WHY REMODEL YOUR KITCHEN?

  The kitchen is often the most used place in your home and, thus, should get the most attention than other portions of your house.

  Here is where you sit down and say, “I want to be able to cook for large groups or have it accommodate large parties. I need 4 stoves, not one and big vegetable preparation equipment. I’m having such big parties. I love to cook.” Or, you might say, “I want my kitchen to be easily maintained, such as granite. I don’t want the commercial look of stainless steel.” Or, “I’ll have an island in the center with a sink and a small burner.” “I want it to have this much freezer space and this much refrigerator space and an ice maker.” Another might say, “I eat nothing but TV dinners, so give me plenty of freezer room and a big micro-wave.”

  If you have any questions about remodeling your kitchen, feel free to call me at (818) 548-8760. - Randy

Importance of Communication During Remodeling

  It takes an incredible amount of contractors communication to the customer, the sub-contractors and workers to pull off a smooth and successful remodel or addition on time.

  The contractor needs to have an open line to the customer. The customer must be kept up on the progress of a job on a week to week basis. The customer must have notification of any delay, problem or alteration.

  The customer must be able to tell the contractor of any changes, additions or concerns they may have before they become a problem.

  The contractor must also be able to communicate and coordinate with his sub-contractors. He must be able to set up the "critical path" (the sequence of work set up against time) and schedule the sub-contractors to come in at the correct point in coordination with the subs' other jobs.

  I actually set up a "critical path" on a computer program which plots each job action as a horizontal bar that overlaps and ties into other bars so I can tell at a glance where I am at on the overall job.

  One of my early learning experiences when I first got into the construction trade was in plumbing. I worked for a plumbing sub-contracting company on an 80 unit condo project. For that they had a Project Manager to oversee the whole project and stay on the overall critical path, a Job Supervisor to oversee the work being done on whatever units were ready for the next step of plumbing, and they had an assistant to help them to run messages, check on things, do filing and such. They always had four, 2 or 3 man crews working on the job.

  Because they had all of this communication and organization they could move along no matter what sort of crew changes occurred. After I had been there only 6 months I was the longest seniority crewman, but because of the Project Manager and the Job Supervisor the job went on and never missed a beat.

  Then there is the opposite situation I have also seen. When I was a sub-contractor on a job, the contractor was only present one or two times per week for less than an hour each time. However the customer was there every day, all day. It was vey important to the customer to have the job completed by a certain date. So I ended up being the direct contact to the customer who would ask me questions about the entire job when I was working on just a portion of the job. This not only prevented me from completing my portion of the job in a timely manner, but it caused upsets with the customer because I could not answer their questions most of the time. I ended up being the unpaid and uninformed Job Supervisor.

  All in all, it is very important to have someone running the job who is the person who coordinates ALL aspects of the job with the city, designer, architect, customer and sub-contractors.

  This person can be the contractor or a duly assigned Project Manager and/or Job Supervisor depending on the size of the job and the format of the construction company.

  All of this communication becomes even more important when dealing with a customer who is a homeowner who is living on the job site while you are doing the work. This sort of customer wants you in and out as fast as possible, getting a great product, never creating any mess of any kind, anywhere. This sometimes has to be compromised because you can't tear down a wall without a mess. Any messes created have to appear never to have been created. This is done with tarps and rapid clean up while the customer is out to lunch or has his back turned. You tear down a wall, he hears the noise stop, goes over and no mess.

I'm here to answer all questions . . .
  The contractor should always be available to answer questions in anything the customer needs to know, such as a detailed answer like what type of anchors to use to hang a picture, etc.

  Sometimes debriefs to the customer take 2 or 3 hours in a weekly meeting so that all the customer questions are answered and the customer is fully aware of where things stand. By doing this you can catch and correct problems before they get buried and have to be unearthed to fix. (Such as he plans to put something there which requires a different layout of the framing or plumbing which is already in a concrete slab.) On a walk through the bare framing of a new home, a contractor points out to the customer where the plan says the tub and toilet will be and if the customer says, "No, no, I wanted them over here", it is not a problem to change it at that point.

  Items as simple as changing the way a door swings left or right means moving the light switch to the other side of the door. This is easy to do early on by making sure it is on the electrical plans in their job.

  Recently when we were doing a 500 square foot, second story, redwood deck, we exposed something when doing the demolition that made it impossible to do the framing the way it was designed and engineered. I needed to quickly coordinate with the architect who needed to coordinate with the structural engineer and designer and the city to redesign and re-engineer a structural detail and get that back in the hands of the sub-contractor via the contractor. This all, usually, has to occur overnight so it doesn't stop the production.

  I not only give my office and fax number to the customer, I also give my cell number.

  I think you cannot communicate enough. Communication is like a solvent, it will solve anything. Ready to remodel? Call me at (818) 548-8760 for that free estimate. - Randy Mate

WATER STAINS ON THE WALLS OR ON THE CEILING

   Heavy rain can cause leaks where you never have had leaks before. This is due to the saturation of water. When you have so much water getting in that it builds up and gets through.
  Realize if you have water damage inside you need to fix it outside where it is coming from and not to try and stop it on the inside. The important thing is to fix it properly so it will not happen again.
   This is usually a leak in the roof or where the rain gutter meets the house. And in some rare instances, by a leaking pipe in the ceiling or wall. Once you have the roof patched or the leak handled you now have a stain that needs to be taken care of.
   If the stain is on a painted wall or ceiling and you know the color, you just need to paint the stain first with an oil base primer (so the stain will not come through the paint), then paint it with the correct color. If you need to match the color then you can go to a hardware store that has a means to computer match paint and get paint matched that way. If you have a “cottage cheese” ceiling that has not been painted and is clean, it would be best if you got some white “Kilz” spray paint and spray the stain with that.

Got Questions? Need Help? Call me at (818)548-8760 - Randy

What Do You Mean, Have I Fixed The Roof?

     Many times I go to a house and the customer wants me to fix water damage in some ceiling in the house. The first thing that I say to the customer is “Have you fixed the roof?” The response I often get is “What do you mean” . . . or “Why do you ask?”

     Water damage on the upstairs ceiling or the ceiling of a one story house is generally caused by a roof leak.

     First of all it is unusual for a house to have pipes in the attic and secondly if there are pipes in the attic it is unusual for them to be leaking.

     This is also true with damage to the walls unless they are near a window, shower, sink or toilet.

     What you need to do before calling me to fix a water damaged ceiling or wall is to note the history of the damage.

     Does it only get worse when it is raining or has it just rained?

     Does it only get worse when you use the shower upstairs?

     Does it constantly get worse no matter what the weather is doing or how much you use the sink, shower or toilet?

     The more I know about what the characteristics of the damage to the ceiling and/or walls are, the easier it will be for me to figure out what is causing the damage.

     Got questions? Don’t hesitate to call me at (818) 548-8760. I’m always here to help.

A Man's Home is His Castle . . .

I not only remodel but do additions and can built you a house from the ground up.  

I also don’t limit it to just castles but can also do…

abodes, accommodations, addresses, bungalows, cabins, caves, chateaus, citadels, cribs, cubbyholes, digs, domiciles, dumps, dwellings, establishments, flats, forts, garrisons, habitats, hangouts, haunts, hideouts, homes, houses, huts, joints, lodgings, manors, mansions, nests, pads, palaces, quarters, residences, resorts, roosts, shanties, shelters, strongholds, towers and of course villas.

I have been in construction for over 30 years…

 Since I was 19 years old I have been doing construction and I have been a licensed general contractor since 1995. 

 I started in 1977, I learned the trade doing it from the ground up for 18 years, my first job in construction was digging trenches for the foundations of houses, then doing miscellaneous jobs, then into construction trades (framing, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting and many more) up till 1990 when I became "Randy the Handyman" for 5 years. then became a Licensed Contractor, in Glendale, California in 1995.  

For the next 24 years, 1995 to 2019, I have built up a pool of sub-contractors to do most anything.  I now specialize in residential remodels, additions and houses from the ground up. 

Got something? Call me - (818) 548-8760 or visit my web atwww.newcastleremodeling.com

 I know what it takes to get a job done and can spot when things are being done correctly or incorrectly. 

I would like to have the opportunity to do a project for you, construction is what I do.

CA Lic 978915

YOU’VE REMODELED BEFORE . . .

Remember how it was?

§       The hope, the dream, the plan.

§       The hope the construction would be over soon – but done right.

§       The dream come true, a valuable home improvement.

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

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 maintain the support of the roof by the walls.
  

   The doors we installed were standard height, 6'8" - one was 6 feet wide and the other was 8 feet wide. In this case we installed dual-glazed, vinyl-clad sliding doors. "Glazed" means to put glass in a frame. "Dual" means two and dual-glazed means 2 layers of glass with a vacuum-sealed space between with an inert gas that doesn't contain moisture (so it won't condensate between the panes). Having two panes of glass acts as insulation and a buffer to noise.
  

    If you put a door in, you have to keep in mind what you step out onto. Need to move a planter? Or add steps down to the patio? The ground has to slope so water will not come in. After the door was installed, we patched the stucco outside and the walls inside. Got questions? Feel free to call us (818) 548-8760. - Randy

Wood Damage: Is It Termites or Dry Rot?

     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

Do You Have Sticky Wooden Doors or Windows?

   If your doors are sticky, it is usually fairly simple to remedy. The first thing to look at is the door in comparison to the door opening. Get the idea that you could move the door in any way inside the opening and from that get the idea as to whether the door needs to be trimmed or if it just needs to get adjusted in the opening. If it just needs to get adjusted in the opening then it can be adjusted by either shimming the hinges out a bit or by chiseling the wood under the hinges so that the door moves left or right in the opening. By using this method you can also move the top left and the bottom right or the top right and bottom left. Now, also by moving the hinges up or down, on the frame side, you can move the whole door up or down.

   Now, if it is necessary to trim the door, you can do that with a plane or most likely it will be an edge that you cannot get the plane to (Murphy’s Law) and therefore you need to take the door off. The best way to take the door off is to take out the hinge pins by using a screwdriver and a hammer. You need to put the screwdriver under the head of the pin and hit the back of the screwdriver with the hammer, remove the pins and lay the door on its edge to trim it. Put the door back on by putting in the top hinge pin first as that makes it easier to put in the remaining pin or pins.

   If your windows are sticky or stuck totally shut, do the following. The first thing to know is that if the window is a hinged window, use the same method that I told you for a door except that you need to take out the screws that hold on the hinge as the hinge pins cannot normally be removed in the case of hinged windows.

   If you have windows that slide up and down, there is a whole different way of handling them. First you need to look at the window inside and out and see if the windows are painted shut so that they do not move. The way to fix that is to get a sharp knife or a razor knife and cut the point where the window is painted to the frame. Now that that is done, it is as simple as tapping the window up and down gently with a block of wood or a rubber hammer but don’t hit it so hard that the glass breaks. If this does not take care of the problem, it may be necessary to take out the window stop that holds the window in its track. This stop forms one side of a track that the window travels in. Sometimes, over years of age, too much paint gets into the track or the wood just swells a bit and it is too tight in its track. In this case, it is necessary to take out the window and trim it to run smoother or to adjust the stop to allow for the swelling.

   When putting back on the stop, allow a little more slack so the window can slide easier. Nail the stop on with finishing nails.

   You may find, if you do need to remove the window, that the counterweights that make it easier to move the window may be broken. At this point, if it is necessary to remove the old counterweights, take them into a hardware store or a sash and door shop to get them replaced. Or you may want to call me at this point as I could do a whole other article on replacing counterweights.

   Got questions or need help? Call me at (818) 548-8760. - Randy

Landscaping Ideas

  You can do landscaping to take care of any problems you are having with your yard or to make your yard more beautiful.

Retaining Walls

   If you are on a hillside, a retaining wall can stop erosions from occurring. You will not have to worry about dirt that keeps coming down the hill.

   If you have an area of your hill that you would like to be able to utilize, you can terrace the hillside in order to be able to put in a deck or spa.

Proper Drainage

   Make any water that comes onto your property run through it so as to utilize the water, but not have it become a problem if there is too much.

Automatic Watering

   Set up a system in your yard that waters everything properly and yet can be turned off easily if you do not need watering.

Relax with the Sound of Water

   You can add streams and a waterfall if you want. This is done in such a way as to look like an actual stream running through your backyard. It can integrate with a pool or pond.

Decorative Lighting

   Add path and yard lighting to enhance the new landscaping. You can light streams, waterfalls, trees, bushes, lawn, paths, patios, etc.

Bar-B-Qs

   Install a built-in or portable Bar-B-Q that goes with your design.

Change the Look of Your Yard

   You can add or take away trees, bushes, fences, flowers, etc. to give your yard the exact look you want. I have a designer that can work with you to get you the exact look you want.

   Your house can be your “Dream House”.  Just decide what you want to do and I can help you make your dream become a reality.

Recent HD Gift Card Sent . . .

Recently sent out a free Home Depot gift card. Fill out my remodel survey and get this or many other cards free . . . Go to my web site and get started. Reward yourself and refer your friends to go for it! - Randy

Houses and Their Moving Parts

Houses have moving parts. These parts need to have maintenance done on them in order for the items to have as long a life as possible. This article will tell you about some of the items that fit under this category.

Doors move and the screws that hold on the hinges should be tightened or replaced with longer screws if they get loose. Hinges should never need to be oiled as the only reason they would be a problem is if they get out of line with the door or with each other. Door knobs and locks sometimes get sticky when spray oil has been used on them. This is due to the fact that the oil is a liquid that attracts dirt and therefore gets thick and sticky. When this occurs the oil must first be cleaned out and then a dry graphite can be put in to make the knob or lock work smoothly. Sliding doors need to have screws tightened and wheels aligned from time to time as they usually get a lot of use. Rollers on the bottom must be kept clean by maintaining a clean track for them to run in. If they get dirty, the dirt gets into the ball bearings and wears them out faster. When they start to wear out spray oil helps for a short time but the thing that must be done is to replace the rollers.

Windows need pretty much the same things as doors.

Cabinets need the hinges done and the same thing you do to locks and knobs needs to be done to the latches. Drawer glides and rollers should be kept clean and adjusted if they are not opening properly.

Vents that direct air around the room have adjusters on them that should be oiled with a light spray oil only if they are getting hard to move. Exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms should also be kept clean but do not oil them as the motors are usually a sealed system that cannot be oiled.

Air conditioning and heating units need to be maintained and should be looked at by an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) person each year before starting them up.

Got Questions? Call me at (818) 548-8760 - Randy

Get Onto My Home Remodeling Survey . . .

Hey! Do my remodeling survey via my web site and get a free gift card! Many to choose from. Includes Starbucks, Subway, Home Depot, etc. And why not refer a friend or neighbor? Go for it! - Randy

Possible Earthquakes = ATTACH CABINETS AND SHELVES TO THE WALLS

   Look around your house and see if you have any tall shelves or cabinets.

Anything that is over 4 or 5 feet tall, or seems like a little shake could knock

it down, should be attached to the wall so that it does not fall down during an

Earthquake.

   The things to look for are bookshelves as they are heavy and could hurt

someone if they were to fall down on them. Another thing to look for is

shelves that have glass items on or in them or that are made with glass doors.

   All it takes to attach shelves to the walls is to get some 2 or 3 inch L-brackets.

Attach one side of the bracket to the wall at a stud and the other end to the top of

the cabinet or shelf. It is best to do at least 2 of these brackets on each top, or

one every 16 inches or so.

For more tips to prepare go to www.fema.gov/earthquake

Got a Home Improvement Looking To Do?

Got a home improvement project around your house? Call me at (818) 548-8760 for your free, no obligation quote. - Randy

Looking to do Some Finish Carpentry?

Have a good friend who does great finish carpentry work - Rick Bittle. Would like to show some of his works -

  

Need work? Call him at (818)352-3674

Is Your Home Ready for the Next Big One?

Wishing all in the Ridgecrest area recent earthquake a quick and safe recovery. Make sure your home is ready - as we do live in quake territory. Give me a call at (818) 613-5632 to get your home a free evaluation and estimate - Randy

Bricks & Stones

     Sometimes you have a brick or stone area that you do not like the look of. When this is the case you may only have to remove and replace the brick or stone surface with new brick or stone and not have to replace the base.

     However in most cases if the brick or stone is damaged it is due to the fact that it was not placed on a sound base. In this case it is necessary to tear up the base slab and install a new one. Once you have a good base you now can put down any type of stone or brick to replace the old.

     You can also choose to install a new finish on the surface of the base slab. This can be done with many products that can be applied right on top of the slab and create a finish that looks like stone or brick. Also many types of non-slip finishes can be applied. Let me know and I can get you samples of these products.

     Got something you need looked at? Call me at (818) 548-8760 and I’ll come by to check things over and give you a free estimate. 

Your Home Remodeling Costs . . .

   Below you will find 6 variations of construction costs, with descriptions of each on the following -

Costs include General Contractor's Overhead and Profit and Fees.
Land costs, financing and other real estate related costs are not included.
NEW CONSTRUCTION

Per Square Foot Cost
Economy – $90 - $110
Fair – $110 - $125
Standard – $125 - $140
Custom – $140 - $165
Estate – $165 - $200
Luxury – $200 and up…

    IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE COSTS...

         . . . there are other factors that can change the overall square footage prices:

JOB SITE CONDITIONS COSTS
There may be EXTRA structural, soils, foundation, retaining walls, etc.  These Items, if needed, will add to the over all cost.   For example a “Hillside Home” would require more foundation, caissons or retaining walls.

REMODEL and/or ADDITION CONSTRUCTION COSTS
There is also the addition of demos to the above cost. All of these items can add to the cost.  For example adding a second story over an existing house would require making the existing structure stronger in framing and foundation to support the second story.  There would then be repairs after those changes.

· Economy
         This class of residence is constructed to meet code requirements and to provide adequate accommodations. There are no special features that make the residence attractive from the exterior and the interior finishes are minimum. These residences are usually square or rectangular (box shaped) with dimensions focused on easy and simple installation. The windows, doors, kitchen cabinets and plumbing fixtures are clearly inexpensive and installed with little concern for appearance. The quality of workmanship is indicative of inexperienced workers with minimum professional supervision. Emphasis, during construction, is placed on speed of completion. These residences are constructed from stock plans.

· Fair
         This class of residence is constructed to meet code requirements and to provide adequate accommodations. There are a few features that make the residence attractive from the exterior. The interior finishes are minimum with a few features. These residences are usually rectangular (box shaped) with dimensions focused on easy and simple installation. Any projections or adornments are simple and inexpensive. The windows, doors, kitchen cabinets and plumbing fixtures are inexpensive and installed, suitably, but with little concern for appearance. The quality of workmanship is indicative of experienced workers working in an "assembly line" environment.

· Standard
         This class of residence is constructed to meet and exceed code requirements and to provide comfortable accommodations. There are usually several features that make the residence attractive from the exterior. These features are standard but significant enough to give a residence an individual identity among similar residences. The interior finishes have several distinctive features. These residences usually have design enhancements that are functional and efficiently installed. The windows, doors, kitchen cabinets and plumbing fixtures are standard quality and carefully installed. The quality of workmanship is indicative of experienced workers working in a "structured" environment with several levels of quality control and accountability.

· Custom
    This class of residence is constructed to exceed code requirements and to provide attractive and comfortable accommodations. There are usually several special features that make the residence attractive from the exterior. These features are modifications of standard and introduce uniqueness to the residence. The interior finishes have several special features. These residences usually have design features that clearly indicate that care was taken to give the residence the appearance of special architectural design. The windows and doors are carefully manufactured of high-grade materials and are carefully installed. Kitchen cabinets and plumbing fixtures are "built-in" and above standard in quality and installation. The quality of workmanship is indicative of experienced workers working in a "controlled" environment where attention to detail has precedence over speed of completion.
 
· Estate
    This class of residence is constructed to meet the individual requirements of the design architect and/or owner. They normally exceed code requirements and provide unique, attractive and comfortable accommodations. There are many special design features that make the residence attractive from the exterior. These features are unique to the residence and clearly give it a special identity. The interior finishes have many special features. These residences have design features that clearly indicate that care was taken to give the residence the appearance of special architectural design. The windows and doors are carefully manufactured of high-grade materials and are carefully installed. Kitchen cabinets and plumbing fixtures are "built-in" and above standard in quality and installation. The quality of workmanship is indicative of experienced craftsmen working in close cooperation with an architect or professional designer. Attention to detail takes precedent over all other considerations.

· Luxury
    This class of residence is constructed to meet the "unique and demanding" individual requirements of the design architect and owner. They normally exceed code requirements and provide "one of a kind," attractive and comfortable accommodations. There are many special design features that make the residence attractive from the exterior. These features often consist of special and unconventional building materials and craftsmanship that dominates the appearance of the residence. The interior finishes have many expensive features that include exotic woods and hand made ornamentation. The windows and doors are carefully manufactured of high-grade materials and are carefully installed. Kitchen cabinets are crafted from exotic wood and plumbing fixtures are "built-in" and superior in quality and installation. The quality of workmanship is indicative of experienced craftsmen working in close cooperation with an architect or professional designer. Attention to detail takes precedent over all other considerations.

Need a Home Remodel?  Contact me by Telephone, visit my Web site at www.newcastleremodeling.com for more information and a free gift card!

License #978915.

Phone: (818) 548-8760

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 be on. The basic thing to remember is you need a solid foundation and then build up a level or split level base from that solid foundation.
   Once there is a base, then the finish deck can be put onto that. The finish deck can be made of 2 inch by 2, 4 or 6 inch wood, 1 inch by 2, 4 or 6 inch wood or even a combination of these woods. The most common is 2 inch by 6 inch with a space of about 3/8ths of an inch between each board.
   A deck can be put any place where you can imagine it would be nice to have a flat area or split levels of areas that are connected by steps. There can be steps from level to level, handrails for looks and for safety in areas where someone could fall, built-in benches that match the deck, planters that match the deck, holes cut around trees that come through the deck, decks that are built on top of a concrete slab, decks over land areas, decks put onto balconies and anything.
   If you put in a deck, or if you already have a deck, the most important thing is now to maintain the deck so that it does not crack and get water damage.
   All that is really necessary to do is to seal the deck every year. It is best to do this sealing just before the summer as that is when it will get the most sun and will tend to dry out and get the most damage.
   The fastest and easiest way I have found to seal the deck is to use a garden sprayer (the kind you pump up) or a sprayer that is similar to that kind of sprayer that is better designed to spray the sealant. The kind of sealant that you want to use is an oil type that soaks into the wood and prevents water from getting into the wood. After you put the sealant on, you will find that water will bead up on the wood like a new wax job on your car. The type that I advise and have had success with is called "Thompson's Water Seal". When you put the sealant on, it is important that you cover anything under the deck that you don't want to get water sealed as it will soak into cement and cause it to be discolored. Besides, it can't be good for plants. First spray under the deck on the support boards and any wood that you can get to that is under the deck. Next spray the top of the deck and spray into the cracks between the boards. It is good to fully coat the boards well as the more sealant that the boards soak up the less water can get in and the longer the wood will last. Not to mention that the wood looks a lot better when the sealant (which is an oil) soaks into the wood. Well that's about it, have a great summer.

75 Years Ago Today . . .

It was 75 years ago today that many brave men placed their lives on the line to free a continent from the grip of a terrible man. Take some time today to reflect and commemorate those heroes of  D-Day!  - Randy

Remodel For More Space by Randy Mate

 Just by changing the layout of your current house you can better utilize the rooms and therefore have more space to do the things you want to do. If you like to cook but don’t often sit around your front room you could move some walls, make the front room smaller and make your self a grand kitchen. If you always order out for food you could make your dining room or living room larger by making your kitchen smaller. If you have lots of kids and do lots of laundry you may want to make your laundry room and recreation room larger and do away with your living room. Then you can remodel your remaining rooms.

BUILD A ROOM ADDITION
   You may want to add on a bedroom and bathroom, or make an existing bedroom larger and add a bath to make it the master bedroom.

KNOCK DOWN A WALL OR RE-CONFIGURE A ROOM
   You may want to take out a wall between your bedroom and the bedroom next to it because your kids are grown up and the room is just being wasted. By taking out the wall you can make a big bedroom and maybe even add a master bath.
   You may want to take down an exterior wall that goes out to the patio then close off the patio with walls or windows to make the living room larger.

BUILD A LARGE DECK
   You could add a 1st or 2nd story deck to the house with a new large sliding glass door to go out to the deck. You would now have a place to put plants, or for yourself, outside on a nice day.
   You may want to add a deck in the backyard up the hill to have a nice view. Even put a hot tub in the deck. Build a deck all around your pool.

CONSOLIDATE STORAGE
   Take all of the storage you have all around your house and maybe in the basement or under the house. Figure out how much room it is taking up. Now you can either build a storage shed in the back or side yard, or close off an area under the house and make a storage room there, and move everything into there. Now you have more space to re-configure if you want.

CONVERT A ROOM
   You may want to take an unused bedroom, storage space or area under the house and make it into a library, exercise room or game room.

ALL THIS FOR ABOUT $125.00 PER SQUARE FOOT
   There are many things that can be done with the existing space that you have and of course you can always add on. Depending on whether you are doing a remodel or an addition the price to do this can vary from $75.00 per square foot for simple remodeling to over $150.00 per square foot to do an addition depending on how much you want to spend on the finish items such as tile, tub, shower, toilet, stove, deep freezer, carpet, marble, slate, granite, gold-plated hardware, etc

Need a remodel? Call me at (818)613-5632 for your free estimate

Big Decks Are Better Than Small Decks

    Decks can make your outdoor space more useable by making the area level or just by putting a surface there that can be walked on and items can be set on.
   Exterior decks are most commonly made out of redwood. Redwood stands up to the sun and water much better than any other wood. The next best wood to use would be cedar. The other thing to consider is using “fake wood” or composition vinyl “wood”.
   Decide where you would like to put a deck. You can put a deck on flat land or on posts over anything. Attach decks to other decks with walkways and steps. It can be as big or small as you want. Bigger is better because you can then use it to put more stuff on, such as chairs, tables, hot tubs, etc.
   The first thing that has to be built is a free base for the finish deck to be attached to. This base will vary in construction depending on the shape of the area beneath the deck.
   Once there is a base, then the finish deck can be put onto that. The finish deck is most commonly 2 inch by 6 inch with a space of about 1/8th of an inch between each board.
   There can be steps from level to level, handrails for looks and for safety in areas where someone could fall, built-in benches that match the deck, planters that match the deck, holes cut around trees that come through the deck, decks that are built on concrete slabs, decks over land areas, decks put onto balconies and anything that you can imagine.
   If you put in a real wooden deck, it is very important to maintain the surface every year, or at least every few years, depending on the exposure it gets.
   The fastest and easiest way I have found to seal the deck is to use a garden sprayer (the kind you pump up) or a sprayer that is similar to that kind of sprayer that is better designed to spray the sealant. The kind of sealant that you want to use is a type that soaks into the wood and prevents water from getting into the wood. After you put the sealant on you will find that water will bead up on the wood like a new wax job on your car.
   When you put the sealant on, it is important that you cover anything under the deck that you don’t want to get water sealed.
   First spray under the deck on the support boards and any wood that you can get to that is under the deck. Next spray the top of the deck and spray into the cracks between the boards. It is good to fully coat the boards well as the more sealant that the boards soak up the less water can get in and the longer the wood will last.

 Need a Deck or Repair a Deck? Call me - (818) 548-8760

Are You Running Out of Storage Space?

   Are you trying to figure out what you’re going to do with all your stuff? There are many things you can do to make more room. Here are some ideas:

1. Set up free standing bookshelves. This can be done by either buying some shelves that are already put together or by getting shelves that you “match the numbers” on and put the correct screw in the correct hole. Whatever you do when you are dealing with free standing shelves, you are going to want to attach the shelves to the walls so they don’t fall over in the event some sort of earth motion were to take place.
2. Put shelf strips on the walls that take “clip in” supports. These are pretty simple. You put these strips onto the walls (it is best to hit a stud) and then you can buy “arms” that hook onto the strips that stick out to support the shelf. The shelf is a pre-made laminated board that is made to match the “arms” and the strips. You just lay the shelves onto the arms and you are done. The best thing about these shelves is that you can adjust them in about 1 inch increments to suit whatever you are going to put on them.
3. Put shelf brackets on the wall that you set a shelf on. These are simple “L” shaped brackets that you attach to the wall and then attach a shelf to the top of. Once these shelves are in place they would not be moved as they are all screwed in place.
4. Put in built-in shelving or cabinets. This definitely takes more time and skill but it is where you take a space that you have that is not being utilized well enough and you build fixed cabinets however you want it to look and function. I won’t get any further into this one as it could be an article of it’s own.
5. Set up a storage shed in the yard. I’m talking about one of those sheds that you can get at Home Depot or such that you take home and put together in your yard. The most important thing about one of these things is to build a foundation of at least wood for it to sit on and it is a good idea in my opinion to make it from concrete.
6. Build a wood shed on a small concrete slab. In this case you are basically building a small building. Frame for concrete, put bolts into the concrete to bolt the bottom wood to, set bottom plates, build walls, build a roof, ply the outside, roof it, seal the outside and make it waterproof if need be. This is another pretty complicated one but one that with just a little study anyone could do.
7. Rent an outside storage space. Well I guess I don’t have to say any more than that.
8. Put an addition on your home. Add anything from a closet to another floor to your house. This could get pretty big also.
   Hope this helps.

Randy Mate 

Have a Deck in Good Condition?

Check and see if any boards are loose when you walk on them. Do they move, are any of them warped badly out of place and are they rotted? When you look at the wood of the deck, do you say "that wood is no good"? That is the easy-to-see problem and if the problem is that far you probably need to replace the whole deck.

There are harder to spot problems that you will be able to feel when you walk on the deck. If it feels at all spongy, if it gives at all when you walk on it, most likely the boards underneath that support are damaged in some way. You must realize that by the time that the dry rot gets so bad that you can see it on top, the whole deck will probably have to be replaced. You should get underneath and carefully look over all the underneath boards and see if you have any damage at all underneath. Take a screwdriver with you and poke it into the wood and see if it goes in easily anywhere.

Call me at (818) 548-8760 to get me to check out your deck and get you a free estimate on fixin' it for great outdoor entertaining. - Randy

EXPAND OR UTILIZE EXISTING SQUARE FOOTAGE

People have many reasons to make changes or additions to their house.  Expand your homes value.  Redesign to utilize existing sq ft for some other use.  I have been doing construction since 1977 and I can help you with anything you need or want.

* Need more room for in-laws or enlarging the family.
* Would like a Deck, Fountain, Pool, Sauna, Hot Tub, etc.
* Modernizing a Kitchen or Bath.
* Handicap Access.

If you want to do anything I can help you out from Start to Finish.

Here at New Castle Remodeling…”We can do it, you can watch”

Make sure you meet all of the city requirements or your project could easily be held up until you do.   This includes necessary permits, plan check and so forth.

When you want to plan a project, the basic sequence is…
DESIGN – – – Decide what you want it to do/look like.
ARCHITECTURAL – Figure out how to make that design.
ENGINEERING – – Figure out structural needs to make that design.
CITY PLAN CHECK – Get city approved as needed.
PULL PERMITS – – As needed.
BUILD – – – Put it all together.

YES I AM AT THE JOBS
I am the owner of New Castle Remodeling and I run the jobs.  If there are any questions, problems, production, promotion, payments, permits, confusions, corrections, collections, directions, decisions, revisions, awards, plans, etc, etc… “The Buck Stops Here”.

One very important point to remember is that there is no "silver bullet" for reducing the costs of new construction.  A house is made up of thousands of parts involving 20 to 30 different construction trades.

Keep it rectangular. Maintain a simple roofline. The construction industry is accustomed to 90-degree angles.

Stay away from highly advertised "decorator" items. You can buy a perfectly good dishwasher for under $400. It is easy to pay $1,500, but it won't get your dishes any cleaner.

Spend your money on the things you see and use every day.
Have everything worked out before you break ground. If you want to see your budget blown to bits, start making changes after construction has begun.

Don't be a trail-blazer. Forget the idea of a steel framed house or one made out of light weight concrete. There are a lot of products that are more suited to making the manufacturer wealthy than to giving you a good house for the money. The generic stuff that has been around a long time is usually best.

Make a list of "optional" items and how much they cost. This will be a great help in deciding which gives more value for a limited budget. Some examples of "optional" items: granite countertops, lawn sprinkler system, home theatre, upscale plumbing fixtures, brick siding, upscale cabinetry, upscale kitchen appliances, lighting fixtures.

Plan to add later those things that you can't afford today. There are lots of things that you can build into a house that facilitate its being added onto later.  There are things that can be done to allow the addition of "appliance" type items at a later date. Pre-wire for a security system, central vacuum system, home theatre, automatic lawn sprinkler system, intercom and finish them out when you can better afford it.

Water Leaks

 With recent rains these tips could be helpful . . .

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 nut needs to be tightened a little. If tightening this nut does not stop the leak, then a new valve needs to be installed.
2. The drain is leaking from one of the joints under the sink. Most of the joints should just come apart when the nut at the joint is loosened. (You may have to wiggle and pull on it a bit.) Once it is apart, you can take it into the local hardware store and ask the people there to give you the new washer for that type of joint.

WATER STAINS ON THE WALLS OR ON THE CEILING
   This is usually caused by a leak in the roof or where the rain gutter meets the house. And in some rare instances, by a leaking pipe in the ceiling or wall. Once you have the roof patched or the leak handled you now have a stain that needs to be taken care of.
   If the stain is on a painted wall or ceiling and you know the color, you just need to paint the stain first with an oil base primer (so the stain will not come through the paint), then paint it with the correct color. If you need to match the color then you can go to a hardware store that has a means to computer match paint and get paint matched that way. If you have a “cottage cheese” ceiling that has not been painted and is clean, it would be best if you got some white “Kilz” spray paint and spray the stain with that.

WATER UNDER THE DOOR
   If water is getting under a door you just need to add some weather stripping to the bottom outside of the door. The weather strip that needs to be added is a flat piece of metal that has a flat piece of rubber on it. You cut that to the proper length with a hacksaw and then you can install it to the outside of the door at the bottom with screws that it comes with. When you install it, make sure that the rubber part of the weather stripping fits snugly against the bottom threshold.

WET UNDER THE HOUSE
   If you have wet spots under the house, there is either a leak in one of the supply lines or in a drain line and either way it will take some crawling around and searching to find the leak and then some figure-out to handle the leak. You should call me on this one or on any questions you may have. (818) 548-8760