Most of us dread that annual chore, Spring Cleaning But the time has come around once again.

By Corina Volegna

Most of us dread that annual chore, Spring Cleaning. But the time has come around once again. It?s the season to search your house and try to find space for everything and get your possessions organized. Actually, it doesn?t matter what time of year it is; the more efficient use of space and reduction of clutter can benefit anyone and reduce stress as well as improve your living environment. Many of us put this chore off as long as possible, but it has to be done eventually. Here are some suggestions to help motivate you to get rid of the stuff that you no longer need, without a lot of sweat on your part.

Clothing

One of the most common types of clutter is clothing. All of us seem to have some clothes that no longer fit, have gone out of style, or that we only needed once, like a dress that you wore as a bridesmaid five years ago. Maybe you have jeans that have gotten a little tight or a jacket that you received as a gift that is just plain ugly. It?s easy to get rid of unwanted garments, so this is a good place to start. Just put any jeans, jackets, dresses, t-shirts, skirts, boots, shoes, or blouses that you no longer need or want into a garbage bag. Now all you have to do is find a drop off box for clothing donations. Good Will, the Red Cross, and many other charities have such boxes set up, usually in a convenient location such as a supermarket or local mall. You can probably spot one of these boxes while shopping or commuting to or from work. If you don?t spot one right away, just check the phone book for local charities, give them a call, and they will be happy to direct you to a location where you can drop off your clothes. You won?t have to pay a fee for extra trash service, and you?ll be helping a worthwhile cause with minimal effort on your part.

Toys, Games, and Stuffed Animals

If you have children, then you probably also have toys that they have outgrown, lost interest in, or never really liked in the first place. You can do a good deed and make some child very happy by giving these unwanted toys to a kid who will truly appreciate them. Many charities host toy drives, especially around the holidays. They will place drop off boxes outside of a local Wal-mart or supermarket and make sure that needy children get the toys that your own kids need longer use. Even if there is no local drive in your area, many churches have programs to provide children with gently used stuffed animals like teddy bears, plush cats and dogs, or any others. They can also help you find a home for board games and similar items. If all else fails, try an internet search for a local charity that ships children?s items overseas to needy youngsters.

Home Furnishings

Furniture is sometimes the most difficult item to get rid of during your cleaning. It is usually heavy and there can be a hefty fee to have it carted away. But getting rid of unwanted or outdated furniture can free up a lot of space and really reduce clutter. The first step to getting rid of it without a lot of effort is to ask your friends and family if they, or someone they know, would like it in exchange for hauling it away. Maybe they have a relative in college who would love a free sofa or recliner for their dorm or apartment. If your furniture is still in good shape, it can be a real break for people on a budget with a new living arrangement. Even if you don?t have luck asking friends or relatives, you could try any of the free internet classified sites like Craig?s List. You might even be able to get some money for your old furniture through free classifieds and save yourself the trouble and expense of hauling it away yourself. If you aren?t tech savvy, but can carry your unwanted furniture a short ways, try putting it at the end of your driveway with a ?free sofa!? sign on it. It will disappear before you know it! Furniture only seems difficult or expensive to get rid of.

No matter what items you want to dispose of, there is usually a way to transfer them to someone who needs them. Whether you give the items to a family member, friend, friend of a friend, complete stranger, or local charity, you will feel good knowing that they are going to good use. Spring cleaning can be easy once you get started! Remember, you can turn your junk into someone else?s treasure! Now get started!

admin General Remodel

Another article by my friend Kelly AKA. Kitchen Sync

This isn’t kitchen design–this is travesty Posted: 06 Mar 2010 10:46 AM PST Our company provides cabinetry in addition to our design/build practice. People bring drawings in, sometimes from other companies. Our lovely and talented design assistant takes care of this division; I only step in when I hear her moaning. This was the example this week of a drawing from a big box store: Now, I know I live in the world of experienced and talented designers, architects, and contractors. I also don’t expect everyone to have the knowledge I do. But basic kitchen design rules for safety and ergonomics should still apply. This isn’t kitchen design; this is poorly-trained, box-fitting sales. Firstly, the regular height wall cabinet should not extend over the range. That’s plain dangerous. And what’s the deal with the offset higher wall cabinet? Maybe they’re not installing a hood fan (there’s no code that says you have to, but the room sure gets messy and greasy after a few years without one), but this…is horrible. Secondly, which you wouldn’t know – there’s plenty of space to relocate that pantry elsewhere in the kitchen. The counter between the range and the pantry is 9” wise – sure, enough room to move a frying pan on the stove, and put a spatula or spoon on the counter, but not much else. Keep this figure in mind: the average pot diameter without handles is 10”. When someone says they’re a kitchen designer, ask their credentials, experience, and training. I think that the big box stores have a lot to answer for if this is the type of quality that’s coming out of the kitchen departments. We will be redesigning this. If the client wants the kitchen this way, we’ll thank them for thinking of us, but we will refuse this project. I’m still shaking my head.

admin Kitchen

Tough out there?

By The Paul

I love cheesecake and I once built a stairway with 2 angled landings, I was young and starting out and in over my head, I made no money but I got something I still have 35 years later. Jeanne M’s Cheesecake recipe. Its worth millions but its not for sale!

Cheese cake icing with berries.

So?

I hear a lot of complaining lately like: Like people aren’t buying, people are getting a lot of bids, people want the lowest price, yah, yah, boo hoo and so on. Man, I feel for you and I have seen some things go south on me too. I think I know why. I wasn’t hungry enough, the customers weren’t hungry enough either.

I got the solution.

Let them eat cake, not just cake, put the icing on the cake and with a berry on top. Sound dumb? All I’m saying is besides the things you usually do, and the things your worthy competitors do, besides all that, put the icing on it.

That puts the icing on the cake.

You’ve heard this expression, Icing on the cake , ( a second good thing that happens after getting the cake). A cake can stand on its own merit, a cake with icing can be better yet, put some strawberries or blueberries on top of the icing and you went all the way, you exceeded expectations.

What’s the point?

Yeah, your great, so good because you do good work, communicate, clean up and all those things we brag about. You know what? That’s what people expect in the very least, wow, you met everyone’s expectations, maybe even surpassed them a little. How about if you put icing on that, show up now and then with bagels and coffee for your clients, offer them a middle of the job meal at a good restaurant, anything over and above the usual stuff. Some of you may do this already but I suspect most of you do not. And after the job is over, something to remember you, I leave a pound of coffee I roasted myself, no big deal, but I think its better than a cardboard desk top calender with my name and contact info.

Put some icing on that cake!

admin General Remodel

Start collecting samples…tile, counter material ideas, ads for appliances of interest etc., and haunt kitchen resource stores. Talk to the staff designers. See what’s out there in person.

Now that you are armed with measurements, you’ll be able to estimate approximately how much tile or countertop material you might need, or how much “play” you have with the size of the refrigerator.

This will help you get a good sense of the cost of appliances, and materials so you’ll more easily be able edit and prioritize your selections intelligently.

While the need for a pot-filler is negotiable, if you are buying new appliances, look for the Energy Star label. ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program that lets consumers know that certain products have met EPA and Department of Energy standards for superior energy efficiency. Certain brands such as Bosch, LG, Asko and Kenmore have consistently high rankings.

Floored…By Choice

You have vinyl, linoleum, cork, tile, stone, wood with finished stains or painted wood to choose from. There is also a lot to be said from a design standpoint for having the same flooring material, for the sake of visual continuity, carried throughout your home and into the kitchen too. If you love to cook, good wood floors are not only beautiful but have a little give to them. They are much better to stand on than stone or tile.

New is a relative term these days. If you are considering new wood floors, you are probably already clued into investigating reclaimed timber. In the case of “New equals Faux”, Trex is a flooring material made of a mixture of recycled plastic and sawdust from reclaimed hardwoods. Though the 20 ft. long planks look just like the real thing when installed, unlike the real thing, the planks won’t rot or splinter. Very well priced at around $5.50/square foot, it’s worth a look. Visit www.Trex.com for stores.

Counter Intelligence

Stone and granite counters need sealers that should be re-applied yearly. Even then, wine or oil spills should be wiped up immediately. Would you be happier with Silestone or Ceasar Stone? These materials have the look and feel of stone, but are man-made from crushed quartz. They are less expensive than other synthetics like Corian, are very dense and uniform in pattern and color, and are the most stain resistant of potential counter surfaces.

It would be remiss not to mention the new “green” countertops. Here are a few of the new.

• Richlite – This is composed of layers of paper (derived for renewable of recycled resources) mixed with resin to form a highly stain-resistant material.

• Durat – This is a polyester based product that uses 30% recycled material and is itself 100% recyclable. It has a smooth silky look and feel, is extremely durable and can be renewed with slight sanding.

• Icestone – Strong and heat-resistant, the composition is 100% recycled glass in a cement matrix that can comes with a high polish but can also be honed or sand blasted.

These are just a few of the wonderful new and green materials that are available. Happy Hunting!

Cindy Lee Bergersen is a home design consultant (Allied Member, ASID) and writer for www.DecodingDecor.com. Please visit for more info and articles on home design.

Paul Lesieur Kitchen

Corn cake happy meal from Minnesota corn.

Ruby Construction LLC on Facebook

By Owen Sechrist

One of my original menu entreés consisted of Cajun blackened catfish with a black bean salsa, sweet and sour purple cabbage and a corn cake.

Corn cake from Minnesota corn.

The corn cake was popular of it’s own accord but even more appreciated when it was cut up into chunks and deep fried, then served as “corn croutons” on a southwestern themed salad. The following recipe is for making the corn cakes.  They can be prepared ahead of time and re-heated in the oven or cut up and fried.

Corn Cakes

Portion Size:  N/A

Ingredient:                                                       Amount:

Frozen Corn                                3#                    10#                  20#

Eggs                                          3                      10                     20

Flour                                          2oz                   8oz                   16oz

Butter                                       4 oz                  160z                  32 oz

S & P                                         to taste             to taste             to taste

Method:  Thaw the corn on sheet trays.  Make a roux from flour and butter.  Lightly process the corn in food processor w/ chopping blade.  Mix all ingredients thoroughly.  Portion onto sheet trays with scooper that has white bottom.  Bake until golden brown, aprox. 8 min.

Please note that “thaw the corn on sheet trays” is not completely accurate: the corn needs to not only be thawed out but dried out slightly, otherwise there will be too much moisture in the corn batter mixture.  We used a convection oven on high heat which dried the corn out quickly due to the fan.  The corn should feel waxy but not crunchy.

A “scooper that has a white bottom” is a number six food service scooper, like an ice cream scooper, that has a volume of 5.33oz.  You can just as easily hand form the cakes.  Depending on how much moisture you leave in the corn they do tend to spread out as they bake.

The 8 minute cooktime is based on a convection oven at 500 degrees.

Paul Lesieur General Remodel

By Sean Lintrow Sr. of SLS-Construction

Lead part per billions

As the property owner you have a question you should seriously consider, due to the increased costs of the EPA’s RRP rules, should I get my house or areas that are being worked on tested for lead, or should everyone just assume lead is present and proceed accordingly? In order to start answering that question, let’s first start off looking at the testing procedure.

What are the chances my house contains lead?

Per the EPA 35% of all houses, contain lead. The EPA has calculated that 86% of the houses built before 1940 still contain lead, which drops down to 66% for those built between 1940 to 1959, and drops down even further to 25% for those built between 1960 to 1978. Now, even if your house was built after 1978, be forewarned – there is still a chance that it contains lead. While the sales of lead paint and paid installation of lead paint was outlawed, there was nothing to prevent homeowners from using previously purchased paint or stain.

How much does testing cost?

This answer depends on which type of testing you want performed, what needs to be tested and who does it. You can have samples sent to an approved laboratory, you can hire a specialized Licensed Evaluator, or you may have it done by the Certified Lead Renovation Firm (CLRF) you are planning on using. For the first two options or if you are using another CLRF besides us, you would actually have to call and find out, as the prices vary based on numerous items. At this moment, besides our normal charge, you would be looking at an average price of $5 for each test section / swab done.

What is this lead test and what is a test section?

The lead test we use is actually quite simple. The first step is to expose the different layers of paint on a section of a window, trim, wainscoting, etc… This is as simple as a making a v-notched groove about ¼ inch to an inch long exposing all the paint layers down to the bare wood. We would then use an EPA approved test swab to test this section. If the swab or area turns pink to red, lead is present and the EPA’s RRP procedures must be followed. If the section or swab does not turn pink or red, we must then verify that the swab is valid and test it on a confirmation card. This test card has a chemical that mimics lead and should turn pink. If the test card does not turn pink, the test must be redone with another swab.

How many test sections have to be done?

Well this is a hard question to answer without knowing what your project entails, but let’s look at one quick example – window replacements. In this case, you would probably need to have the window itself checked along with the interior and exterior trim. If the windows and trim is representative of all the other ones in the house, the testing is done, if not you will need to test the different affected areas.

Ok, the cost is not outrageous, why wouldn’t I want to test?

There are a couple of valid reasons, you might not want to have the testing done – the first being once a test comes back positive, you have to keep those records and disclose that if and when you go to sell or rent the house. If you are asked about any known issues by your insurance company or Mortgage Company – you have to disclose it. If you babysit kids, have someone working on the house (CATV installer, carpet installer, etc…) you have to disclose it. In some cases, going from the “assume every house has lead” to positively tested for lead can lead to a perceived loss of value.

After that warning, why would I want to have my house tested then?

If your child has been tested and has high lead levels in their blood, you might not have a choice but to have the house tested. You will need to find out why it has happened and how to stop the poisoning from getting worse. In some cases, it is not the actual paint, but contaminated ground outside, the water pipes in the house, or it may come from some other source. You might also be in a house that has undergone major renovations since 1978 (or never had lead paint or stain applied), do you really want to pay the additional costs associated with the RRP provisions if you do not have to? (Future FAQ on the compliance costs coming shortly –and yes, this will cost more, even for companies like mine that already use containment and use dust free practices)

I see there are pro’s and con’s – what’s best for me?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this or many other questions related your home, without someone actually seeing it. All we can really do here on the HRC is strongly suggest you find the best contractor in your area that not only is certified, but also understands the subject.  As always, feel free to leave us a comment here or shoot us an email if you have any questions on this or any other article. If you are in our service area looking for a contractor that believes in doing things right the first time, we would love to hear from you.

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Paul Lesieur General Remodel