And another reason you should leave vinyl to the professionals

There is a lot to consider when installing new windows.  For example, today Sam is working with the crew to complete a lead job.  Didn't think about that, did you?

Some homes are old enough to have lead paint on the windows.  And that means major fines if the work is not completed to code.  And by code, I mean someone on the job must be lead certified.  Failure to complete said job using the appropriate methods of removal and disposal...including respirators, suits, plastic wrapping the windows and covering all ground for trace lead chips...results in a $33,000 fine.  Yes.  That's a lot of zeros.

So, many homeowners turn to professionals.  Luckily, I already married one.  It's very handy.

When it comes time for us to change out our windows in the next year or so, we already mostly know what we want.  We selected a lovely Atrium window.  It's vinyl, which means low maintenance.  It will be trimmed out in Hardie because that's what we're using on the entire house.  And it will be double hung, for easy cleaning, in case I ever get the urge or have the time.  Right.  (I have dreams about being able to hire a weekly cleaning woman.  Seriously.)

Though I would love to have the windows with interior grids on the top in a vertical cottage pattern, Sam assures me that it would ruin the integrity of the house and completely destroy the look of the neighborhood.  And?  I still would love to do it anyway.
 
We are, after all, changing the look of the house entirely by hanging the Hardie horizontal instead of the standard angled eighties look.  We are, after all, adding some Hardie cedar looking shingles to the front over the garage with some decorative frieze board.  I don't see what the problem is with a new window style.

Obviously there is a lot to consider with new windows.

• Grids or no grids.  There are a lot of grid options.  Explore.  And may I suggest interior grids.  
• Hardware.  The newer windows come with a variety of hardware options.  They can match the brushed nickel interior of the home or even the antique bronze.
• Double hung or single hung.  Double hung means the top and bottom can go up and down.  Single hung means that the top is stationary and only the bottom can go up and down.  There are also casement windows and others too numerous to mention, but the most popular...double hung.
• Vinyl or wood.  Obviously I'm simplifying here.  Ah, but these are the most popular options, once again.  Vinyl windows are low maintenance.  And while the purists love a good wood window, they may not be prepared to maintain it like they should.  It involves a lot of work.

When in doubt, turn to a professional.  Carolina Home Enhancements can help.

'Tis the season for new windows!

Every fall and every spring there is a great influx of window remodeling projects.  There is good reason for this.

No one wants their home open to the elements in summer...bugs, heat, humidity...and no one wants their homes open to snow and cold in the winter.

It makes perfect sense.  Luckily many window companies are aware of this trend and try to make installing new windows even more appealing during these prime months by offering specials.  Our company is no different.

What may be different, however, is the quality of work done, the quality of the product installed, and the price tag that accompanies it.  These are the areas that most homeowners need to consider when selecting a company to work with.

Let me begin by saying that while most people think that they can install windows, this is one of the tasks that is better left to the professionals.

1. Professionals are insured.  This is a big deal.  The last thing you want is for your homeowners insurance rates to increase, along with your deductible, simply because you decided to take on a larger project than you were qualified to handle.  Only work with companies that carry both workman's comp and liability.
2. Most homeowners don't have the skills to do the job.  Windows seem simple.  Take one out, put one in.  Oh, but there is so much more to it than that.  Measuring the window to order the right size is a skill most homeowners simply don't have.  
3. Most homeowners don't have the equipment to do the job.  There are a host of tools that the professionals carry with them that the average homeowner doesn't own.  For example, I don't suppose you have a metal break around to bend the metal to trim out the windows?  Oh, and do you know how to bend the metal to trim out the windows?

While I support DIY projects, windows are not among them.  Please leave that to the professionals.  If only gets more expensive when they have to be called to step in and fix the mistakes an overzealous homeowner made.

Come back to read about vinyl window options.  At Carolina Home Enhancements, we love educated homeowners.

It's officially fall!

That's what I think every Labor Day.  When I lived in New York, Labor Day was the last hurrah before we had to get back in the swing of things and get the kids off to school.  Now, here in Charlotte, the kids go back to school in August, so we have been at this for a few weeks now.  We're almost good at it again.

With fall comes our concerns about readying the home for the winter.  We look at what we can do to make the home more energy efficient.  We do what we can to save on our heating and cooling costs.  This year, we made a decision to install a new exterior door from the house to the garage.  Ever since we've owned the home, we have had an interior door there.

At one point, we went so far as to update the door to a new interior door as we changed the look of the house.  Yeah, that's not the same.  And the reason that it isn't the same is that looking good isn't the same as being truly functional.  So, we took a trip to Lowe's to purchase a new exterior door to keep the air conditioning in and the heat out.  In the winter, it will do just the opposite, keeping the heat in and the cold air out.

It's all about little changes. 

If you decide you want to change out doors around your home, here are some tips:

• Purchase a pre-hung door.  Sure, it can be a little more costly to purchase a pre-hung door, but it will save so much time and aggravation in the long run.  Spend the money to do it right the first time.
• Pay attention to the hinge and the door swing.  This makes a huge difference.  I didn't understand it.  It matters.  
• Measure measure measure.  Even if the door measures the right size, there can still be issues with the install.  What fit with new construction doesn't always fit the sam with replacement.  The walls settle.  It can be challenging.
• The job isn't done until the paint is on.  The door comes primed and once the door is in place, it is only going to get dirty.  Take the time to paint it.  We like high gloss white.  It cleans up really nicely and it looks so great with any paint color.

Don't be afraid of asking for help.  It's far worse to get in over your head.  For help, contact us: Carolina Home Enhancements.

Some remodels are a ripple effect

And another layer, and another...

So, while we were improving upon the bedroom, we removed the overhead fixture.  It was a black and brushed nickel ceiling fan.  And there was some question as to what we should do with it.

Well, I'm all about re-purposing, reusing, and recycling.

And that's why the ceiling fan was moved to the great room.  And that's what started the ripple effect.

*sigh*

I was accustomed to the ripple effect.  It' was how I had started the remodel of the master bathroom in my own house just down the road.  I had lived in it for a month or so.  I was completely dissatisfied with the lack of storage.  And the room was really dated.  I pretty much hated everything about it, except for the tub, which had a lovely tile shelf around the outside.

Here's where I began...

Ever so tentatively, I pulled on a piece of the wallpaper that was behind the door.  It was the master bathroom, so I figured that it wouldn't be so bad.  There should only be two people truly bothered by whatever was underneath and needing fixing.

The wallpaper came off so easily.  It was like slicing through butter.  And bolstered by my success, I continued around the room.  The rest of the room was more like performing surgery with that same butter knife.  Oh, the pain and aggravation.

I had to rent a steamer from Sunbelt.  I spent twelve hours on a ladder removing three layers of wallpaper and two layers of paint only to discover that the sheet rock had never been primed and now was in need of repair.  It was a good lesson. 

These are the things I learned...

• Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  It is phrase that can be applied to every aspect of your life.
• Tools tools tools.  Remodeling is all about having the right tools to work with.  Luckily with stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, and Sunbelt around, projects for the DIYer can be more affordable.
• Ask as expert.  I was proud.  I believed that I could do anything.  At the same time, I was smart.  It didn't scare me to ask someone who knew more than I did...still do.  The guys at these home improvement stores know what they are talking about.  They can give great advice.
• Do the research.  It's always best to know what you are getting into.  Despite all the home improvement shows, I really had no idea.
• Have a plan.  Yeah, when I started, I really hadn't thought much past...the wallpaper had to go.  I hadn't priced out bathroom cabinets or new toilets or tile floors or light fixtures.  Big mistake.  Don't make the same one.

Oh, and come back tomorrow for more remodeling tales from our experiences.  My remodels have gone much more smoothly since I started involving Sam and our company: Carolina Home Enhancements.