New Castle Remodeling

ESTIMATES AND YOUR BUDGET

When I am doing an estimate, I can do it in several ways: I can figure it up based on exact specifications and exact plans: this method is good because the only variable is the labor and overhead cost from company to company. However it does require those exact plans and specifications. Every item in the project must be named exactly and must be available at the time the project is done. I can figure it out based on what I want to do and how I want it to look: this method is only good if you ... READ MORE Posted August 26, 2014 at 02:26 PM

Electricity & Water Don’t Mix

There are special plugs that should be installed whenever you are within about 6 feet of a sink, tub or water usage. This type of a plug is called a GFI (Ground-fault Interrupter) outlet. This is a style of an outlet that has an automatic shutoff switch built into it. The reason for this is that if something goes wrong, electrically, with something that is plugged into this outlet, the shutoff switch throws and the power turns off. This kind of plug is very useful and is required in a bathroo... READ MORE Posted August 11, 2014 at 02:53 PM

Are You Ready To Do K.P. ? (A Kitchen and/or Patio, That Is)

The kitchen is often the most used place in your home and, thus, should get the most attention than other portions of your house. In looking over some recent studies, I found that more homeowners and buyers look to the kitchen as a focal point on buying and selling a home. It is something that will add quick value to your home and get you the best for your buck, so to speak. With summer upon us, it makes sense to remodel your kitchen to be ready for those outdoor dinners and other entertainme... READ MORE Posted July 28, 2014 at 01:42 PM

Room Addition vs Room Conversion

If you are choosing between converting your garage to a living space versus adding a room addition, the first thing to determine is to call me or the city to see if the city requires that you have a garage. Most cities require that you have a garage that handles enough cars based on your home’s square footage. If you have a two car garage, and it is required that you have a garage or covered parking, you might have to add a covered parking space or a garage. The next thing to determine is if ... READ MORE Posted July 21, 2014 at 12:32 PM

Fixing Your Gates

There are many kings of gates. There are wrought iron gates, chain link fence gates, many kinds of wooden gates. There are rolling gates or hinged gates. What kind of gate do you have and what is wrong with it? That is what I need to know and what you need to know in order to get it fixed. If it is some sort of wooden gate, then there are a couple of ways to handle it. One way would be to repair the existing gate. If it has been nailed together and it is loose and hanging, first support it in... READ MORE Posted July 12, 2014 at 12:07 PM

Your Sprinkler System Not Sprinkling Properly?

In this article I will cover different sprinkler system problems so look for the sub-heading that best fits your problem. INSUFFICIENT OR NO WATER FROM SPRINKLER HEADS The reason for this is that there is something clogged in the head, the point where the water actually sprays out. What you need to do is take all the heads off. This can be done with a sprinkler head tool, socket of the correct size or a pair of pliers. Turn on the sprinkler system without the heads to flush out the sprinkler ... READ MORE Posted June 26, 2014 at 02:32 PM

What About Decks?

Exterior decks are most commonly made out of redwood. Redwood is best to use as it stands up to the sun and water much better than any other wood. The next best wood to use would be cedar. Putting a deck together is actually pretty simple. The biggest cost is the material as redwood or cedar are expensive types of wood. The first thing that has to be built is a base for the finish deck to be attached to. This base will van in construction depending on the shape of the area that the deck is to... READ MORE Posted June 11, 2014 at 12:33 PM

Water Leaks

With current drought conditions it is key to save water. Here are some useful tips to detect and save water and more . . . WET UNDER THE SINK When it is wet under the sink there are only a couple of reasons for this to occur. 1. The supply valves are under the sink. These valves supply the water to the sink and there is probably a leak coming out from the “packing” on one or both of the valves. The packing is the material under the nut on the valve that is around the stem of the valve. This n... READ MORE Posted June 04, 2014 at 12:22 PM

What Holds Up The Roof?

Until anti-gravity technology becomes widely in use, the way the beams and studs are engineered is what holds up the roof. The roof is pressing down on the plywood which is pressing down on the rafters. The ends of the rafters are pressing down on the horizontal framing of the walls which presses down on the vertical studs. All this rests on the horizontal foundation boards, supported by concrete and, below that, compacted dirt or bedrock. It is a remarkable feat of physics with its balances ... READ MORE Posted May 28, 2014 at 11:25 AM

Open Up The View

Without changing the size of a room, you can make it seem a lot bigger. We recently installed two sliding glass patio doors for a couple in La Crescenta so they could have better access and a better view. We did some drawings, pulled permits then knocked out the wall and framed an opening for the patio doors. It is usual when breaking out a wall for a door to have to move electrical, such as wall plugs, and plumbing, such as the hose faucet. And, the framing must be done in such a way to main... READ MORE Posted May 21, 2014 at 12:04 PM