunch at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. We paid our $17 each to walk in the door and after dealing with the rude coat room woman, we headed for the cafe to eat. It literally took us about 3-4 minutes before anyone greeted us at the "wait to be seated" sign and the young woman who greeted us took her sweet time walking over from whatever she was doing before that. It just looked like she was doing us a favor by greeting us to show us to our table. Now, when you are seated you typically expect to be met by your wait staff within a couple minutes at the latest to place your drink order. There had to be 3-4 waiters that passed us by for over 5 minutes without so much as eye contact just to acknowledge our presence. We felt ignored and I spent the next few minutes stewing over the fact that nobody was paying attntion to us. What happened to good customer service? Although the food was excellent, I left with a bad taste in my mouth.

This experience was thankfully not repeated later in the evening when we visited Bella Vista restaurant on Hanover St. in the North End. These mom and pop establishements truly get it. The husband and wife team that treated us to a delectible diner catered to our every need and made us feel like we were the most important customer they had that evening. It was a refershing treat and they had the most amazing lobster my wife ever had. Truly worth the visit.

Katrina emergency far from over

Every once in a while we all need a shot of inspiration. So, last year in January, I accepted an offer from a dear friend to spend a week in Biloxi, MS helping to rebuild homes destroyed by Katrina. I've never been to the Gulf Region prior to that, but I quickly gained a deep affection and respect for the people of the area. Their positive spirit was so refreshing-even though quite literally every possession they had was destroyed, they still truly rejoiced in life. But looking at vacant landscape and clearly seeing where each home was before the storm is sobering. Most of the debris was gone when we arrived, but the empty foundations were eerie.

I went down to Biloxi to do some true volunteer work-to clear the cobwebs from the brain, and to do something that had nothing to do with life back home. I was expecting hard work and blisters (I don't ever swing a hammer any more unless the wife makes me), but there was also fun, great food, seeing New Orleans for the first time, and I got to pitch in with a bunch of strangers with fabulous attitudes. I thought it would be somewhat of a depressing experience, but instead it was amazingly spirit-lifting. My wife noticed the bounce in my step and a changed perspective when I got home.

As soon as I returned home I knew I was going to have to go back. There are still so many houses that need to be rebuilt and the debate of whether they should rebuild will go on forever. The sponsor group Project Rehab, under the auspices of Habitat for Humanity, knew what they were doing, and the whole effort was very well organized. I got to work with some terrific Americorps kids as well. In April of 2008 I was able to organize a group of 6 to go back down for another work vacation. Two strangers, a client, my attorney, my wife and myself made the trek down and had the good fortune to work with a Vietnam Vet whose home was almost completely destroyed. He managed, with the help of other Project Rehab volunteers, to get the home rebuilt and our team finished off the trim work, installed the kitchen cabinets and hung all the doors. Again, it was a very satisfying week and for those that have not participated in a work vacation I would strongly urge you to do it as it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

To read the newspaper article written about my trip
in the Georgetown Record, please visit Wicked Local Georgetown.

Please check out the trip photos in my Biloxi Photo Album.

I am willing to adapt.....Are you?

If you live in New England you will likely recall seeing very few Robins during the winter. I think the myth is that Robins leave the cold Northern regions and fly South to a warmer climate. I, too, thought that until I started reading about birds. Who knew? The truth is that most robins remain close to their breeding grounds throughout the winter and don't actually fly South. It reminded me of a recent trip to Home Depot because the store was so empty I thought all the contractors up and left for Florida. You might wonder what the robins are feeding on this time of year. The last time I looked out the window I didn't see any worms. A month ago I spotted what looked like an orange bird down back behind the barn. I grabbed my Nikon with the zoom lens and scurried down to the barn to get a closer look and they had gone. After about 20 minutes perched up in the loft with the door slightly ajar, they finally came back. But much to my surprise there wasn't just one or two, there were about 10 robins of all ages, both male and female. It's quite easy to tell the difference between the juveniles and the adults by the color of their feathers. Since the worms were frozen or 5 feet down in the ground they made do with a berry-covered tree. Ok....it wasn't their preferred diet but it got them through the lean times until the ground thawed out and the worms came to the surface. I was quite shocked to see so many together at once since in the summer you rarely see more than one pair together at a time, probably for mating purposes. The fact that they were huddled together and flying around the neighborhood eating their 2nd choice (berries) shows how adaptable these birds are.

I was just reading today's National Geographic and there was a story about Darwin's theory of evolution and how the strong and most adaptable animals survive. It is so true with us human beings as well. With the current economic situation bearing down on us, there are many similarities between General Contractors and the flock of robins. For example, my company is taking on smaller and less profitable jobs these days because they are like the berries. Maybe they are not our first choice but they'll get us through the lean times until the worms come back. I am optimistic that the remodeling outlook is bright and that shortly the demand for good remodeling contractors will be quite high, especially for necessary projects like painting, roofing, rot repairs, energy upgrades, kitchens and baths. Inevitably there are going to be some remodeling companies that insist on living on worms only and cannot adapt to eating berries. Fortunately the boys at Meadowview have been snacking on berries for years now so we don't so much mind the taste.

How to stop a door from opening/closing by itself

I got a great question the other day so I thought I would post it for everyone to see. Please feel free to write me with any questions you might have and I would be happy to answer it the best I can. See the question and answer below.

Question: Several of the doors on the inside of my house like to open/close themselves, or even sit in between open and closed. It got worse after I used some WD-40 on some of the squeaking hinges. (The doors to some of the kid's rooms squeaked so bad, we could wake them up just trying to check on them.)
I'd like to know what the trick is to adjust the hinges on a door to keep it from closing on its own, or opening on its own, or even sitting half-way opened.

Answer: Here is a simple fix to you problem that is a permanent solution. Take out the bottom hinge pin (easier to get to, is the only reason). Place the pin on a hard surface and hit the pin with a hammer to bent it slightly. Then reinstall it,(you might have to tap it into the hinge with a hammer) and the little bit of a bend in the pin will hold the door open or make it a little more "stiffer".

I know....it sounds crazy and ridiculously easy but it really works great. Go try it and let me know how it worked. Cheers!