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Page 1: Fall Home Improvement 2010

PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T01] | 09/17/10 12:52 | SUPERIMPPB

Page 2: Fall Home Improvement 2010

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BY MELISSA RAYWORTH

FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ask William Carter aboutexpanding your home andhe’s going to be blunt: It willbe expensive. It will bemessy. And it will take time.

“This is a very taxingprocess,” says Carter, whohas renovated homes inCalifornia for three decadesand is now board chairmanof the National Associationof the Remodeling Industry.“You’re probably going tomake 1,500 to 2,000 decisionsbefore this project is com-pleted.”

But, he says, if you plancarefully and trust yourinstincts, you can “end upwith a quality project andeveryone will be friendsafterwards.”

RESEARCH

Like all remodeling proj-ects, adding on to your homestarts with planning andresearch. In surveys of Con-sumer Reports readers whohave remodeled their homes,“the thing they wish theyhad done is spent more timeupfront,” says Celia Kuper-szmid-Lehrman, deputyhome editor at the maga-zine.

Make detailed notes aboutthe basics you want, and aseparate list of special things— maybe skylights or a fire-place — that you’d love toinclude but can live without.

“There is almost always aconflict between what youcan afford and what youwant,” says Bill Harbrecht, aretired contractor from Flor-ida who shares his knowl-edg e on the websiteRemodeling4Dumbells.com.

Basics such as “founda-tion, framing, basic electricand heating are built-in costsand there is no way aroundthem. Many are governed bybuilding codes and cannot bechanged to make them less

expensive,” Harbrecht says.But “you do have controlover everything else, andeverything else encompasseshundreds of choices, eachone more or less expensivethan the other.”

Be sure to plan a largeenough addition, he says,because scrimping on spacemay leave you unsatisfiedwith the finished product.

But also consider how thevalue and size of your homecompares with others in theneighborhood. “You don’twant to go crazy beyondwhat’s common in yourneighborhood,” says Kuper-szmid-Lehrman, becausebuilding too big can make itharder to recoup the moneywhen you eventually sell.

Do research at local storesto decide what you like —particular appliances, typesof flooring, etc. — and whatit costs. This legwork makesyou more informed wheninterviewing contractors,and helps create a budget.Knowing exactly what youwant will help you avoidexpensive changes once thejob is underway.

Work up a realistic budget,Kuperszmid-Lehrman says,leaving room for cost over-runs of 5 percent to 10 per-cent. When budgeting, con-sider whether you’ll need tolive elsewhere while work isbeing done.

Look into financing inadvance, says Mark Dono-van, founder of the DIY web-

site HomeAdditionPlus.com.Don’t wait until you’vesigned a contract to confirmhow you’ll pay for it.

Once you know what youwant, ask friends and neigh-bors to recommend contrac-tors.

EXTENSIVE

INTERVIEWS

You can commission plansfrom an architect beforeinterviewing contractors orwork with “design/build”contractors who create plansfor their work. If the addi-tion isn’t elaborate, you alsocan buy software to designyour own plans. Softwarecan cost up to several hun-dred dollars, Donovan says,but “that’s what an architectwould charge you for onehour.”

When interviewing con-tractors, make sure all deci-sion-makers are present.Come prepared with ques-tions, and ask for clarifica-tion of details.

Once you have severalbids, be sure you’re compar-ing apples to apples. Lowbids may not offer the sameservices or quality items ashigher ones, so ask for spe-cifics.

“If someone offers a muchlower bid than others, he’sprobably not going to be onthe job all the time,” Cartersays. “It’s going to start, then

Be prepared when putting an addition on your home

AP PHOTO/AMY SANCETTA, FILE

This May 6, 2010, file photo shows builder John Cowles as he works on an addition toa home in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Putting an addition on your home is no quick and easyjob, but doing some research in advance will better prepare you for the project.

“There is almost always aconflict between what you can

afford and what you want.”

— Bill Harbrecht, retired contractor

Please see ADDITION, Page 3

T2 Sunday, September 19, 2010 The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA

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PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T03] | 09/17/10 13:55 | SUPERIMPPB

AP PHOTO/DAMIAN DOVARGANES, FILE

This June 17, 2008, file photo shows construction worker Sergio Samperio as heworks on the roof of a home addition in Los Angeles.

languish awhile.”Carter’s proposals are

carefully organized, andinclude numerous docu-ments detailing every aspectof the job. “Look at how thebid was presented,” he says,because the effort put intothe proposal may give a senseof the effort that will go intothe finished job.

Look for someone who isexperienced in the specif-ic type of work you’replanning, and perhaps iscertified in that area. Doesthe contractor point outpotential difficulties upfront or promise that thejob will be totally smoothsailing? Ask about thingslike downtime while theywait for supplies.

Get references fromformer customers, and“don’t just say, ‘Did youlike the guy?”’ says Kuper-szmid-Lehrman. Ask howthe job went and whetherthere were any surprises.Ideally, visit former custom-ers’ homes to see the work.

Most important: Listen toyour instincts in choosing

the right contractor.“Find the builder you have

the right chemistry with,”Carter says, because this per-son will be in your home formonths to come.

EVERYTHING INWRITING

“A lot of people get bids,and by then they’re alreadyso tired of the process” thatthey just jump in and getstarted, Carter says. But it’svital to move slowly and care-

fully when signing contracts.Don’t assume details are

implied. Outline everythingon paper, from which materi-als will be used to how cleanthe worksite will be at theend of each day.

Agree in writing on anestimated time frame andoverall estimate of costs. Butaccept that contractors can’tpredict the weather, andthings like frayed wiring ortermites may be discoveredwhen walls are opened.“Even the best contractordoesn’t have X-ray vision,”says Kuperszmid-Lehrman,“and the older your home isthe more likely it is you’regoing to find something likethat.”

Once the project is under-way, stay in writtencommunication.Phone messagescan cause confu-sion, says Carter, sohe prefers e-mailupdates,withevery-one copied in. Writ-ten communicationwith a date andtime stamp is thebest way to prevent“he said, she said”conflict, and pre-serve a good rela-

tionship until the end.• Online:http://www.homeaddi-

tionplus.comhttp://www.

remodeling4dumbbells.com/http://www.nari.org/

ADDITIONContinued from Page 2

“Find the builder youhave the right

chemistry with.”

— William Carter, NARI board chair

BY SUSAN ZEVON

FOR THE ASSOCIATED

PRESS

Kids may want to dotheir homework at thekitchen table with a sea ofactivity surroundingthem. Many experts saythey shouldn’t.

“Build a space dedicatedto homework and elimi-nate distractions,” advisesDouglas C. Merril, a for-mer Google spokesmanand author of the new“Getting Organized in theGoogle Era” (BroadwayBooks).

According to Merril,everyone thinks they canmulti-task, but our brainsjust aren’t cut out for it.

In her new book, “Right-Sizing Your Home” (North-west Arm Press, 2010), con-

sultant Gale Steves agrees.

She writes, “Although kids

gravitate to the kitchen or

family room — where par-

ents can keep a watchful

eye on them — ultimately

having a workspace of their

own is important.”

And Maxwell Gilling-

ham-Ryan, founder of the

design blog Apartmentther-apy.com, taught school inNew York City before hebecame an interior design-er. Each year he would visitstudents’ homes, and here’swhat he observed: “Invari-ably, the children who didbest in school came from

Creating a nice space todo homework matters

“Build a space dedicated tohomework and eliminate

distractions.”

— Douglas C. Merril, author

Please see SPACE, Page 4

The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA Sunday, September 19, 2010 T3

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homes that were calm, well-organized and attractive,”he says.

“A child’s homeworkspace should be as simpleand practical as possible,”he believes. “Children needa private, separate environ-ment where they can con-centrate and get throughtheir work.”

While homework spacemust be functional and wellorganized, it also should besomewhere the child wantsto spend time.

“Get your child involvedin the design,” advisesSusanna Salk, interiordesigner and contributor tothe “Today” show. “Havethem look at pictures andsay what they like.”

Salk’s book, “Room forChildren: Stylish Spaces forSleep and Play” (Rizzoli,2010), compiles pictures ofchildren’s rooms decoratedby well-known designers.She believes that a child’sworkspace should have aninspirational element, andsuggests checking out thewall art available on Art.com, where you can findmurals that are easy tomove, are stain-resistant,and can transform even atiny homework space with abeautiful landscape or worldmap.

M o s t c h i l d r e n a r einspired by having some-thing like what their par-

ents use, Gillingham-Ryansuggests. “My daughterlikes to have somethingthat my wife or I have onour own desks. Considergiving your child a pen,lamp stapler or mouse padlike your own.”

When selecting furnish-ings for homework space,keep in mind that your littlegirl or boy is going to getbigger and older.

“Don’t just look at kids’stuff,” Salk says.

Consider good adult tasklighting, and keep in mindthat a nice wooden table canserve as a good desk. Gill-ingham-Ryan favors desksmade from wood.

“Natural materials help achild to feel grounded,” hesays. He believes there is ahealthier energy from natu-ral materials and fewer pro-pensities for a child to writeon them. He recommendsthe adjustable wood desksavailable from North-woodsin Ontario, Canada.

He also suggests avoidingfluorescent lighting, select-ing instead halogen orincandescent light.

Stock up on containers,trays and baskets. “If theirhomework space is wellorganized, children aremore likely to keep it thatway,” Salk says.

The Container Store has alarge selection of suchaccessories in many sizesand styles.

But don’t overdo storageor your child will wind uphoarding a lot of stuff thatcould be thrown out.

“Storage always wants tobe full, and anything youcan’t see has a tendency tolive there forever,” Gilling-ham-Ryan warns. Use bas-kets and open containers soyou can see what’s there andencourage your kids to keepediting things out.

Fortunately, you do notneed a large space to createa good homework area. Ifspace is limited, Steves sug-gests placing a desk underthe top bunk instead ofanother bed, and creatingstorage with a small file cad-dy on wheels.

She also suggests think-ing vertically when space islimited. A hutch or shelvesabove a desk provide stor-age as well as space to dis-play children’s work. Youcan affordably put up someshelves using a system likethe Elfa storage system,available at the ContainerStore.

No matter how appealingand private the homeworkspace may be, encourageyour child to take a break.

“The human brain canonly focus on any one thingfor about an hour. It is moreeffective to take a break andcome back to homework,”Merrill advises.

• Online:www.douglascmerrill.

comwww.apartmenttherapy.

comwww.susannasalk.comhttp://north-woods.ca/

school.htmwww.containerstore.comwww.art.com

SPACEContinued from Page 3

AP PHOTOS/NORTHWEST ARM PRESS

Top: This photo provided byNorthwest Arm Press shows theBase Camp Loft Bunk Bed withdesk in Rustic Cherry from YoungAmerica Youth Furniture as seen in‘Right-Sizing Your Home,’ by GaleStevens. In this child’s room, a deskplaced under a bunk bed in place ofanother bed creates a cozy home-work space. Left: This photo provid-ed by Northwest Arm Press shows adesk with hutch from LeaFurniture’s Freetime Collection asseen in ‘Right-Sizing Your Home,’ byGale Stevens. While homeworkspace must be functional and wellorganized, it also should be some-where the child wants to spendtime.

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T4 Sunday, September 19, 2010 The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA

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PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T05] | 09/17/10 13:25 | SUPERIMPPB

BY SUSAN ZEVON

FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jim Alexander, a realestate agent in Atlanta,decided this summer to sub-ject his own 11-year-oldhouse to an energy audit.

“If this was something Iwas going to recommend tomy clients I wanted to see formyself how it works,” hesays. His verdict: “Homeenergy audits are going tochange the way we buy andsell houses in America.”

Alexander hired the com-pany Retrofit America toconduct the audit, whichshowed that by spendingabout $3,000 <0x2014> $700of it covered by governmentrebates <0x2014> he couldsave several hundred dollarsa month in energy costs.

Some of the recommenda-tions were as simple as put-ting a latch on the attic doorso that it would not swingopen. “The auditors not onlybrought in all the latestequipment and computertechnology but they alsoused their eyes,” he says.

Home energy audits arelike doctors’ checkups forthe house, says Seith Leit-man, who blogs as the GreenLiving Guy and consults onMcGraw Hill’s series “GreenGuru Guides.” And just asyou need to follow a doctor’sadvice to get healthier, soyou need to follow an audit’srecommendations and ret-rofit your house if you wantto see savings, experts say.

The federal government’sEnergy Star Web site, Ener-gystar.gov, says the auditsare the first step in making ahome more efficient, com-fortable and healthy. If yourhome is too hot in summer,too cold in winter, drafty or

damp, and if you suffer fromallergies or just from highenergy bills, you should do ahome energy audit. You alsoshould do one on any houseyou are considering buying.

HOW TO PROCEED

You can perform a simplehome energy audit yourself,but you will need a profes-sional for a thorough assess-ment that includes heatingand cooling systems.

Begin with a diligentwalkthrough of your house,keeping a checklist of areasyou have inspected and prob-lems you find. The EnergyStar website offers a check-list, or for more guidelinesread “Do-It-Yourself HomeEnergy Audits” (McGraw-Hill, 2010).

To get started, Chandlervon Schrader, national man-ager of Home Performance

with Energy Star, recom-mends going online to com-plete the Energy Star HomeEnergy Yardstick, which letsyou compare your house-hold’s energy use to othersand get recommendationsfor improvement. The yard-stick is intended just to giveyou a general idea, not athorough audit.

EASY FIXES

Some simple steps to startconserving energy at homeinclude replacing incandes-cent lighting with energyefficient, fluorescent light-ing in the room you usemost.

Other quick fixes mayinclude replacing old appli-ances with Energy StarAppliances. Check the Ener-gy Star website for products

Home energy auditsDoctor’scheckupsfor a house

AP PHOTO/U.S. EPA

This computer generated image provided by the U.S.EPA shows an illustration of where air can leak in andout of a home. According to the federal government’sEnergy Star site, ‘a home energy audit is often the firststep in making your home more efficient.’

Please see ENERGY, Page 6

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PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T06] | 09/17/10 13:58 | SUPERIMPPB

that have earned that label.

Beware of some other

popular quick fixes. Win-

dows, for example, cost a lot,

and new ones will not pro-

vide energy savings if they

are not properly installed

with caulking, and if leaks

in rooms are not sealed.

THE COMPREHEN-

SIVE AUDIT

Von Schrader warns

against cheap energy audits

conducted by someone try-

ing to sell you something.

“Houses are complex

and require comprehen-

sive solutions,” he says.

“You should look at a

house in a holistic fashion.

If you do just one thing

you may throw others off.

For example, sealing off

drafts in an attic may cause

humidity buildup in other

parts of the house.”

A complete energy audit

requires specialized equip-

ment, says Matt Golden,

president and founder of

Recurve Inc., a San Francis-

co-are company that helps

homeowners increase ener-

gy efficiency. That equip-

ment includes blower doors

that measure the extent of

leaks in the building, infra-

red cameras that reveal

areas of air infiltration and

missing insulation, and

duct blasters that use pres-

sure testing to find leaks in

a duct system.

SELECTING AN

AUDITOR

Von Schrader suggests

hiring energy auditors

approved by the Residential

Energy Services Network

(RESNET) or the Building

Performance Institute (BPI),

which set national stan-

dards.

Companies like Retrofit

America and Recurve prom-

ise one-stop service for hom-

eowners, from the audit to

financing to completing the

home improvements and

verifying the work is done

right. Retrofits may include

air sealing and insulation;

duct work; replacing heat-

ing and cooling systems and

water heaters; substituting

windows, doors or applianc-

es; and adding renewable

energy systems, such as

solar panels.

COSTS

The average cost of retro-

fitting a house once it has

been audited is $8,000 to

$10,000, according to Von

Schrader, and it is not

always advisable to go with

the lowest estimate. “Work

done correctly often costs

more,” he says.

Fortunately, there are

programs to offset the costs.

Some state energy pro-

grams and utilities offer

rebates, which requireaccredited home-energyauditors and contractors todo the work. A federal ener-gy tax credit of $1,500 isavailable until the end ofthis year.

Providing rebates to con-sumers to encourage ener-gy-efficiency upgrades isalso part of energy legisla-tion making its way throughCongress.

• On The Net:www.energystar.govwww.greenlivingguy.comhttp://www.retrofitamer-

ica.comhttp://www.energystar.

gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=HOME<0x2014>ENERGY<0x2014>YARDSTICK .show-GetStarted

www.energysavers.govhttp://resnet.ushttp://www.recurve.com

ENERGYContinued from Page 5

AP PHOTO/PAUL SAKUMA, FILE

This March 9, 2010, file photo shows an Energy Star

label at an appliance store in Mountain View, Calif.

One way to start conserving energy in your home is to

replace old appliances with Energy Star Appliances.

AP PHOTO/ROBERT F. BUKATY, FILE

This June 10, 2009 file

photo shows a compact

fluorescent light bulb in

Freeport, Maine. There are

simple steps you may take

to start conserving energy

in your home, such as

replacing your incandes-

cent lighting in the room

you use the most with

energy efficient, fluores-

cent lighting.

Welcome fall withnew accents, colors

BY MELISSA RAYWORTH

FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Don’t be fooled by all the

attention paid to “spring

cleaning,” says interior dec-

orator and professional orga-

nizer Kathryn Bechen.

The transition from sum-

mer to fall can be an even

better time to get your home

organized and in shape,

since many of us shift our

focus indoors.

The approach of fall is an

opportunity, Bechen says, to

infuse your space with

enough color and warmth to

carry you through the win-

ter ahead.

CLEAN AND CLEAR

Late summer and early

fall are the ideal times to go

through your wardrobe and

kitchen cabinets selecting

things for donation, says

Donna Smallin, an organiz-

ing and cleaning guru whose

most recent book is “A to Z

Storage Solutions” (Storey,

2008). If you wait any longer,

she says, the holidays will

arrive and you won’t get the

donation done in time for

the coming year’s tax

return.

Be tough, she says: Warm-

weather items that you

didn’t use this past spring

and summer really should

go.

Interior designer Mallory

Mathison advises putting

away the plastic and acrylic

kitchen items you relied on

all summer. Bringing out

heavier pottery pieces and

baskets will change the look

of your kitchen, especially

if you use them to display

fall vegetables and fruits.

Approach of fallis opportunityto infuse yourspace with colorand warmth

Please see COLORS, Page 7

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Page 7: Fall Home Improvement 2010

PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T07] | 09/17/10 13:26 | SUPERIMPPB

Sort through the remain-ing clutter that’s accumu-lated all summer and getthings put away. Then, Smal-lin says, clean everythingthat normally gets ignored:from light switches andlight fixtures to doorframesand kitchen cabinets. For anadded facelift, touch up thepaint around doors and win-dows. And use a smudge-remover to banish finger-prints and evidence of abusy summer.

Rugs and floors should becleaned if you’ve had a lotof indoor/outdoor trafficduring the summer. Also besure to clean summer bed-ding and linens before pack-ing them away, Bechen says.She advises storing summeritems in large plastic stor-age bins. If you chooseopaque ones, rather thanclear, label them to identifythe contents.

Last, you can clean yourhome with products that arescented, and bring inwoodsy fragrances withsprays and candles.

Does all of this sounddaunting? “The thought ofdoing a whole big cleaningcan be overwhelming,”

Smallin says, so “each daypick one thing that inspiresyou” and tackle that task.

COLORS ANDTEXTURES

There are many creativeways to bring in the warm,deep colors and cozy tex-tures of fall, Mathison says.Some are obvious: bed andbath linens, accent pillows,place mats, cloth napkins.But there are plenty of oth-er opportunities for inject-ing fall colors.

“People think of slipcov-ers for summer, but you canslipcover a chair with choc-olate brown velvet,” Mathi-son says, and bring a cozyfall look into the room. She

also loves “a pair of reallyworn-in, dark brown espres-so leather pillows.”

More tips:Mathison advises clients

to swap out white lamp-shades for warmer coloredones when summer ends.“Say you have a black ironlamp,” she says. “Using atoffee-colored linen shadelooks so different than awhite silk shade. And itcasts a warmer glow.”

She also brings a goldenglow to picture frames andfurniture using a productcalled “Rub n Buff,” whichgives a warm, burnishedlook.

And Mathison loves lay-ering rugs at this time ofyear. “If you have some-

thing like a 9-by-12 seagrassrug,” she says, “layer aslightly smaller rug on top”that has deeper colors and acozy texture.

You can also add warmthrow blankets over a sofaor chair.

COLORSContinued from Page 6

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Beaded Reactive collection and Luster glasses. Warm

toned decor inside your home helps welcome in the fall

and winter seasons.

AP PHOTO/JCPENNEY

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AP PHOTO/PIER 1 IMPORTS

This product image provided by Pier 1 Imports shows

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AP PHOTO/PIER 1 IMPORTS

Please see COLORS, Page 8

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Page 8: Fall Home Improvement 2010

PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T08] | 09/17/10 13:52 | SUPERIMPPB

“Look to what’s happen-

ing in fashion” this time of

year, Mathison says. “You’re

layering your house in the

same way to feel cozy ... pull-

ing out a cable-knit cash-

mere throw the same way

you’ll pull out your sweat-

ers.”

SMALL MOVES, BIGPAYOFF

Most of us don’t have

time to redecorate heavily

each season, Bechen says.

And we probably don’t

have room to store a lot of

seasonal items.

For maximum impact

without too much work,

she suggests focusing sea-

sonal decorating on your

front entryway and your

dining table.

At the entryway, hang a

fall wreath and add a sea-

sonal welcome-mat, Bech-

en says. Both are available

in many styles, from sim-

ple to elaborate, and can

help put your personal

stamp on the space.

To go a step further,

Mathison says, swap out

the fading summer plants

and flowers in outdoor

planters with fresh plants

in fall colors.

For your dining table,

add a tablecloth and cen-

terpiece in warm reds,

golds and browns. But keep

the centerpiece relatively

simple, warns Bechen — a

basket of pumpkins and

gourds, for instance. That

way, you can keep it in

place while the family

eats.

Seasonal decorating, she

says, doesn’ t have to

involve redecorating in

every room. Better a hand-

ful of small but bold moves.

“If you scatter it all

throughout the space, it

doesn’t have the impact.

You want it to pop.”

COLORSContinued from Page 7

AP PHOTOS/PIER 1 IMPORTS

Top: This product image provided by Pier 1 Imports shows their Vibrant Leaves WallDecor. Warm toned decor inside your home helps welcome in the fall and winterseasons. Right: This product image provided by Pier 1 Imports shows their ArtificialPomegranate Wreath.

T8 Sunday, September 19, 2010 The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA