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Siemens Commercial Temp & Humidity Controls
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(Note: During December, I thought I would only write about interesting stuff. Nothing technical, nothing newsy. Just … stuff.)

Remodeling is an interesting business to be in, especially if you escape the technical aspects occasionally. I find the people I work with interesting for the most part and their homes are often time-locked in history.

Sometimes we uncover some of that history. It might take on an everyday form or come in an unusual presentation. We’ve removed wall coverings and discovered straw used as insulation. Things like that aren’t particularly exciting but the history behind it might be. Thinking of the person who built the home using simple and plentiful resources as insulation and perhaps the pride they felt in providing a family with a warm place to live lead our thoughts to a different era of building.

A home in Romeo, Michigan had newspaper in place of building paper on the exterior walls. The room where the newspaper was discovered was an addition to the home that was originally built in the late 1800′s. The newspaper was dated 1916. It was fascinating reading some of the ads and articles. The paper was extremely fragile being so dry it would crumble into dust unless carefully placed on a piece of plywood. The homeowner although interested, didn’t see much way of preserving it because it was so fragile. Nor did I.

I’ve discovered many old coins working in homes. I always give them to the homeowners and let them know where I found them. One coin I found was particularly interesting. It was a 1919 penny in nearly perfect condition. It was in a very nice home built in 1927 and was used as a shim in a windowsill. After I retrieved it, I thought of the carpenter building that window and his need for a shim. Rather than fetching a piece of wood and whittling one out with his jackknife he likely pulled the penny from his pocket and used it instead. Perhaps it was to be temporary, just until he located a proper shim. After all, a penny would have been a good deal of money to a carpenter in 1926 or 27.

In the same home, we removed some heavy baseboards and discovered that under several layers of paint they were solid cherry, probably cut from trees nearby and likely milled on site. It was beautiful, knot-free wood. What made it so interesting though is what was on the backside. The baseboards had originally been stained and the painter or carpenter’s handprints and fingerprints were all over the backside of the material. It was as if he were in the room with us. It gave me chills. I could see him wiping the stain on, the smell of turpentine in the air, his heavy sawhorses holding several lengths of the beautiful cherry wood. As his sawhorses became filled with stained pieces he would pick them up with his bare, stain-soaked hands and lay them aside to dry giving a final wipe to the front side to remove all traces of his handling them.

Just recently, I was changing an interior door in a home. As I removed the last side of the doorjamb, I noticed a piece of paper stapled to the jack-stud. It was the tag for the rough building inspection, signed by the inspector in 1963. It was written in pencil, the words and signature still completely legible as though it had been put there a few days ago. The house was a typical production home in a 60′s subdivision. If it had been a custom build, I might have tried to locate the inspector who signed it. Maybe I should have anyway.

So, that’s how my day goes sometimes. I drift away for a brief moment to a time past. Carpenters and painters I’ve never met are in the room with me and we’re just doing our jobs. A vivid imagination, eh?

Remodeling is always interesting work but things like this are what make it fascinating.

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

Home Depot Stores in our area offer a program once a month for kids. The program is free and gives the kids the opportunity to build something with their own two hands.

The projects are basic and (with a little help) can be completed by kids that are big enough to turn a screwdriver or tap a brad in with a lightweight hammer. My three-year-old granddaughter (Ella) and I have done a few of them together and she enjoys them very much, as do I. Sometimes it would be easier (and faster) for grampa to put it together and Ella to play with it but grampa resists the urge unless frustration takes over. Even then, we try to work it out together.

It’s great to see so many youngsters and their parents participating in the program. Working on these simple projects teaches them coordination and how to follow instructions. They get to work with real tools and real wood, and then see their project turn out just like the picture looked. Some of the projects include decals or require painting which also teach patience and coordination…for both the child and the instructor.

If your local home supply store doesn’t offer a program like this, why not start one on your own? There are a ton of projects available online and at local lumber yards, hardware stores and big box home stores. Just make sure they are pre-cut and pre-drilled and the only tools you are likely to need are a small hammer, a Phillips and flat screwdriver and patience. A little wood glue is required for many projects and sometimes you get to paint!

It’s a great way to bond with your kid(s) or grandkid(s) but most of all, it’s just fun! Isn’t that what being a kid (whether three or thirty-three) is all about?

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

I’ve considered myself skeptical of global warming. Not that I don’t believe it is happening, but of the actual cause. I’m not sure we have that much power.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a staunch proponent of sustainability theories and of taking actions to reduce our impact on our increasingly (decreasingly?) smaller planet and her resources. I know we need to clean up our act…considerably. But, I’m still not sure if global warming is caused as much by our actions as it is a natural rhythm of earth that we have no control over. Please note before you label me as a conspiracy theorist, that I do believe we are responsible for many of our earth’s issues and as such, it is our responsibility to be responsible stewards of our planet. I have always felt that way. All of this brings me to the point of this article: We need to start thinking in a more balanced way about a changing planet.

The New York Times published an opinion a couple of weeks ago called Learning to Bounce Back. It set me thinking about the subject of sustainability and resilience.

The problem, as the article makes clear, is that it’s not as important whose fault global warming is as is what we do about it.  Whatever the cause, we have to take ownership of it, make it ours and do the best we can with it.

The “best we can” should consider not only cleaning up our act but also preparing for new problems. The balance between sustainability and resilience has to be taken into account. Yes, I need to be more “planet-friendly” by recycling more and using recycled materials, building with earth-friendly products, using products that have a longer useful life and so on. I also need to consider being resilient to a changing environment by building in preparation for it and in concert with my sustainability practices.

We are seeing changes in building codes already that are geared toward structures that are more resilient. More wind bracing is being required along with seismic requirements that I never remember thinking much about in our area. It’s not doomsayer mentality. It’s evolving with an evolving planet. It has been happening through the eons. Changes in the environment, including the ground we walk on, have always occurred. The life on this planet has always changed with it.

We have to build redundancies into our infrastructure to allow for the basics in the event of changing conditions. Hurricane Sandy kindly showed us the light. Redundant power supplies, whether public or private, would be a boon in disasters like that as would communications, water supplies and transportation. Again, I’m not a doomsayer.

We are still in an infantile state when it comes to our infrastructure. After all, we’ve only been doing this sort of stuff for a hundred years or so. A paradigm shift has occurred in the last twenty or so years that will lead us into learning from the advances we’ve made in the last hundred years and rethinking how we should advance in the next hundred. We’ve got to balance the world carefully on our shoulders and evolve our thinking along with our changing environment.

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

Three important recalls we want to make you aware of:

1. Ceiling-Mounted Light Fixtures Recalled by Dolan Northwest Due to Fire and Shock Hazards
   

Read Moreà

1. American Honda Recalls Portable Generators Due to Fire and Burn Hazards
   

Honda Portable Generator

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1. Kawasaki Motors Recalls Lawn Mower Engines Due to Fire Hazard
   

Read Moreà

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

It’s been a long time since the building industry has been optimistic about the economy but all the signs are there that we are headed for better times. Numerous projects are popping up all over Macomb and Oakland Counties. It’s not what it was a few years ago but at least we’ve got a pulse again.

As housing gets better, other things happen, too. I see an uptick in new product designs meaning manufacturers are optimistic. Prices on existing housing are beginning to rise meaning demand is catching up with supply. We’re getting more calls for remodeling and some customers that postponed work are now in contact about doing it once again.

Even though the last few years have been tough for a lot of us, I feel thankful. Abundance is all around us and always has been.

We should all try to visualize abundance in everything. When you think about it, there really is more than we will ever need, want or use – no matter what you are thinking of. It could be as simple as air to breath or grass on the ground or as complicated as homes to build and new business to find. Though we sometimes feel like there isn’t enough, when we really think about it, there is abundance in everything.

So, we continue on. Moving back or staying the same is not possible anymore and would only lead to making the same mistakes again. We learn from our errors and then progress. The world is different…smaller. The same practices won’t apply, don’t apply. There’s a different mindset coming. One of brotherhood, of goodwill, of helping. It brings with it abundance. Abundance of everything.

By now you’re probably saying, ‘Well, Lenox has lost it. This has nothing to do with remodeling.’

But it does. It has everything to do with remodeling. It has everything to do with everything. You see, when we think in any way other than abundance, we become covetous and hoarding, working only for the good of one. When we think in abundance, we become generous and giving, working for the good of all.

Always be thankful for the abundance in your life. It truly is there.

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

In kitchen design, function should always equal appearance. Without function, your new kitchen might not be all you needed.

Your kitchen designer (P & B or otherwise) should consider this and recommend the right height for your planned use. Other questions we ask our clients might be: Do you entertain regularly? If so, is it usually formal or casual? Do your guests migrate to the kitchen during your party? How many? How often? We have a long list of questions.

Designing snack bars, island bars or breakfast nooks requires several considerations. The height of the bar or counter has strong influence on the amount of knee space needed. A counter set at 30 inches (table height) requires 18 – 21 inches of knee space to be functional whereas a height of 42 inches only requires 12 inches. The higher the counter, the straighter your legs will be thus requiring less depth.

Counters that are 42 inches high can easily be used from a standing position lending aid to those rushing to eat breakfast in the mornings, on their way out the door to work. High bar stools or chairs go well with this design since the higher stool will typically force your legs to be straighter, needing less knee space.

You will need to allow 24 – 30 inches of space per person. If you use place settings, you’ll want to err on the 30+ inches side of the rule. If it’s mostly for the kids or informal meals then 24 inches will likely work well. Remember, years pass and kids grow.

You will need space between the edge of the counter and any obstruction whether it is wall or cabinet. Allow 32 inches from the edge of the counter if you just need to squeeze into a seat. Allow 40 inches if guests will walk behind seated diners and 5 – 6 feet if you need to work behind or serve your seated guests.

As designers we need this information to give you not only what you want but also what you need. Are you designing with these answers in mind? You should be. Otherwise, your kitchen might not be all you needed.

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

…whatever makes you happy. It might be a great swing! ‘Nuff said. Have a great weekend.

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.

Think you won’t use your sunroom enough in colder climates to make it worth building one? Here are some thoughts that might make you consider otherwise.

Sure, sunrooms are great in spring, summer and fall but winter? Actually, yes.

A sunroom can be a valuable addition to your home throughout most of the colder months even if it isn’t heated. If your sunroom has a northern, mostly shaded exposure, this concept doesn’t work so well. But if you have a southern or western, open exposure you’ve got yourself a great place to be for a lot of the winter.

Crown Super Room(r)

Through design, a sunroom is made up of mostly windows. In spring, summer and fall the windows are likely to be wide-open most of the time. In colder months here in Michigan, we tend to think of an unheated space as being mostly unusable. However, sunrooms can often be the exception to that rule and in many cases, you can actually save on your energy bills.

A well-designed sunroom (depending on exposure) can act as a passive solar heat source. Well thought-out overhangs can protect the room from harsh summer sun while allowing the winter sun to penetrate the glass and heat the room and its contents. Customers have told us on several occasions how their sunrooms can reach temperatures in the mid to upper 80′s while it is 35 degrees or less outdoors. That’s not bad. By opening the doors and windows between your home and sunroom, you can take advantage of FREE solar heating.

You can incorporate other features into a sunroom that add to this passive solar phenomenon. Patios that are well placed at the proper height can reflect the suns energy up and into the room, magnifying results. Leave the brick on your house wall exposed to act as a collector. Just as large stones can store heat for hours after the sun is gone, brick walls can provide similar capabilities. Tile floors can be similar collectors for the sun’s energy.

So, if you get all of this heat in the winter, isn’t it going to be boiling hot in the summer? No. For one thing, opening all the windows in the summer gives cross-ventilation. Pulling shades down on the sunny side prevents that passive solar action. The sun is at a higher angle in summer so a well-designed sunroom will provide overhangs to shade that mid-day sun and an insulated roof to block heat penetration. It’s generally not much different from sitting outside in the shade on a summer day. If it’s 90+ degrees out, it might not be so comfortable.

Don’t let our cold climate make you dismiss a sunroom addition. They can be excellent assets to your family in so many ways!

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.  P & B Finishers is a Crown Sunroom Dealer.  Crown Sunrooms are proudly manufactured in Davison, Michigan.

I decided to write something a little different this week — off the norm for The RenOvation Blog. This one doesn’t have anything to do with remodeling…well, when I think about it maybe it does. But it has more to do with everything than it has to do with nothing and it’s all about anything important. And that’s important.

Sherry and I have been following baseball all season. It’s actually the first time either of us has shown this much interest in televised sports – ever. I’ve always enjoyed participating more than spectating but it seems none of my participants participate anymore. We’re all getting older and participation hurts more than it used to. Such is life.

I discovered the Glad Factor this evening while watching TV. The Detroit Tigers (our home team) were about to win the American League Pennant against the New York Yankees. As we were watching, I thought back throughout the season, kind of trying to decipher what was making Detroit such a great team. Was it batting, RBI’s, defense? Was it all of these? No. Actually, it seems to be something else. It seems to be teamwork. When one player is not doing so well, another player is doing great and there is a “lifting” philosophy that seems to come from the entire team. They support one another.

The way negative attitudes can rip through a corporation, city, country or ball team like cancer, the Glad Factor goes through like mom’s apple pie…it puts a smile on everybody’s face. The Tigers have several Glad Factors. Miggy Cabrerra is like a kid on the field and in the batter’s box. It’s as if he’s just happy to be playing ball. That attitude doesn’t change much or for long, if it does change. Add Prince Fielder and you’ve got two big kids in a candy store.

But it doesn’t end there. That kind of attitude spreads throughout the team and the team accepts it. Quintin Berry exudes it as does Andy Dirks and Justin Verlander. I even noticed a couple of months ago that Alex Avila’s normal grimace was becoming relaxed. Suddenly, he’s hitting homers. Yet they all seem to have a certain humbleness about them. It’s like they understand that it’s not the individual that’s doing so well. It’s the team in the individual.

Take a look at winning teams and winning companies, even a winning project. I think you’ll find the Glad Factor at work. Once it starts, it can tear through a team, company or project just like mom’s apple pie, and put a smile on their faces. Not only that, it can do it in our lives. Offer a smile to everyone you meet today. We could all use more Glad Factor in our lives. Go out and be a Miggy. Lift someone up today. Be that kid enjoying whatever you do. Spread it around and watch how things change. I’m starting now. Who’s with me?

P & B Finishers, Inc. is a full-service, design/build remodeling contractor serving Oakland and Macomb Counties in SE Michigan.