MORE SPACE, A BETTER PLACE

 No matter what happens in the world, your home is a stable place for your family.  Let me
help \you with the home improvements you desire or require.  I’ll make your home
dreams a reality.

Get a free ballpark estimate. Check my web site or call/text me at (818) 613-5632 - Randy

Looking at water damage?  Is it from the roof, through the wall, from around a window, a door...
or is it from a water supply line or a drain line in the attic or in the wall.  The Tip here is before you assume where it is coming from do some investigation and/or testing to find out, so you fix the right thing. Need Help? Call or text me at (818) 613-5632

Wishing You Stay Dry,
     Randy

Remodeling Your Bathroom?

   The first thing to consider in any bathroom remodel, is what do you do in the bathroom, not just that, but what else? A family with children might have 3 kids charging into the bathroom after breakfast. Adding a double sink and extra storage areas would benefit them. An older couple may really appreciate having a bathtub with easy access and handrails. Another couple may want an extra large bathtub.

  A family with small children that need help with bathing might prefer a shower curtain instead of the glass doors so they can easily reach their kids. If one member of the family likes to read the sports section for extended periods when the rest of family members need to get into the bathroom to get ready for work or school, maybe you need to add a half bath. After you have taken a good look at what you use your bathroom for, you can then plan out what changes you want to make during your remodel.

  Look at what type of flooring you want: ceramic, sheet linoleum or whatever. I suggest you do not put carpet in the bathroom unless it is a removable throw rug. The next thing is to look at your color scheme.

  New Castle Remodeling provides knowledgeable service and the highest quality work. I can help you with your bathroom remodeling needs from planning to the finish.

  Give me a call or text at (818) 613-5632 to get you started - Randy Mate CA Lic 978915

Room Addition vs Room Conversion

  If you are choosing between converting your garage to a Granny Conversion 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 you can add as much square footage as you want because some cities have a limit on how much square footage you can have. There is a setback requirement (how far your addition must be from the property line) and there may be a limit if your addition is adding a second story.
   Converting a room could be cheaper because you already have a slab and walls, but the cost would go up if you need to add a garage.
   You have to ensure the garage is up to where it is suppose to be, meaning you sometimes have to take a few steps back in order to go forward. To bring it up to current code, you may need to strengthen the foundation, pour a thicker slab or modify the tie ins (where walls join to the slab). Strengthening the foundation is also important when adding a second story or converting an attic to a living space with a bath.
   It is probably easier to go with an addition than a remodel, though not necessarily less expensive, because the only unknown can be handled by having the soil tested for how compact the dirt is. There are many unknowns for a conversion. How thick is the concrete slab? Is the framing up to code so it will sustain earthquakes, etc. or do you need to add support framing? Will the city decide that your garage slab is only one inch thick with no foundation around the edges and will they require you tear it down and rebuild it whether you do the conversion or not? Like opening a can of worms.
   In a room addition, you can put all the electric and plumbing right where you want it. Whereas with a room conversion, you have to break into the slab and run plumbing. If your garage has drywall walls, you’d have to break into them to run electrical, and you may need to increase your electrical service by adding a subpanel.
   Once you are past the foundation, framing, electrical and plumbing stage, the finish is very much the same for either an addition or a room conversion.
   All in all, it is pretty much a wash as far as the cost between the two. Whichever you decide to do, call or text me at (818) 613-5632. I can refer an architect or do a bid on your plans. I look forward to doing the job.

- Randy Mate, Ca Lic 978915

Vinyl Replacement Windows

   Get rid of those old, leaking, ugly windows. Combine energy efficiency, value and low maintenance. New windows work better and smoother than aluminum or wooden ones.

   Putting in new vinyl replacement widows to replace old, wood, steel or aluminum windows is the current green trend. Maybe your current windows are painted shut or have just become worn and unattractive. Vinyl windows never needed painting so will not ever get painted shut. The windows work better and smoother than aluminum, wood or steel windows. Some vinyl windows are designed to look like painted wooden windows. These windows come most commonly in white however some vinyl windows come in specialty colors such as almond, bronze and hunter green.

   The windows are custom built to order. This means they can match your existing window sizes so there’s no need to disturb your home’s structural framing. In this way the windows can be installed without disturbing the wall inside or out. Therefore the seal around the window also does not get disturbed.

   The windows can be installed in 1 to 3 days depending on the number of windows so it would be a minimum inconvenience to you.

   Usually the windows and doors installed are “Dual Glazed”, which means they are made up of two pieces of glass that have a vacuum sealed air gap between them so weather can’t get in and the air conditioning or heating can’t get out. This provides more comfort, warmer winters and cooler summers. The windows actually pay for themselves through noticeable energy savings.

   There are “Single Hung” which means only the bottom window moves up and down.

   There are “Double Hung” which means both the top and the bottom window move up and down.

   The “Double Hung” windows are available with a feature called tilt-in which means they have a latch that allows you to tilt the windows in toward you to clean them. This feature is especially nice for windows that are on the second floor or in areas where it is hard to access it from the outside.

   There are “Casement” which means the window is hinged and swings out like a door.

   There are “Bay” windows which mean 3 windows joined at a 45 degree angle.

   There are “Bow” windows which mean 3, 4 or 5 windows joined at 13 degree angles.

   There are “Picture” windows which are non-opening windows.

   There are “Radius” windows which are windows that have one or more round sides.

   Also used to cut down energy costs are vinyl “Sliding Doors” and “Skylights”.

   All of the windows and doors are available with or without grids. This means they have a flat or sculptured grid between the two pieces of glass. This makes the windows look like separate small panes of glass.

   Ready to go? Call or text me at (818)613-5632 - Randy Mate

Have a Happy Superbowl Sunday & Groundhogs Day!

Wishing all a Great Super Bowl Sunday this weekend! Enjoy! And hey! Do you think I'll see my shadow this Sunday? - Randy

Wood Damage: Is It Termites or Dry Rot?

  Am doing an LA area home that shows signs of both - so I thought I'd share some insights on these topics -

    Have you noticed there is wood somewhere in your home that is damaged in some way? There are four common reasons wood can be damaged: impact, dry rot, termites and improper maintenance or sealing of the wood.

     It could be that the wood has suffered some impact, such as a vehicle running into it or something hitting it.

     It could be you have what’s called dry rot which occurs because of excessive moisture penetrating the wood and the breaking down, rotting and becoming a soft, mushy, weak and of useless consistency. This generally occurs because of improper or ineffective protection (paint or wood sealer which prevents water from penetrating the wood). Also the top of wood surfaces which water collects on are more prone to this problem because the water itself can stand on the surface and break down quicker any surface protection on the wood. Dry rot is caused by one of various fungi which decay wood. Moisture apparently activates it. The handling for dry rot is to remove it back to good wood or patch it (in the case of a small area).

     Another form of damage is caused by termites. There are two forms of termites I know of. Dry wood termites eat wood and live in wood, but subterranean termites live underground and come up to eat. There are two types as there are humans: those who like to stay at home and eat and those who like to go out. Both forms eat and damage wood. Often people don’t know the difference between dry rot and termite damage as they both are similar in that it weakens the wood and you end up with damaged and missing wood.

     It is, however, easy to tell the difference. The best way to tell the difference is to gently pull off the surface of the damaged wood and look at the inside of the wood. If you see smooth surfaces like a quarter inch diameter tunnels or channels, like a worm has eaten its way through, that is what termites do. The tunnels will lead into caverns that have been tunneled out. Another thing that indicates termites is small, pencil-tip sized black beads laying on the surface below the damaged wood. That is what termites do after eating the wood. Also, when a termite breaks the surface, it makes a small hole and then goes back into the wood. They don’t eat out big holes on the surface, apparently because they don’t like being outside of the wood. You can see a surface full of little holes that, when you touch it, is hollow because they’ve eaten the wood below the surface. You can just pull that surface off. If you determine that you have termites, call the exterminator before call me to repair the damage.

     Dry rot damage, however, is more like dirty brown shredded wheat. It is sometimes wet, sometimes dry, depending upon if exposed to rain. Generally dry rot is found outside; you’ll seldom see it indoors. It generally starts at the surface and goes from there on in.

     Unpainted bare redwood gates, fences, lattice and patio covers if not sealed regularly will weather and deteriorate in about 10 years depending on weather conditions. If sealed with water repellant sealer that soaks into the wood, the wood can possibly last 100 years. If you want longevity in a redwood fence, use 2” metal fence posts and seal the redwood every year.

   Have more questions? Need me to estimate some repairs? Give me a call at (818)548-8760 - Randy Mate