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Archive for September, 2006

Custom Built & Semi-Custom Built Cabinets

Posted in Building Project Guide | Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 | No Comments »

One of the finest ways to upgrade kitchen cabinets is to tear out the old cabinets and install new ones. Unlike the last time when I talked to you about “Ready Built” cabinets, the best way to come up with a finished product that has top quality components is to install Custom Built or Semi-Custom Built cabinets.

First I will talk about Semi-Custom Built cabinets. These can be purchased from a several manufactures that will have the cabinets made to your specifications. Say for instance you have an area where a 20 ½” wide cabinet could fit, instead of having to use the common 18″ wide ready built cabinet with a 2 ½” filler strip to fit the area, a cabinet to that specification would be built to fit. In some cases this means the cabinet could have a wider vertical stile on one side of the cabinet to make up the difference and in other cases the cabinet will be made to the actual width. It really depends on the cabinet manufacturer as to how far they go when it comes to customizing.

With actual Custom Built cabinets, such as the ones Maselli Construction provides, they are hand built in a wood shop and are made to the exact size and specifications of the room they are going to be installed in.

With our cabinets as well as many custom cabinet shops, the use of all solid and veneered wood products is the number one feature in their construction. With true custom built cabinets you will find no particle board or vinyl covered press board in the construction process.

With the many cabinet accessories there are available today, your kitchen can – Become very user friendly – Incorporate many of today’s High Tech products – Become the focal “Showplace” of your house and the main family gathering area.

Custom Built Kitchen Cabinets are made to last a lifetime and you can’t beat them for overall appearance and durability.

As far as cost, you will find that Custom Built and Semi-Custom Built cabinets will cost a bit more then any of the other kitchen cabinet options, but their value far outweighs the cost.

Check our some of our Custom Built Cabinets at: www.maselliconstruction.com

Install New Ready Built Cabinets

Posted in Building Project Guide | Thursday, September 14th, 2006 | No Comments »

Install New Ready Built Cabinets

Last time we talked about, an area of kitchen remodeling, which is your kitchen cabinets. Among the several things you can do to update your cabinets, is replacing them with ready built cabinets.

There are several manufacturers that you can choose from that offer you a wide variety of styles and finishes. The quality of the cabinets is another factor, you must look at when choosing a ready built cabinet manufacturer.

Cabinet, companies like Aristokraft, KraftMade, Merillat and others, all offer a wide range of grades of cabinets.

From the standard ready built cabinets that offer real wood doors and face frames, particle board Cabinet boxes and shelves, to the upgraded models that include veneered wood sides, dovetailed wood drawers and other more custom-like accessories, ready built cabinets have a lot to offer in all price ranges.

Using ready built cabinets to upgrade your kitchen can be one of the most cost effective ways to give your kitchen, a brand new, updated look.

To find out more about to ready built cabinets, you can go to several web sites, including:

www.aristokraft.com

http://www.kraftmaid.com/

www.merillat.com

The Model Energy Code

Posted in Great Advice for Homeowners | Thursday, September 14th, 2006 | 1 Comment »

The Model Energy Code

Throughout the United States when it comes to building a new home, putting on an addition or renovating an existing home, there has been a Model Energy Code enforcement through the building departments of your city or county.

Every homeowner should be well aware of this code before they begin a building project. You can find out more about this by talking to your contractor or going to the Model Energy Code web site which will be listed below.

To put it simply, what this code enforces is that in your home, you have a certain percentage of insulated heated wall and ceiling space, as compared to the amount of exterior doors, windows, skylights, and other exterior glass – areas where you would usually get heat loss.

There is a formula which a building contractor or HVAC contractor can calculate using a special program which can be downloaded from the Model Energy Code web site. By making the calculations using this program which apply to your particular project, several things can be determined to make your home meet the code.

To help make your house meet the code, you may need to:

1. Increase the R–Value of the wall, ceiling or foundation insulation.

2. Reduce the number of exterior doors, windows, skylights or other glass.

3. Purchase windows or doors using Low-E glass and lower U-Factors or Values.

4. Install a 90% direct vent furnace which is very efficient.

When a building permit is applied for, the contractor or other person applying for the permit must present a completed MEC form along with the building plans.

I realize this probably sounds a little complicated, and somewhat intimidating, because you may feel that this is your home and you should be able to build it the way that you want. However, in the long run, this is truly in your best interest.

Having an energy efficient home can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in energy costs over the space of time, you live in the home.

To find out more about the Model Energy Code, go to: http://www.energycodes.gov/

For a better understanding of Low-E glass and U-Factors or Values go to: http://www.efficientwindows.org/lowe.cfm

Remodeling the Kitchen – Consider the Cabinets

Posted in Building Project Guide | Thursday, September 7th, 2006 | No Comments »

Remodeling a Kitchen – Consider the Cabinets

One of the best ways to upgrade your home is to remodel the kitchen. For adding value to a home, kitchen remodeling ranks first among all other remodeling projects.

If you have old, outdated, or shabby looking cabinets, then a cabinet upgrade is needed. There are several options you could choose to upgrade.

1. Install new ready built cabinets.
2. Install new custom or semi custom built cabinets.
3. Re-finish or paint the existing cabinets.
4. Re-finish or paint the cabinet boxes and install new cabinet doors and drawer fronts.
5. Re-face the cabinet boxes and install new cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

Over the course of the next few weeks I am going to take you through the each of the processes above. You will be able to determine which might be best for you. You will find out the difference in quality and price of each of the above.

Hopefully after I give you all the scenarios, you will be able to make the right choice when it comes to upgrading your kitchen cabinets.

Antique and Retro Appliances

Posted in Fantastic Building Products | Thursday, September 7th, 2006 | No Comments »

Antique & Retro Style Appliances

Appliances aren’t the same anymore. Today we have an entire line of appliances the capture all the modern technological advances with the look of yesteryear.

A company called Elmira Stove Works carries a complete line of appliances that not only capture the warmth and elegance fo the nineteenth century, but also give you the fun, funky look of the “Fab Fifties.

Western Red Cedar Decking

Posted in Fantastic Building Products | Thursday, September 7th, 2006 | No Comments »

Western Red Cedar Decking

There are so many products out there for building a deck that the average consumer can become very confused. For the most part the floor boards and the railing, more so than the structure of the deck causes the most confusion.

I recommend that you construct the structure of the deck, which consists out of Support posts – Main beams – Floor joists and Rim boards out of treated lumber. This especially holds true in climates that are subject cold, snowy winters.

The options for the floorboards and railing are; Treated lumber – Composite material – Vinyl material and Western Red Cedar. All of these materials vary in price with treated lumber being the least expensive and the other three relatively close in price.

I prefer to use a Western Red Cedar, because of its beauty, and durability. Western red cedar contains natural oils, which actually act as preservatives. And this helps the wood to resist insects, which can cause the wood to decay.

Cedar is a very stable wood that lies flat and stays straight and is also easily maintained. Western Red Cedar naturally blends in with any landscape.

Western Red Cedar when properly taken care of will provide years of beauty and superior durability.

To find out more about this product go to:

www.wrcla.org

To order this product direct and have it shipped to your door go to:

www.decksupplies.com

Sky Scout – See The Stars

Posted in Amazing Tech Gadgets | Wednesday, September 6th, 2006 | No Comments »

The Sky Scout is truly an amazing tech gadget!

All I have to say is Wow!

Here is your chance to use a very sophisticated GPS device that can not only locate over 6,000 stars, planets and constellations, but can also identify them.

With this hand held device you simply point the view finder at what ever star you want to identify then click the “target” button. The SkyScout will then tell you when you are on target.

An article in the Associate Press states, “Not long after sunset, just as a few fireflies began blinking in nearby fields, a blueish-white star appeared nearly overhead and became the first target of the night.”

The article went on to say; “Determining the name of that bluish-white star was simple. I selected “Identify” from the simple menu and peered through the SkyScout’s viewfinder, positioning the star in the center of it’s two reddish spotting circles.”

A push of the “Target” button on the SkyScout’s side…locked onto the object’s position before it promptly delivered it’s ruling: “Vega…Constellation Lyra…distance 25.30 light years.”

Here are some other features of SkyScout:

1. Red backlit display for easy-to-read information
2. Accepts SkyTour SD multi-media cards for interactive tours of the night sky
3. Includes USB port for easy download of database updates
4. Compact size measures 7.4 x 2.5 x 4.0 inches (W x H x D)

For more details about this easy to use portable wonder please go to the manufactures website.

www.celestron.com/skyscout

Swimmers Ear Prevention

Posted in Amazing Tech Gadgets | Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 | No Comments »

Swimmers Ear Eliminator

If you are a swimmer then you know what it feels like to have moisture trapped in the outer ear canal.

Even if you are like me and sometimes get the water into my ear just by taking a shower and then it may take a long time before it finally comes out.

The moisture in the outer ear canal can, which is the medium that allows germs to grow can sometimes lead to serious infections commonly knows as “Swimmers Ear”.

The Solution – The Swimmers Ear Eliminator from Hammacher Schlemmer. The great little device is actually and ear dryer that will eliminate the moisture in the outer canal by emitting a gentle flow of war air that will clear the ear very quickly.

To find out more about this product and order it direct go to www.hammacher.com.

Archive for September, 2006

Custom Built & Semi-Custom Built Cabinets

Install New Ready Built Cabinets

The Model Energy Code

Remodeling the Kitchen – Consider the Cabinets

Antique and Retro Appliances

Western Red Cedar Decking

Sky Scout – See The Stars

Swimmers Ear Prevention

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