HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Thinking of putting in your own fireplace? I did it.

HOW TO INSTALL YOUR OWN WOOD BURNING FIRE PLACE

In our ranch home, I installed two insert fireplaces that burn wood. We really wanted a Wood burning fireplace. I Had never done one before , so my wife checked on costs and we were astounded at the quotes we received. I had already framed them.

All that had to be done was to cut the hole in the roof, run the pipe and attach. We were quoted $4000.00 for both. We called all fireplace stores in the Wausau area, one would not even give us a quote. This did not include stone or any finish facade.

So, we took a trip to Menard's. We purchased all the materials for two fireplaces for less than $1500.00. ( including fans for both, and screens) It was really fairly simple.

Measure the width and height of the insert, frame it with 2 x 4 and use plywood to in close.

I had a bit of fun with my design. In the bedroom I placed the fireplace in the corner and put it up on a 2 foot hearth and ran window blocks underneath with eclectic and lighting for night light effects (we install red colored bulbs when the fireplace is not in use or during the Summer months) Then I ceramic tiled the base. I used extra beams that I had from building log homes, and ran them up the sides and used one beam as the mantle from wall to wall. It is a very impressive look.

This creative placement did not cost any thing. I did another atypical design in the living room as well. I must say that I pride myself on using material that I have on hand to keep costs down.

Now as far as the piping goes, I used a double wall pipe, ran it threw the hole in the roof, re shingled the roof and made sure that it did not leak. I used tar , caulk and metal flashing . They have not leaked, knock on wood.

We love our fireplaces. I just wanted to share with anyone who is thinking about putting in their own , that they can do it. Do not be intimated.




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My first home of the season. A Hochstetler log cabin.

Building a Hochsettler log cabin, first home of the year. Many log home companies closed during this period of the recession. Others, the companies that focused on integrity , a fair price for a quality product, thrive.

Log home building is beginning to pick up. I felt the crunch coming about two years ago. After my big bang of 2002 when I built about 9-12 homes , I could see that each year, more and more homeowners, wanting to build a log home , simply gave up. The stumbling block ...money. Banks who pre-approved homeowners, pulled out at the last minute. The recession , the scare, has put a freeze on this industry. Lenders and homeowners were simply afraid.

Log home companies that I have dealt with and built for, have gone out of business. Amerilink, out of north Carolina, who built an impressive model home site consisting of several (four) model homes out of New York,( Patriot Log Home Builders built there largest 3500 sq. ft cabin) has closed. They focused on affordable pricing and in house construction ( managed there own building teams "In the Woods").

Jim Brana Log homes, a company that took pride in their elitism , it appears has filed bankruptcy and is in the process of restructuring.

Many of my fellow builders, have been out of work or have changed careers. (some to satellite dish installation)

I have seen over the years many trends in building. The log cabin is a secure homestead, an heirloom that one passes down to generations. It stands the test and rigors of time. Many people intuitively sense the security a log home gives to them.

The desire to own and live in a log home is still alive and well. The homeowner is cautious , and rightly so. He is looking for that integrity , honesty and affordability.

Hochstetler is out of Ohio , it a is Amish run milling company that gives prices that can't be beat. They have a beam roof and floor system which is superior. it is the traditional look that most people are striving for. I begin building this home in a few weeks. I will be posting the building process.




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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Nothing Was Going To Rain On Our Parade (Or In This Case, Our Party)

Admiring Bottle Cap Artwork by Molly B. Right.
Chad Besenfelder, Geoff Graham and Steve Kendrick

"Over and above what we expected" is the best way to sum up the Coastal Living Idea Cottage party! After months of planning, every detail of the house was ready for its first debut- the tent arrived (and then a second tent, as it appeared that the clouds and rain would be our uninvited guest) caterer and steel drummer were ready to go, and five minutes after the start of the party, sprinkles began to fall from the sky. We all thought it would affect the attendance, but we estimate that close to 300 guests arrived to take in this beautiful home and celebrate alongside us!Peeking into the Sleeping Nook from the cozy Den
Enjoying the Festivities

Every direction you could see people all around, enjoying themselves and taking in the beautiful colors, designs and decor that local designer, Angie Hranowsky dreamed up for the Caribbean style home. Not to mention the attention to architectural detail by acclaimed, Historical Concepts and beautiful private courtyard design by Kerns Landscape Architecture.The Complete Coastal Living Idea Cottage team. (Left to right, Hutch Kerns and Tamra Graham from Kerns Landscape Architecture, Vince Graham, Nicole Hendrick, Idea Home Manager, Lindsay Bierman, Editor in Chief, Bill McDougald, VP, Southern Progress Homes Group, Melissa Bigner, Freelance Writer for Coastal Living magazine, Angie Hranowsky, Interior Designer, Deborah Way, Structures Building Company Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Steve Kendrick, Owner of Structures Building Company, Dave Hargis, Structures Building Company Project Manager, Kevin Clark, Historical Concepts, Rebecca Guertin, Historical Concepts and Dan Osborne, Historical Concepts)

We can't thank the Coastal Living magazine staff enough for making the trip to Charleston for the great celebration, Lindsay Bierman, Editor in Chief, Bill McDougald, VP, Southern Progress Homes Group, Sara Anderson, Executive Editor, Julia Rutland, Senior Editor -Food, Margaret Barnhart, Southeast Account Manager, Corinne Brown, Southeast Director -Travel/Real Estate and Nicole Hendrick, Idea Home Manager who lead so beautifully from start to finish!Lyles and Helen Geer, William Means Real Estate
Deborah Way, Structures Building Company, Tiffany Shanklin and Heidi Stroup of William Means Real Estate

Special thanks to Coastal Living magazine and William Means Real Estate for throwing an amazing party! Helen Lyles Geer, you have an incredible team that planned and took care of every detail from start to finish! We couldn't have done it without the countless hours of Drew Grossklaus, Heidi Stroup, Tiffany Shanklin and Sharon Jackson!

From start to finish, it's been an absolute success! Already the tours are under way and have been well attended for the first two weekends! Don't forget to plan a time to swing by to soak up some fresh ideas and support two amazing charities, East Cooper Habitat for Humanity and East Cooper Montessori Charter School. You may find that you just want to move right in!
Structures Building Company Team (Left to right, Amy Jenkinson, Accountant, Kristy Gorsuch, Design Manager, Steve Kendrick, Owner, Deborah Way, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, R.P. Newton, Production Manager and Dave Hargis, Project Manger)

photography by juliet elizabeth photography




Monday, August 24, 2009

Custom Green Design & Building Made Simple

Welcome to the ABODE Builders blog! Our approach to blogging is the same as our approach to green building - make it simple and have fun doing it.




How could building a green home be simple you ask? It's made simple by doing the right thing the right way, designing a system that ensures consistency, paying attention to details and communicating well.




We'll use this space to keep you informed about the latest green building techniques, upcoming educational opportunities, financial benefits & incentives and our full-service, award-winning hybrid construction process.




Enjoy!




Jason Maring


Director of Sales & Marketing

Custom Green Design & Building Made Simple

Welcome to the ABODE Builders blog! Our approach to blogging is the same as our approach to green building - make it simple and have fun doing it.




How could building a green home be simple you ask? It's made simple by doing the right thing the right way, designing a system that ensures consistency, paying attention to details and communicating well.




We'll use this space to keep you informed about the latest green building techniques, upcoming educational opportunities, financial benefits & incentives and our full-service, award-winning hybrid construction process.




Enjoy!




Jason Maring


Director of Sales & Marketing

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Congratulations to the Pylants!


Glad to see the Pylant's are really starting to make this Daniel Island Park house their home! Congratulations from the team at Structures!


Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Welcoming Our Newest Addition To The Structures Family!

(Left to Right - Steve Kendrick with Herb and Dolores at their beautiful lot on Daniel Island Park)

We are so excited to have Herb and Dolores of Connecticut as part of our family! They arrived this past Monday to enjoy a bit of their future tromping grounds of Daniel Island Park and to meet their project team at a pre-construction meeting. You couldn't find us in one place for too long as we had meetings scheduled to begin selections - of course much fun was had by all and the memories are already being made. (isn't that right Bob?) :-) A special thanks to our vendors/suppliers who were SO helpful along with clients, Lee Helmer, Lynn Anglin and Bud Wofford, (Structures clients) who allowed us to visit their homes to gather different ideas for selections and details! We're off to a great start!

Friday, August 14, 2009

MArhaban Yaa RAmadhan.....


Assalamualaikum wr.wb...


marhaban ya ramadhan....
bentar lagi bulan puasa datang....

wuiii.....
gak kerasa yha...
padahal kmaren masih lebaran...
eee.


sekarang udah puasa lagi....



Oke serius....

jadi bulan RAmadhan tu adalah bulan yang selalu dinanti2 kedatangannya oleh semua umat muslim sedunia...
kenapa..??


ada yang tahu..??


uhmm...
ya udah..

karena, ada baaaaaanyaaaakk sekali keuntungan yang bisa kita dapatkan selama bulan tsb..
diantaranya:

1. kita dapet pahala
2. bisa ngerasain bagaimana penderitaan sodara2 kita yang selama ini kekurangan makannya.
3. kita jadi sehat, coz pola makan jadi teratur...
4. amal dan ibadah yang kita lakukan selama bulan ini, mendapat pahala yang berlipat-lipat jumlahnya dibanding waktu2 biasa.
5. setiap hal yang kita lakukan, bernilai ibadah.. eh.. tapi hal yg kita lakukan itu yang positif lo...
6. jika kita berhasil puasa sebulan penuh, insya Allah kita akan disucikan kembali oleh Allah, kayak anak bayi baru lahir.
7. setiap huruf al-qur'an yang keluar dari mulut kita bernilai 10 pahala. wah... kalo satu halaman al-qur'an yang kita baca, udah berapa pahalanya tuh..??
8. jika kita beruntung, kita mendapatkan malam lailatul Qadr, yaitu malam kemuliaan. jika kita beribadah di malam itu, maka pahala yang kita peroleh akan sama banyaknya dengan melakukan ibadah itu selama 1000 bulan. wuii... berapa banyak tu, pahalanya..??

makanya, bulan ramadhan tu ditunggu semua orang. selain karena keuntungan2 yang udah ana tulis di atas tadi, ada baaaaanyaaaak lagi manfaatnya. seperti: hubungan kita dengan orang lain menjadi lebih baik, karna adanya momen bermaaf-maafan. pokoknya asyik deh, bulan ramadhan...


O y..
tambahan ni...
Aul co cool sebagai penulis juga mohon maaf, kalo misalnya ada yang kurang berkenan dihati pembaca pas nge-view blog Aul...
Dimaafin ya....



Assalamualaikum...




Aul cool reported...

Rub a Dub Dub, Three Men In A Tub


In construction there are ALWAYS different hiccups, but we like to surround ourselves with a teams of problem-solvers! Mark Riling and his amazing team, William and Eric of East Coast Plumbing and Gas, showed up bright and early with an idea and a solution to our challenge. Relentless to help us achieve a our standard of excellence along with their standard, we found 3 grown men in a tub, well, not really, that's a mental picture we can definitely do without!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Coastal Living Idea Cottage - Den Room Video Tour

Talented designer, Angie Hranowsky brought a bold and fun idea to the den through a beautiful and cozy plum that makes you want to curl up on the couch with one of the hundreds of books found on the floor to ceiling built-ins or watch a movie on a quiet evening. While it is a den, this flex room has the option to be used as a downstairs 3rd bedroom with access to full bathroom. The den also enjoys the views of the Jefferson Canal located in the heart of I'On Village.



structures.net

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Biden Time, Not "Biding Time"

I just received this story from the Tori Stein, President of the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association and thought it was worth passing along. It's always great to hear of a great local company that isn't "biding time" (just waiting around), but is always ready to step up to the bat like a team player - especially in light of Biden's arrival into Charleston, SC, yesterday afternoon for his week long vacation on Kiawah Island.

"Late Friday evening I (Tori) was called to help prepare a house of a long-term client for the arrival of Vice President Biden which strict confidence requested. I was not given a to-do list or any indications of the needs, wants or desire of the point staff that landed on the house until Monday morning. And while I have many humorous stories about Secret Service and the Kiawah Concierge I must give Jim Clark of ESS (Environmental Solutions & Services) and Frank Smith of eLifespaces the recommendations and kudos they deserve.

Jim and Frank dropped everything to work on an incredible list of items with some requests at the 11th hour that I initially thought was impossible to accomplish. I could only tell them that it was important and imperative the work was completed by 2:00 yesterday. (Frank was the last to leave at 1:59.) Both of them were quick to brain-storm on how to meet the goals with excellent humor and focus without tripping over the army of housekeepers, landscapers, ABI carpenters, and Men-in-black. Neither blinked but agreed to be on call with me for the next 7 days 24/7 without questions.

If you are not using these companies then you are missing the boat on providing your clients the best possible service and product. They will make you look like a Star. My deepest appreciation to these gentlemen and their expertise for making an incredible undertaking flow smoothly and seemingly effortless style.

Sincerely,


Tori Stein, CAPS, CGP

2009 President of Charleston Trident Home Builders Association

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Following the Leaders


Ahmad with his daughter, Analla, Ahmad's Sister, Keema and me

It's a great feeling to be a part of a company that understands the importance of an investment and a promise. Whether that applies to the investment of each client and their custom home or the lives we come in contact with throughout life.Ahmad's daughter Analla, graduate David and me

For 7 years prior to beginning my position at Structures Building Company, I had the privilege of being the Assistant Director/Lead Teacher for the Faith, Hope and Love Mentoring Program in Charlotte, NC. Having the opportunity to have these "kids" a part of my life for the past 11 years has been one of my greatest joys!
Proud Grandmother Byrd who has raised her amazing grand daughter, Karen

What a privilege I've had seeing the milestones these leaders have worked for as they just graduated from high school and prepare themselves for college!

PeeWee, Doran and me

Kare'n and I enjoying Sophie's performance in the play, Guys and Dolls Jr while Kare'n came down to enjoyed a weekend away in Charleston before heading off for college.

Kare'n, Sophie and me after the play!

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