Grace Construction, Inc.

That depends…. Today everyone is all about green building but not everyone has the budget to go that route.

If I were building my 3,300+ square foot custom built dream home I would be more interested in saving money over the long haul in energy costs and would spend the money up front.  For that scenario I  recommend 1.5 to 2 inches of sprayed rigid foam insulation followed by blown in rock wool.  There are two main reasons that I would go this route.  First, the benefit of rigid foam is that it provides a higher R- value per inch than fiberglass or cellulose and it has the added benefit of sealing all air leaks.  Of course all this comes with a higher price.  The 1.5 inches of the foam seals the openings and then you can fill with the lower cost rock wool blown insulation blanket for a comprehensive energy saving solution. (more…)

Have you ever heard people who have just moved into a new home say…..I wish I had thought of that when I was building or I wish my contractor had suggested that to me? I’ve said before that planning is the most important part of the process and NOW is the time to do it. Whether you are ready to build, thinking about remodeling or just planning for your dream home you can’t spend enough time planning.

This is a continuation of my last post to share some of the things I have heard homeowners tell me that they want in their homes and some things they wish they had included. This post will cover the Closets, Bedroom and Outdoor/Garage areas:

Closets

You never have enough closets or closets that are big enough

Outlets in closets

Enough space in closet to hang long clothes

Built in ironing board in master closet (see photo)

Built in safe for valuables

Full size broom closet to hide cleaning supplies

Solar tubes for lighting in closets and dark spaces

Designated closet for modem, router, audio and video equipment with outlets and chest high shelves

 Bedroom

Four plug outlets in the bedroom

Master switch in bedroom to control outside lights and attic lights

Vanity with sink in each bedroom

Pocket door between bedroom to bathroom (see photo)

Outdoor/Garage Areas

Hose bibs everywhere….Can’t have enough hose bibs – locate on each side and end of house

Color and seal the garage floor before moving in

Walk in door to the garage

Give the landscaping bushes enough room to grow

Gutter downspouts connected to a pipe to move water away from foundation

Have extra irrigation zone for drip irrigation for deck and patio

Add cabinets and countertops to garage

Permanent staircase in garage to attic

Three car garage for storage or shop space

Dog or Cat door

Bury PVC and thread high quality hose to keep off lawn to area where need to water

Run wiring to the outside for audio systems

Outlets under eaves outside for Christmas lights (see photo)

Run conduit under driveway for future wiring needs

Outlets on all four sides of your house

Pre-wire for future security cameras

Pre-wire for a generator

Exterior gas piping for deck grill and outdoor fire pit

Make your porches and portals deep – at least 12 foot minimum

TV and internet cable for garage

Have you ever listened to the segment on National Public Radio called StoryCorps where people interview others about how they impacted their lives.  One of the best feelings in the world is to know that you are successful ….but consider how good it feels to know you helped someone else achieve success.   As I recently broke ground on a speculation home, I thought about all those individuals who have impacted my success.  I’m not just referring to my parents and family but to others who had no skin in the game; who stepped up to help me develop my technical expertise, share their business savvy or share their resources.  YOU know who you are so I won’t name you here but I do want you to know how thankful I am for the opportunity and hope someday to pay it forward to another individual who has the desire to work hard and learn from those who have already been down the path before.

Below from Pinterest:

It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I was going to hang around the office and do some paperwork when I got a call from a friend at a local bank. It seems that the bank was in the process of closing on a loan and needed a general contractor to certify some repairs….and it needed to be done today. During the home inspection, termite damage was found and the realtor called a “handyman” to do the repairs.  He was not licensed and my guess is that he was not insured either. The loan required that a licensed general contractor sign off on all repairs and since the person doing the work was not licensed I got the call to see if I could inspect the work today. We agreed on a small fee for me to go to the home and take a look under the house at the work that had been completed and certify it was up to code and the problem corrected.

When I got under the house I realized that the work was not up to code and there was still termite damaged wood under the house. I crawled back out and called to let them know that I could not certify the work. I explained what I had found and that I had taken pictures if needed. The bank representative said the pictures were not needed since, “I called you because I knew I could trust you to do the right thing.”

We all want to get the most value for our hard earned dollars and usually have a lot of reputable options to choose from. Please remember this story when you call that friend of a friend who does work on the side to handle a repair to the biggest investment you will make in your lifetime….Your Home.

Given the situation, I did not charge for the hour I spent under that house on my birthday. It was obvious that someone was going to lose money on this transaction and I just asked that they keep me in mind when someone asked for a referral to a builder they could trust who was licensed and insured.

[su_highlight background=”#cec3c1″ color=”#1712ea”]I pay dearly for my general liability insurance and to keep my license up to date. It’s frustrating when I lose business to those who choose to work outside of the system and for that reason can do the work for less. The next time you need work done please proceed with caution and make sure you ask all the right questions up front. Price is not the only variable that you should be concerned about.[/su_highlight]

For a builder you can trust…..Give me a call.

I got a call from an older lady who said she got my name from the phone book and wanted a quote on putting gutters up around her small home in downtown Ayden.   I’d like to think I was the first call she made but she said she called several service providers and not one returned her call except me.  This lady was in luck and let me tell you why.

First, I have to tell you that I am a bit embarrassed to tell this story and when we get to the end you will understand why.

I set up a time to meet at her home and take a look at her problem.  She likes planting flowers around her house and every time it rains the flowers get washed out.  After taking some measurements and estimating the cost of materials and labor I gave her the price of $550.00 and she looked a bit puzzled and took a minute ….looked at me and said, ”  Five thousand dollars is a bit more than she had expected.”  She is an older lady and had not heard or understood so I quickly told her that I had said Five Hundred and Fifty dollars not $5,000 dollars.  She beamed at me and said that is great when can you start.   I had another sub contractor with me at the time and we both commented that a dishonest contractor could have told her $2,500 after that and she would have thought she had a deal.  As we were talking she started mentioning that she hoped her flowers would not wash away any more and I told her that if she would get some mulch and put around the flower beds that it would help the problem as well.

I asked her about using the outside outlet during the work and she said that it wasn’t working and had not for some time.  She said she needed to call an electrician to get it fixed.  I shared with her that 9 times out of 10 when an outlet does not work that somewhere in the house one of the ground fault circuit interrupter circuit breakers (GFCI) has tripped in an outlet. [su_note note_color=”#c3c7e9″ text_color=”#161212″]Just for your knowledge a GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit preventing potential electrical shock.[/su_note] 

She did not understand what I was telling her so I asked if I could go in and take a look at her receptacles.  She invited me in and sure enough in the bathroom the circuit had tripped and I pushed the button to reset and like magic the outside receptacle was working.  She was grateful and asked me what she owed me for fixing it.  I told her that she didn’t owe me anything and showed her how to take care of it if it happened again and suggested that she check them regularly to ensure they are working.  Here was another instance where someone could have easily taken advantage of her or she would at best have paid a basic service fee for an electrician coming out to evaluate and repair.

She thanked me again and we left.  Later in the week, the work was completed and I put an invoice in the mail to her home address.  After a week or so the invoice was returned to sender and I got a little worried about getting paid.  I called her number several times and went by the house but no one came to the door.  I did notice that she had taken my advice and there was fresh mulch around the flower beds.

When I was talking to a friend who takes care of his own elderly parents  he said something that made me think….”Maybe she is in the hospital or sick”.  Sure enough, a few days later I got a call from one of her church members to tell me she had fallen and broken her arm and was in the hospital for a while.  She had asked her friend to give me a call and tell me that as soon as she got home she would take care of the invoice.  She was as good as her word and she paid promptly once she got home.  I really felt bad that I was so concerned that the bill would not be paid that it really did not cross my mind that she may be injured. “I learned a few lessons here and want to share them with you:

I learned a few lessons here and want to share them with you:

1- Everyone has to sign a contract…even very nice little old ladies

2- Always assume positive intent – Don’t always jump to the worst case scenario

3- Protect your older parents and grandparents from potential fraud and over charges.  Ask them to involve you in those types of transactions so that no one takes advantage of them.

If you’re looking for a builder you can trust then you’ve found one…… give me a call.

Recently I provided a quote for a homeowner who was considering not only a kitchen remodel but adding an addition to their existing kitchen.  The homeowner was surprised at how the costs can add up to get what you want and the time frame that you have to evacuate the kitchen.  I want to use this post to provide some ideas that can save you money and time in a kitchen remodeling process.  If I were to give you just one piece of advice it would be to invest ample time in the planning and research phase.  Take time to look around, visit showrooms, flip through magazines and talk to a professional because change orders after the start of the project are what cause budget busts and extended completion dates.  Don’t accept an estimate that is not itemized outlining the details of the specific work and quality of materials so that you are comparing apples to apples.

Cabinets typically make up close to 30% of kitchen remodeling costs according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). If you want to save money then cabinets is one place you’ll find low hanging fruit.  Custom cabinetry is expensive and semi-custom or stock units offer big saving while still providing the value and style you want.  If your existing cabinets are still in good shape you can save even more by refinishing and painting or just replacing or refacing the doors and upgrading the hardware.

The term “work triangle” has been around for years and refers to the imaginary triangle that can be drawn between the stove, refrigerator, and sink.  The legs of the work triangle should total 26 feet or less and no single leg shorter than 4 feet or longer than 9 feet.  It is not always possible to adhere to the standards but is a good rule of thumb.  When remodeling it is costly to move preexisting water and electrical lines so keep this in mind when planning.  It is good to position the sink between the other two appliances since it is the most frequently utilized.

Make sure you plan for adequate “landing space” on either side of the range and sink.  Try to allow for as much counter space as possible for loading and unloading around the sink, cook top and next to the refrigerator.   Trust me, next Thanksgiving the cooks in your house will be grateful for the extra space.  If you are on a really tight budget you can save money on counter tops if you are willing to pass on the high-priced natural stone for a high quality laminate.

If you plan ahead for your lighting needs you can upgrade your lighting at the same time you’re doing the electrical rather than bring the electrician back later.  Make sure you consider task lighting, general lighting and accent lighting such as under the cabinets.  Electrical outlets and switch positions can also be changed to suit your needs.

Flooring is an important aspect to consider for the kitchen since you spend a lot of time on your feet in that area.  Hard tile is often chosen because of its durability but tends to be cold and unforgiving on joints as you age or stand for extended periods of time.   Hardwood floors are warm and comfortable to stand on but not generally as durable as hard tile floors.  Hardwoods can be refinished several times so that does add to the durability.  Laminate floors have become  popular and are durable as well.

If you decide to update or upgrade your kitchen or enlarge and open up the space you have today then these tips can potentially save you some time and money.

For work in eastern North Carolina you can Call Me for a free quote and consultation.

My Business is serving cities in eastern North Carolina including:  Greenville, Winterville, Farmville, Ayden, Washington, Blounts Creek

As far as I’m concerned you can’t spend enough money on good windows.  If one of my customers came to me and said,”I have $10,000 extra dollars to put into my home what would you recommend?”  I’d tell them …THINK WINDOWS.  Whether for a new home or a remodeling project – energy efficiency is all about windows.  You’d be amazed at the amount of money that literally goes out the window.

With the current economy and escalating energy costs, I find that energy efficient windows are in high demand right now. Every top window manufacturer makes Energy-Star rated windows and usually, the federal government is offering tax credits for the upgrade.  No one wants windows that continuously leak air and put a huge drain on the budget when the utility bill comes due.

Let’s talk about what features you find in energy efficient windows.  The most energy efficient windows will have a vinyl or fiberglass insulated frame.  The ability to fill the air cavities in the frame with insulation makes these two types superior to wood in energy efficiency.

Double pane windows have pretty much become the minimum standard and today one of the most energy efficient panes are triple glazed with three panes separated by air or gas. Glazing panes with low emissivity (Low-e) coatings can reduce energy loss by 50% and for additional efficiency one of two inert gasses can be placed between the panes.  Argon is the cheaper of the two gasses and you will pay more $$$ for Krypton filled windows since they have thermal performance.  The best windows will also have thermally improved spacers between the panes at the edges of the window.

If  building my own home today I would use Jeld-Wen or Anderson windows.  Both are Energy Star rated and have high quality and superior customer service which is the standard for Grace Construction, Inc.  I’d like to talk with you about how we can work together to build that energy efficient home or reduce your long term costs by making your existing home more energy efficient.  Call me for a free consultation and estimate.

Since my first post was about insulation I thought I’d follow up with a post on the use of caulk since both can have significant impact on the energy efficiency of your home.  Caulk is not a very sexy topic but is  important not only in new home construction or remodeling but in routine maintenance of your single largest investment – your home. (more…)