Category Archives: Construction

ceiling fans

Ceiling Fans: Your Secret Weapon for Staying Cool

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How Ceiling Fans Keep You Cool

You know how on those really hot summer days, you just can’t seem to get cool enough? No matter how low you set the AC or how many ice packs you put on yourself, you’re still sweating through your clothes. Well, it’s time to let your ceiling fan in on the secret – it can be your new best friend when it comes to beating the heat. Don’t underestimate the power of a simple ceiling fan to keep you feeling refreshed. With just the flip of a switch, it can get the air moving and make it feel like the temperature dropped a few degrees. In this article, we’ll talk about why ceiling fans are the MVP for staying cool and comfortable in your home when the temps start to climb. We’ll go over the science behind how they work as well as tips for choosing and using ceiling fans so you can make the most of yours. Turn your ceiling fan into your secret weapon this summer!

ceiling fans

Types of Ceiling Fans to Consider

Ceiling fans work by creating a wind chill effect. As the blades spin, they circulate the air in the room, which helps accelerate your body’s natural cooling process of perspiration. Moving air feels cooler than stagnant air because it carries the moisture away from your skin, allowing new perspiration to form. This small breeze is often all you need to feel more comfortable in warm weather.

Ceiling fans reduce costs

Running a ceiling fan uses only a fraction of the energy that air conditioning does.  By using fans, you can raise your thermostat by up to 4 degrees without noticing a difference in comfort. For every degree you raise the temperature, you can save up to 6% on your utility bill.

Different blade speeds for different needs

Ceiling fans typically have multiple speed settings so you can adjust the airflow to your needs.  On lower speeds, a fan can gently circulate the air and keep you comfortable without a chilling effect. Medium speeds are great for slightly warmer days or when you have a larger group of people in the room. Higher speeds create the maximum wind chill for the hottest summer days.

With the ability to keep you feeling cooler while lowering your energy costs, ceiling fans are a win-win.  They provide an easy, affordable way to stay comfortable in your home without relying entirely on artificial cooling methods. By harnessing the power of moving air, ceiling fans help you keep your cool when temperatures rise.

Tips for Choosing and Installing the Best Ceiling Fan

Bladeless Fans

If you want an ultra-modern look minus the spinning blades, bladeless fans are for you. Using air multiplier technology, they pull in air and amplify it up to 15 times, circulating the breeze efficiently. However, they typically cost more and may not be as powerful as bladed models.

Standard Ceiling Fans

Your basic but dependable option with 3 to 5 blades. Standard fans work well for most rooms and budgets. Choose between reversible or non-reversible blades, the latter being slightly more energy efficient. The more blades, the higher the price tag but also the more air it can circulate.

Low Profile Ceiling Fans

For lower ceilings or if you simply prefer a more streamlined look, low profile fans are an ideal choice. Their blades are closer to the ceiling, ranging from just 6 to 10 inches. They still provide good airflow but at a lower velocity, reducing noise and drafts. The smaller blade span, however, means they cover a smaller area.

Dual Motor Ceiling Fans

Want the best of both worlds? Dual motor fans have, you guessed it, two motors – one for warm weather and one for cool weather. The warm weather motor spins counterclockwise to produce downdrafts, while the cool weather motor spins clockwise for updrafts. This versatility comes at a higher cost but can replace the need for a furnace or air conditioner.

Whichever type you choose, a quality ceiling fan can make a world of difference in your comfort and energy efficiency. Compare styles and features to find one perfectly suited to your needs and space. Your new fan may just become your favorite home appliance!

Do I Need a Lawyer For a Construction Contract?

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Whether you are a homeowner, a contractor, subcontractor, material supplier, engineer, developer, bank, insurance company or a business owner, it is important to consider if you need to consult with a lawyer when you enter into a construction contract.

In order to learn more about the role of lawyers in construction contracts, we spoke to Douglas Healy. Healy’s firm, Healy Law Offices represents clients in the industrial and commercial realms and has offices in both Missouri and Arkansas. He has served in the past as a Greene County Prosecutor. He presently works as the general counsel to the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission. Healy is a graduate of the University of Arkansas Law School.

According to Healy, not only do people who are engaged in any form of construction need to consult with lawyers during the construction process, the help of a lawyers will often be needed in every phase of construction.

Purchasing Land

U.S. News and World Report states that lawyers often provide assistance in helping people buy land for their project. The lawyer will prepare the documents that relate to the rights of the funding source as well as the rights of the purchaser.

Taking Bids

Construction lawyers may help in the negotiation process between the principles when they are deciding upon the best method of completing the project. They may draft the request for bids on the project and negotiate the bidding process. If there is a dispute about the bidding process, construction lawyers can protect their client.

The Construction Contract

The lawyer will draw up a contract that will create an agreement between the landowner, the contractor and their subcontractors. This process will likely be negotiated. The construction lawyer draws up agreements about bonds and insurance. These documents ensure that the project will be completed and that people receive compensation if there is any property damage or if people end up being injured.

Project Phase

During ongoing construction, lawyers help ensure that each participant carries out their side of the contract. This may simply entail negotiation or demand letters, or it may entail the lawyer filing a lien or bond claim to ensure payments flow throughout the project.

If Disputes Arise

If there are disputes between the contractor and the property owner, lawyers will know the best form of resolving disputes, whether that is mediation, arbitration or dispute review panels. These disputes can be about the quality or timing of the work, where the responsibility lies in injuries or issues about damages that might arise as the project is being completed.

Healy cites examples of disputes and damages involving construction projects in the news recently. In one tragic accident, a floor of a Hard Rock Cafe in Louisiana fell, killing some construction workers, injuring others and causing damage and loss of income to nearby businesses, as the dangerous and precarious remains of the accident – including a large, dangling crane – kept the entire block around the structure closed for some time.

In another example reported by Business Insider that occurred long after the completion of construction, a building in the San Francisco Bay area, the Millennium Tower, has sunk 18 inches and tilted 14 inches in the past 11 years. In September of the previous year, the builder agreed to fix the building and compensate the condominium residents who proved that they have suffered financial losses because their residences are selling for far less than expected due to the perceived danger of the problem.

Both of these issues required skilled construction attorneys who were highly competent in the law and how it relates to all aspects of construction, the contract documents and the state statutes governing construction.

Helping Homeowners

According to HouseLogic, construction attorneys are key in helping homeowners who are dealing with fraudulent contractors not living up to their agreements. HouseLogic states that, although you could try to hold the contractor’s feet to the fire on the Better Business Bureau website and give them terrible reviews on Angieslist and Franklinreport.com, you could just end up being sued by the contractor’s lawyer for defamation.

Contract lawyers can help homeowners save money and time in fighting a contractor who has defrauded them or at least broken the contract terms. According to HouseLogic, construction lawyers help their homeowner clients through their extensive knowledge of state statutes. They can also find places in the contract where the language is weak. They may have to defend homeowners from counter lawsuits by contractors that claim their negative online review of the contractor’s work constituted defamation.

Douglas Healy states that all players in construction need to have competent and experienced legal representation. Your construction attorney needs to know the laws and how they apply to contracts, taxes, banking, environmental law, criminal law, international law, real property law, tort law, bond and lien law, insurance law and administrative law. You need a specialist in order to defend yourself and keep the construction process moving smoothly

Well-maintained waterfront property

How to Protect an Investment in a Lakefront Property

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The basics of constructing and maintaining waterfront property.

When an individual decides to invest in something, they always look forward to getting the most out of it. Waterfront property is one of the investment decisions that requires one to input more due diligence than any other investment in real estate properties. For one, it is good to work with experts who understand the seriousness of the investment and secondly purchase the right materials and accessories, because any mistake can lead to very costly losses. The good thing about being extra careful is that you will have the opportunity for high a ROI by investing in waterfront property. With that said, here is a guideline on how to protect your investment in lakefront property.

1. Inspect the Bulkheads

Your lakefront property is built near water sources and therefore will need a strong bulkhead, which is a wall that separates your property from the water. In this case, ensure that you work with an expert who will not only identify where the bulkhead should be positioned but also inspect the bulkhead itself. As the investor, you carry the responsibility to build and repair any damage on the bulkhead and this expert will also help in estimating the cost related to either building or repairing the bulkhead. The bulkhead needs to be strong and durable to keep your property safe for a long time, and this means that you have to rely on quality and reliable dock supplies.

2. Have Reliable Financing Options

Buying or building a waterfront property is quite expensive compared to a similar property built on a landlocked area. In this case, you need to be prepared financially before starting your project. You could either be relying on your own savings or a loan and if your option is borrowing from a financial institution, you need to apply for it early. Most banks will delay the provision of loans purposed to finance a waterfront property because they tend to categorize it under specialty loans. If you do not plan in advance, you will end up jeopardizing your entire investment plan.

3. Make Sure That the House You Are Buying Can Withstand the Waterfront

How strong your waterfront house is will depend on the materials that were used to build it. A waterfront property will require high-quality materials to withstand the harsh conditions brought by the presence of water. For instance, salty water leaves behind salt when the water evaporates, and this leads to massive oxidation and rust. In this case, all your dock supplies and other metals around your house needs to be stainless steel. Decking is very important when you are building a waterfront property, but it will only serve you well and safely if it’s strong enough to withstand natural mishaps such as a storm.

4. Insure Your Waterfront Property from Flood

The fact that you are investing in a house that is near the water is a source of exposure to calamities such as floods. To avoid being caught unaware, invest in flood insurance. After all, every property needs to be insured, and in this case you will be insured from a specific cause of damage; flood. Since flood insurance can be quite expensive, you will need to work with an insurance expert who will advise you on the right policy and most reliable insurance company. Also, liaise with a real estate agent in the area for a better understanding of the changes that may occur in different seasons. He should know the seriousness of a problem that may occur and therefore advise accordingly especially on the possibility of sea level rising and probable increment in insurance premiums.

5. Know the Laws about Developing Your Property

It is possible to use a waterfront property in different ways including recreational activities. However, this will only be possible if the authorities in the area allow you to make changes and improvements in the property. Also, if you consider constructing a dock, you will need to know where to get quality dock supplies so that your dock will be strong, safe and durable. Having a dock in your waterfront property improves the value of your property, and it is a cost-effective way that will make your house stand out. Check also if the city authorities in the region allow you to cut some trees to improve the views around your property. This way, you will know whether you will be allowed to enjoy the benefits that come with your investment in waterfront property.

6. Speak to People Living Around

The opinion of the people who have been living near the lake or those who have owned waterfront properties for a long time can help you make some decisions about your investment. Such people understand the issues and benefits that come with living in a waterfront property. Also, the home that you aspire to buy may have been sold because it has a particular issue that the seller is not revealing. Consider talking to your potential neighbors, and they might reveal such information. While the seller can be forced to reverse your transaction, you will be saved from the burden of going through all that trouble. Make sure you are fully satisfied with the home you are interested in buying before committing your money to it.

Douglas Knight on New Canaan’s Woodworking Subculture

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Woodworking is an important industry in any community. A lot of home furnishings, decor and installations are made of wood, especially in New Canaan, Connecticut. This is why there are many businesses that cater to people in need of woodworking services in the area. It may be confusing to pinpoint, but there is actually a woodworking subculture in this town of Connecticut.

According to Douglas Knight New Canaan, a woodworking entrepreneur, there are many types of demand that the woodworking subculture can cater to. Based on his many years of experience and observation, the market demand for woodwork items are:

  • Custom-made furniture – people in New Canaan are often looking for custom-made woodwork furniture. Some spaces in the homes do not allow store-bought furniture to fit perfectly. Individuals and families need a specialized service that can make items fit for their homes.
  • Staircase and cabinet repair – people who are just moving into New Canaan may notice some cracks and damages in a pre-owned home. There is a large demand for people to find woodworkers who can help replace or repair old cabinets or stairs.
  • Wooden containers and decors – people in New Canaan love to decorate in season. Some of them would look for rustic crates, wooden vases, or anything else that they prefer for a seasonal decor. This also presents a high demand from the New Canaan locals.

Douglas Knight New Canaan shares about the woodworking subculture in New Canaan and how it is continuously shaping the construction, home design, and art industry of the town.

Douglas Knight on New Canaan’s Woodworking Subculture

 

  1. There exist individuals who start their own carpentry business

The handymen of New Canaan are known to start their own carpentry business. They are known as overall woodworkers, or those who can do repairs, build furniture or make wooden arrangements in your home. When you simply look in directories such as Houzz, you can notice that a lot of these businesses are under the operator’s name. These woodworkers are perfect for people who are interested in finding an all-around carpenter who can do a lot of tasks. People who are undergoing renovation, newly moved, or large families can benefit from individual carpentry business. Be sure to inquire early, as some of them have clients pending as well.

  1. Woodworking is also a hobby in New Canaan

Woodworking as a hobby is making a comeback. Just recently, there was a woodworking workshop held in town that allowed children with their parents to create decors and other items. The workshop handlers provided the items, and they taught skills such as sanding, drilling, installation, and attaching. Children accompanied by their parents are asked to complete a project of making a wooden storage box. This is an interesting woodworking event that helps people acquire special skills to even start their own businesses, or just to have leisure time with the family.

  1. Woodworking business for custom-made furniture is also present in town

Another subculture of the woodworking industry in New Canaan is the custom-made companies. They make wooden containers, cabinets, boxes, and can even create specific styles for their clients. Some of the clients prefer to have rustic elements in their wooden furniture. These custom-made items can be anything used around the home such as a table, chest, closet, and even a wagon. Custom-made woodwork companies are attractive to clients in New Canaan because they appreciate handmade and unique details in their home. Since New Canaan has a rising economy, people have a higher purchasing power than the neighboring areas and would prefer to have high-quality items in their home.

  1. There exist woodworking companies for organizational purposes

New Canaan is also known to have businesses that focus on woodworking for the organization of homes and offices. They mainly focus on creating storage boxes, cabinets, and even small shelters where people can store outdoor goods. These are no-fuss creations, and they are availed by mostly large families and companies who are in need of storage spaces. For example, newly-opened offices are in need of shelves to store files and books. Some restaurants are looking for stylish wooden carts to store food or other items on display. Woodworking companies for the organization of items are the perfect match for these clients.

  1. There are also businesses for woodwork decors

The great thing about the New Canaan woodworking subculture is they cater to all types of needs–whether it’s for functional or decorative purposes. At present, there is a wealth of businesses that cater to home decor needs in the area. Most of them bring their items to a local home decor store such as Found, or Wave New Canaan. Each company brings in their distinct style.

It is interesting to note how lively the woodworking subculture is in New Canaan. Whether you’re a hopeful business owner or a potential buyer, there are a lot of offerings for you available in this town.

 

Rocco Basile Avo Construction Director

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Rocco Basile is the director of Avo Construction, founded in 2011. Rocco has over two decades of construction and real estate development experience. Rocco Basile directs and supervises all aspects of the Ground-Up Construction and Interior Renovations departments at Avo Construction.

Nick Alsis: Increasing Focus on Infrastructure Needs Has Construction Industry Poised for Growth

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construction343535It seems as though the need for addressing the nation’s infrastructure is beginning to get the attention it so desperately needs, with presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle routinely including references in their stump speeches to restoring the basic systems that are so critical to daily life. Nick Alsis believes that this increased attention bodes quite well for the construction industry, as it is quite clear that the public recognizes just how necessary it is for the nation’s infrastructure to be addressed before even greater issues begin to arise.

Given that the construction industry is already enjoying increasing growth on a nationwide basis, there is already some concern that there will be a need to recruit more professionals into all levels of the construction industry if current and future demand is going to be met. As Nick Alsis points out, this is a problem that most industries would love to have and it is also one that should not be all that difficult to address before the massive industry growth begins in earnest.

Arturo Alvarez Demalde Begins Construction On New Home

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Arturo Alvarez Demalde has selected the plot where his new home will be planted. Construction began on Friday on is expected to take 4-6 months including all landscaping, drainage, permits, fire inspection, etc. There are plenty of hoops to jump through!

Why did you choose Ralph Slaske of Slaske Builders to build this new home?

I met with Ralph Slaske and then met with a few other builders in the area. Without a doubt Slaske was better than the rest. He was more knowledgeable and was able to answer all of my questions in a way that I understood and made sense to me. One of the other builders literally told me he didn’t have time to answer any questions. I spent a total of 10 minutes with him and half of that was waiting for him to get off the phone. When I was with Ralph, I really felt that nothing else was going on, anything I asked was his top priority.

What was of paramount concern when choosing a builder?

Obviously price is a big part. When you’re building a custom home, it’s easy to get caught up in price per square foot. Just taking that metric, you can build a very big, but cheap house. I wanted a blend of affordable and upgrades. I told Slaske what was important to me and he understood. His proposal spelled out each aspect I cared about. One thing that is important to me are finishing touches. I wanted to pick out my baseboards, window and door trim as well as the sheen on the cabinets. After saying that I realized that I might be a little picky! At the end of the day, it’s my money and I want to get what I want and Slaske enabled me to do that.

What can Ralph Slaske and Slaske Builders do to improve?

One of the most difficult parts of this process was finding the right piece of property. I want neighbors, but not too close. I wanted an acre or two, but didn’t want a house 25 feet away from my property line. That meant I had to find a lot with existing homes. I talked to Ralph after I had located a few lots I liked and he actually toured them with me and helped me pick out the one that was best for my needs as well as best for construction. My favorite lot sat a little lower in elevation that the homes around it and could have been underwater if we built on my chosen spot! Ralph gave me options to backfill the whole area or pick a new lot. His understanding and experience was invaluable during this process!

Thank you Arturo Alvarez Demalde for taking the time to give us your thoughts!

For more information on Ralph Slaske take a look at this recent interview.