We kept most of the existing cabinetry in place but I completely rearranged the layout of the appliances and even managed to design a pantry closet. A generous six-foot wide pass-through window really opens up the whole room and allows natural light to flow through.

The end result is a kitchen that feels bright and spacious  with plenty of storage and way more functional location of the appliances!

Here are the “Befores,” followed by my design concept drawings, and then – drum roll, please – the “Afters!”

BEFORE:

DESIGN:

Design work includes laying out a floor plan and creating three-dimensional views as well as helping client select all the materials.

AFTER:

A typical kitchen remodel takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete. It’s never easy. There are always surprises, like electrical wiring hidden in the walls or a load bearing beam right where you want your light fixture to go. When you remodel, be ready to roll with the punches. The end result is soooo worth it!

Are you ready to remodel? If you live in the Hampton Roads, VA, area, give us a call for a free consultation.

Alexandra Whiteside, “The Lady Contractor” (Accessibility Design Specialist)

Jerry Coffey, Our TOTALLY Awesome Carpenter

James Whiteside, Really, Really, Ridiculously Talented Painter (and incidentally The Lady Contractor’s Husband, but I don’t cut him any slack!)

Chelsea Custom Contracting 757 407-2653

Proceed With Caution

PLEASE be careful about whom you hire to do repairs and remodeling in your home. Virginia state law requires contractors to hold a minimum of a Class C license when doing a job valued at $1000 or more.   There are a lot of unlicensed and/or uninsured “contractors” in Hampton Roads who have no regard for the law, much less the safety and well-being of your family and your property.

• They will ask for a large deposit up front – a sure sign they are about to take your money, do a half-baked job and disappear.
• They will show you a city license but not a contractor’s license, or they will show you someone else’s contractor’s license that’s not theirs.
• They will do structural work such as roofing, which is forbidden without the BLD (Builder) classification on a Virginia contractor license.
• They will show you photos of just one job. Question them about it and it turns out it’s their own bathroom or kitchen, not an actual client’s. Scrutinize the photos and you will see unfinished work, crooked tiles, drips and blobs of paint and grout.
• A lot of these guys are simply unemployed former construction laborers; they are not true businessmen, they do not have the knowledge, experience or ethics to run a business, and yet they are being let into thousands of peoples’ homes all over Hampton Roads!

What’s The Worst That Could Happen?

There is very little legal recourse if you get ripped off.  Frankly, if you hire an unlicensed contractor, you and the contractor are BOTH breaking the law! So, the court will not be terribly sympathetic toward your plight. Even if you successfully sue, it will cost you thousands of dollars to do so, and the “contractor” will simply file bankruptcy and bail out, leaving you with nothing. Then they can open up shop under a new business name and start all over again!

Under Virginia’s statutory employee regulations, YOU are liable for injuries that occur to an unlicensed worker on your premises! Further, your homeowner’s insurance typically will not pay on claims involving improperly licensed contractors, and you may even lose your policy.

That is a lot of risk for you to take onto your own shoulders just to “save” a couple of hundred dollars.

Yet, we get calls all the time from desperate homeowners, asking us to fix a terrible situation that was caused by the rock-bottom “contractor” they previously used. Now they have to spend more money for us to do the job right.

How To Play It Safe

If you schedule a free consult with my company, Chelsea Custom Contracting,  I am sure you will see the value in hiring us!

Chelsea Custom Contracting is a Virginia Class A licensed construction company.   I have over 27 years experience in construction project management. I am also a professional interior designer  specializing in Residential Universal Design/Aging in Place Design and ADA compliance for commercial venues.   My crew and I do beautiful residential remodeling and new construction and commercial fit-outs throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Class A is the highest class of license available in Virginia, and we have the BLD classification, meaning I passed all the state required exams, including Virginia  contracting law and the builder exam, proved my experience with project references, and proved my company’s required net worth, certified by a CPA.

• You get excellent work at fair prices that accurately reflect the quality of materials and skilled labor that we provide.
• We have REAL references (not fake references from family and friends).
• I am frequently interviewed for radio, tv, and publications because of my sterling reputation in Hampton Roads.
• Our contracts are fair and balanced, and comply with all aspects of Virginia contracting law, including the right to cancel notice.
• We comply with EPA, OSHA and local permitting authorities.
• Your family’s health, safety, and well-being are our top priorities.

You really do get what you pay for! Please call me to discuss your vision for your next project.

Alexandra Whiteside, CEO

“The Lady Contractor”

Chelsea Custom Contracting

Call us at  (757) 407-2653

A hardwood mat is a tool, and just like other tools, there are things that a hardwood mat is good for, and things that a hardwood mat is just not good for.

So, today we’re going to explore a few of those things. We’ll start with a few of the more obvious.

- A hardwood mat, whether we’re talking about a crane mat a bridge mat or a swamp mat, is ideal for providing sturdier footing for heavy machinery. Where soil might be loose, or the ground underfoot soggy, the dispersion of the load creates for safer work sites and more productive work time.

Now for a few things that hardwood mats aren’t particularly adept at. For starters, you won’t find a whole lot of usefulness in a hardwood mat if you’re looking for a floor mat, or a waffle iron, or a roller coaster. Unfortunately, hardwood mats aren’t really suited for these particular functions.

Let’s get back to what they are good at, though.

-Hardwood mats are particularly useful when it comes to bridging muddy areas or places where stable footing is not to be found. Mats, of the hardwood variety, of course, are terrible for backpacking, surfing, and water polo. They are excellent for ground stabilization and accessing hard to reach places.

We could go on and on about what hardwood mats are good for and what they are terrible for, but if you’re keen, you’ve probably already noticed that there are a lot of things where these mats have no business being used, and there are only a few things hardwood mats are actually well suited for. But, herein lies the beauty of a hardwood mat and the simplicity and power of their existence. They may not be good for a lot of things, but what they are good for, they are great for!

Also, there aren’t a lot of things that can do what a hardwood mat can do. There are a lot of things that can be used as floor mats, but there are only a few things that can function in the capacity that hardwood mats function.

By stabilizing large swaths of land for machinery to safely travel over, hardwood mats fill a need that desperately needed to be filled. With the advent and increased popularity of hardwood mats came a great improvement in jobsite productivity and safety. By helping to secure a sturdier and more reliable foundation, the rest of the construction site (whether we’re talking pipeline construction or home construction) can run more smoothly.

For more info and quality hardwood mats, visit us at

http://www.dixiemat.com

DixieMat Hardwood Mats

A great resource for hardwood mats.

Kami Krueger

kami@raredesign.com

Here’s a sampling of color ideas I created on the Sherwin Williams site. I hope these will inspire you to do something beautiful in your home!

(And if you’d like to receive personalized advice, I am available in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area for color and design consultations. Call me at 757-407-2653!)

Dreamy: Sherwin Williams “Interactive Cream” is neutral but warm and inviting. This color makes a great backdrop for virtually any style and color scheme.

Timeless Tradition: “Roycroft Suede” provides a slightly muted and sophisticated foreground color while “Compatible Cream” brightens up the stairwell. This color combo is dramatic AND cheerful!

Sherwin Williams “Breezy” is the perfect color for coastal homes in the Hampton Roads area, or for anyone who wants that serene seaside sensation!

Be bold – I dare you! Go for dark and dramatic in the powder room with Sherwin Williams “Polished Mahogany”.

Did you know you can get these fabulous colors in low or no VOC (volatile organic compound) paint? Yup. You can make your home beautiful AND be kind to the planet.

And here’s a tip: Eggshell or satin sheen looks great in bedrooms, and semi-gloss is best on kitchen and bathroom walls. Flat paint absorbs light,  is difficult to clean, shows water spots, and I generally do not recommend it.

Which room is your favorite? Feel free to leave me a comment. 

All my best,

Alexandra Whiteside, The Lady Contractor

- All water heaters are equipped with a TPR valve (temperature pressure release) which lets pressure escape if it gets too high.

- The TPR valve should have a discharge pipe attached to it that ends about 6 inches from the floor. It is very important to have this discharge pipe attached to the TPR valve. If there is no pipe attached, and you are standing near the valve when it lets off excess pressure, you will be badly scalded by steam and burning water.

- A properly functioning water heater will occasionally let off water through the TPR valve.  If the pressure release valve is not functioning properly, it is possible for the water heater to become over-pressurized and actually explode.

Compare the diagram below with your water heater. If you do not see a discharge pipe, for your safety, you need to remedy the situation immediately. (Also if you see rust, corrosion, etc., it’s time to get your water heater inspected before a major failure and catastrophe occurs.)

If you are in the Hampton Roads area, feel free to call my company to make the necessary repairs:

Chelsea Custom Contracting at 757 407-2653.

A discharge pipe properly installed on the TPR valve is essential for your safety.

About me: I am Alexandra Whiteside, a Virginia Class A licensed building contractor and a member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.  I own and operate a design-build firm, Chelsea Custom Contracting, and Thorough-Pro Home Inspection, LLC, with my business partners James Whiteside and Jerry Coffey. Call us at 757 407-2653.

The pipeline construction business is booming these days. In fact, its been booming since the dawn of mankind’s love affair with petroleum. There is a circulatory web in this country that would make our heads spin if we knew the actual extent of the pipeline zigzagging across the country. So, to prevent any heads from spinning, we’re not going to get into the numbers of it all right now. Suffice to say, this country’s petroleum circulatory system is vast.

Often, we don’t really consider the nature of this system, primarily because the pipeline is usually not in plain view. Sure, there are plenty of places where you might catch a glimpse of a pipeline here or there. But, in general, these lines run outside the boundaries of towns, usually through more remote or rural environments, ideally making the least possible impact to the surrounding environment.

So, how do you lay miles upon miles of pipeline and still minimize the impact to the environment? Is there really anything obtrusive or destructive about laying some pipe in or above the ground? Well, to answer those two questions you’ve so astutely posed, we need to look at the process of pipeline construction:

-Typical pipeline projects are often slated and planned years prior to any actual breaking of the ground.

-There are extensive permits that must be garnered and restrictions that must be taken into consideration.

-If you are a hardwood mat enthusiast (don’t be shy, we know you are out there) don’t worry, we’re going to get to the good stuff soon enough. Now, although hardwood mats and the use of crane mats, bridge mats, and swamp mats are still a distant concern, pipeline construction contractors will often begin planning to have the necessary supply of hardwood mats ready for day one of the actual construction process. Clearly, priorities are important!

For information on using hardwood mats for your construction job site, contact:

DixieMat Hardwood Mats

A great resource for hardwood mats.

Kami Krueger

kami@raredesign.com

The Gulf Coast and Hurricane Isaac

It’s hurricane season again. As the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana gulf coast gets pummeled by hurricane Isaac, the real power of these forceful systems becomes very clear. The gulf region has fortunately seen a relative calm over the last several years as far as hurricanes go. Besides some less significant tropical depressions, there has been an absence of major tropical storm and hurricane activity. But, all things change, and as the category 1 hurricane makes landfall this week, we are reminded again that hurricanes are a reality for those living in the gulf coast area.

So, you might be asking yourself, or the computer screen in front of you, “what does this have to do with the hardwood mat industry? “ Well, for starters, the hardwood mat industry is probably, in some slight way, linked to just about everything on earth. If there are only 20 degrees of separation between you and Kevin Costner, then there are definitely fewer degrees of separation between a hardwood mat and whatever your Kevin Costner connected brain can come up with.

So, let’s try it. We’ll start with a hurricane since that’s where we’re at right now. To start, the hardwood mat industry and the oil industry are closely tied to one another, and as the gulf coast (a major player in the oil supply chain of this country) gets hammered by rain and winds, many of the petroleum producers will need to repair access to flooded regions, isolated oil pumps, and even battered rigs in the gulf. Hardwood mats are often used in the oil industry to access hard to reach areas and secure unstable ground around worksites.

Both of these will be concerns in the coming weeks as the region gets production back to full steam (sorry for using the antiquated saying, “full steam” – I guess we don’t use steam anymore… for a more appropriate figure of speech, maybe I should say “running on all four cylinders”).

For more info and quality hardwood mats, visit us at

DixieMat Hardwood Mats

http://www.dixiemat.com

A great resource for hardwood mats.

Kami Krueger

kami@raredesign.com

I just want to take a moment to thank all of my friends, neighbors, and clients who have been recommending my company. You’ve been keeping me very busy this year. I have not needed to do any advertising because the “word of mouth” is keeping the projects rolling in. Thank you so much for your respect, loyalty and confidence in me.  I truly, truly appreciate it and I wish blessings and abundance on you all!

Alexandra Whiteside

“The Lady Contractor”

All right, we are going to be perfectly frank here, because we are thoroughly disgusted by what we see happening to homeowners in Hampton Roads.

PLEASE be careful about whom you hire to do repairs to your home. There are a lot of unlicensed and/or uninsured “contractors” in the area who have no regard for the safety and well-being of your family and your property. They will take your money, do a half-baked job and disappear. They will show you a city license but not a contractor’s license, or they will show you someone else’s contractor’s license that’s not theirs. They will say they are insured and give you a photocopied insurance certificate when in actuality they have already canceled the policy, so you and your property are NOT protected! A lot of these guys are simply unemployed former construction laborers; they are not true businessmen, they do not have the knowledge, experience or ethics to run a business, and yet they are being let into thousands of peoples’ homes all over Hampton Roads!

There is very little legal recourse if you get ripped off. Even if you successfully sue, it will cost you thousands of dollars to do so, and the “contractor” will simply file bankruptcy and bail out, leaving you with nothing. Then they can open up shop under a new business name and start all over again!

We get calls all the time from desperate homeowners, asking us to fix a terrible situation that was caused by the rock-bottom contractor they previously used. Now they have to spend more money for us to do the job right.

You don’t have to worry about being a victim of an incompetent “contractor” if you call us first!

We are Chelsea Custom Contracting, a Virginia Class A licensed and insured contractor with 25 years experience. We do roofing, remodeling and new construction. Excellent work, fair prices that accurately reflect the quality of materials and skilled labor that we provide. We have REAL references (not fake references from family and friends) and are frequently interviewed for radio, tv, and publications because of our sterling reputation in Hampton Roads. Please call us. We are always happy to help you. Your family’s health, safety, and well-being is our number one priority.

Chelsea Custom Contracting
Owned and operated by Alexandra Whiteside “The Lady Contractor”
Call us at (757) 407-2653

We are also an authorized builder for Excel Homes, the nation’s third largest modular home manufacturer.  The Lady Contractor is an enthusiastic proponent of modular or “systems built” housing because of the savings we can offer in terms of cost and time, and the options that are easily available and affordable for green construction (durable, sustainable, recyclable materials, improved indoor air quality, energy efficiency, lowered carbon footprint).

THIS is 21^st century systems built modular home construction, and it is superb:

As you can see, modular homes are NOT manufactured homes or “trailers.” Modular homes are real houses built to meet, and frankly, often exceed, the same standards and codes as site-built construction. You have real floor joists, insulation and drywall. Your modular home has to pass all the same city inspections as if I were building it on site. You cannot tell the difference between an off-site built (modular) home and a site-built home, because they are the same thing, just built in two difference places!

Excel modular homes are comprised of three-dimensional sections (modules) that are assembled in climate-controlled factories and then transported to the home site, where the final finishing occurs. This factory construction process allows for a controlled environment with close supervision, resulting in a consistently higher quality home and faster build.

Imagine, while The Lady Contractor is clearing your land and building your foundation, the rest of your home is being built at the same time! You can’t do that with standard on-site construction!

A fellow contractor used this analogy, and I love it:  When you buy a new car, you want it built in a factory, right? You wouldn’t want a pile of parts delivered to your driveway and then put together outside! So, why are we still building our homes outside, with rain, heat, cold, snow, ice, and mud compromising the construction materials and creating tons of work delays?  We should be building our homes the way we build our cars – in highly controlled factory conditions with a strict quality assurance program and dozens of inspections (in addition to the mere handful of inspections required by the city) throughout the construction process.

Excel is equipped  with 5 million square feet of capacity.  This enables The Lady Contractor to offer you our home building services year-round, protecting materials from the harmful effects and delays of outside weather.

When you build an Excel Home with  The Lady Contractor, you can be confident the product you are getting is built with quality, craftsmanship and durability. For more info, call us at 757-407-2653 or e-mail ChelseaCustomContracting@gmail.com.

P.S. The “Boys Hope/Girls Hope” home in Baltimore, Maryland is an Excel modular home specially designed and built for Extreme Makeover.  Check out the slide show here!

 Professional home staging goes beyond cleaning, tidying, and decluttering.  Staging also involves rearranging furniture, art, accessories, arrangement of items on bookshelves and in china cabinets, and giving rooms a cozy, pulled-together look with the way colors, fabrics, rugs, window treatments, etc. are combined. Professional stagers have the interior design training necessary to create balanced, functional, aesthetically pleasing spaces.

Subtle faux finishing painting technique and the right accessories make this bathroom sparkle with glamour - for a much lower price tag than a full remodel!

Staging can save you tons of money because while you might think that you need to buy new stuff to create a new look, a professional stager can look at the items you already own with a fresh perspective.  Chances are, you actually already have plenty of furniture and accessories to make your home look great. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a new sofa, a couple of hours of furniture arranging time with a stager could give you amazing results! Ditto for bathrooms and kitchens, where a professional color consultation and fresh coat of paint can totally transform the area without spending thousands on remodeling.

 One of my previous clients insisted she had no knick-knacks or artwork that would go together. But in scouring her home, I found she had lovely violet-colored glass items ranging from vases to bowls, wine glasses and paperweights.  She also had two paintings in separate rooms with an abstract style floral motif with strong accents of violet. When hung on the wall on each side of her mantel, with the glass items arranged on the mantel itself, the effect was stunning!

Don’t wait until your home is up for sale to make it look its best.  Treat yourself to a home makeover for autumn and love the space you live in!

The Lady Contractor’s company, Chelsea Custom Contracting, provides superior home staging, painting, remodeling and new home construction services throughout Hampton Roads. Contact us at (757) 407-2653 for a consultation.

We can also assist  you with debris cleanup and removal.

We are a Class A contracting firm, fully insured, including Worker’s Comp, serving the Hampton Roads Virginia area (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News).

Please call me at 407-2653. We are happy to work with insurance claims, and we accept all major credit cards.

Best wishes to all,

Alexandra Whiteside “The Lady Contractor”

Residential and Commercial Building, Remodeling and Repairs

Chances are, you’ve been in the same situation – bombarded by decorating magazines, home and garden shows,  and an overabundance of information on the internet. (The irony that I am adding to said abundance with this article is not lost on me!)

There are so many choices, and so many RULES! Which colors go together? Which ones don’t? Is nylon carpet “better” than polyester? (Answer: It depends!) Can you mix black wooden living room furniture with brown dining furniture?

If you feel like tearing your hair out, it’s totally understandable!

Here’s my advice for making the decorating process more fun and less stressful:

1. FORGET THE RULES!!! When I was in design school, the first thing I learned was all the rules. The next thing I learned was how to break all the rules. Great designers break the rules. Unimaginative designers who just want to “play it safe” follow the rules. So – be a great designer!  When it comes to colors, patterns, styles, etc., the most important thing is that YOU like it. It’s YOUR house, being viewed by YOUR eyes. So it doesn’t matter whether your neighbor likes your decorating scheme. It doesn’t matter if your room doesn’t look like the cover of a magazine. Be brave, be free, be true to yourself! Do YOU like it? Are YOU comfortable in it? Can YOU function in it the way YOU want to? If your answers are yes, yes, and yes, then you’ve done it right!

 2. Do research, but  not in the wrong places. So, what’s the wrong place to do research?  Public chat rooms or “answers” sites where people post questions and anyone on the planet can post an answer. DO NOT rely on opinions from total strangers who are unskilled or inexperienced with the product and have their own agenda to promote.  Chat rooms can be entertaining, but for serious research, ask an expert.  If you’re choosing carpet, for example, research the properties of nylon versus polyester, ask a couple of flooring experts for their opinion on the specific carpet that you are considering, find out what the stain resistant qualities and warranty are, and you’re pretty much ready to make a decision. 

 3. Be prepared for the fact that things may take longer and cost more than you anticipate, and that problems will crop up. Perfection rarely exists in this world, especially in the design world, where the perfect carpet gets discontinued the day before you order it, your dining table is on backorder for 9 weeks,  and two defective doors on your new kitchen cabinets need to be sent back to the manufacturer for replacement. If you expect perfection, you are going to be super-stressed out when it doesn’t happen. And believe me, with a quarter-century of experience in this business, I can tell you without the shadow of a doubt, perfection does NOT happen. It doesn’t.  Sorry. Wish it did (really!), but it doesn’t.  So, expect that there will be problems, hiccups, and even some disappointments, and you’ll be prepared to roll with the punches  and keep moving forward without your blood pressure skyrocketing.  (Important Note: Stroke level blood pressure will NOT make your dining table arrive any sooner. It will NOT make the carpet manufacturer start up their looms and run off a roll of that discontinued color just for you. It might land you in the hospital, though.  You don’t want to spend your money on a hospital bill for a stroke, right? You want that money for more decorating!  So think happy thoughts. You’ll get through this. Just breathe. Breathing is an important component of the design process!)

 4. Be willing to wait. If you can’t find the right furniture set, the right curtains, the right bedspread, wait a couple of months. New lines come out all the time. You don’t have to settle for something that you are less than happy with. You don’t have to have your whole house perfect and complete right now.  Just wait for the new season of merchandise to be rolled out, and try again.  One of my clients had an empty dining room for nearly two years, until we finally found a table set that they were totally in love with. That was three years ago. They still love their set – it was worth the wait!

 5. Using a professional designer/decorator isn’t a bad idea, either (hint, hint)! We’re here to help you weed through that information overload, make sure you are properly informed, give you our professional advice, be your cheerleader,  talk you down off the ledge, and go to bat for you – and that will go a long way towards lowering your stress levels!

 About me: I am Alexandra Whiteside, CPC, “The Lady Contractor.”  I’m an interior designer, Virginia Class A general contractor, and certified life coach specializing in creating joyful residential environments.  I own and operate  Chelsea Custom Contracting & Chelsea Design Studio.  Feel free to call me for design advice, remodeling, and personal/professional development coaching! Long distance clients are welcome!  757 407-2653

When I moved back to Virginia Beach after living in Cincinnati for 13 years, I was just another start-up remodeling company in Hampton Roads. Today, Chelsea Custom Contracting is a thriving design-build contracting firm.  I am thriving despite immense competition, and  I am thriving despite the severe economic downturn.  I am thriving because I consistently employ three strategies to build my reputation, gain referrals, and make my clients extraordinarily happy.

First and foremost is community involvement. I was raised with a strong foundation of faith and a belief that I have a duty to be loving and generous. This is, in essence, my primary “job” as a human being.  I participate in charity events throughout the year, such as hosting food drives for the Northeastern Virginia Food Bank, and participating in the Virginia Beach Task Force on Aging. While none of these activities directly gain me any business, my involvement in the community is the most critical component of building my reputation.  I want you to know me as a person who truly cares, as the neighbor you can turn to and trust. Only then can I expect you to be willing to trust me as a business owner.

Second, I participate in networking. After making initial contacts at networking events,  I follow up and establish long-term relationships, with the goal in mind of “what can I do to help you?” I truly enjoy helping fellow businesses to become more successful. Of course, the major benefit of networking is that these businesses in turn refer business to me. I owe much of my company’s success to the generous efforts of my networking associates.

Third is my client care policy.  I believe in educating, not selling. I want my clients to make well-informed decisions, so I carefully educate them about product options and construction techniques. By taking the time to educate my clients, I establish the quality and value of my service without employing a sales pitch.  My clients quickly realize that I have a true concern for their health, safety and well-being. It is a privilege every time my contracting company is chosen to make a lasting and beneficial difference in someone’s life.  I demonstrate my gratitude by showing concern for my clients from the initial consultation, through the construction process and in follow-up after the project is finished. Every client gets the five-star treatment from my company, and this results in plenty of word-of-mouth referrals that keep me busy.

Fifty percent of new businesses fail within the first five years. However, any business that constantly gives to the community, helps to promote other businesses, and treats their clients with great care and respect, has a much better chance to not just survive but thrive.

Alexandra Whiteside “The Lady Contractor”
Chelsea Custom Contracting
Serving all of Hampton Roads
Ph 757 407-2653
E-mail: Alexandra@theladycontractor.com
Web Site:        www.theladycontractor.com

If you live in Hampton Roads, you likely heard about the fire that started in a single family home in Virginia Beach on July 22, 2010, and quickly spread to two other homes, causing extensive damage to all three homes which were built very recently (2006). There is a perception that new homes are safer or less prone to extensive fire damage than older homes. This recent triple tragedy illustrates how wrong that perception is. What’s maddening to me, as a builder, is the knowledge that a fire sprinkler system in those homes could have largely averted this calamity.

80% of fire deaths occur in the home. Don’t let your home and your family be part of this statistic! Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to keep your family safe.

Here are some facts about residential fire sprinkler systems from the National Fire Protection Association:

- The death rate in homes with sprinkler systems is lowered by 83%

-Property damage is lowered by 40 to 70%

-Flame damage is confined to the room of origin in 95% of the fires in sprinklered properties

- Usually only 1 or 2 sprinklers are required to control the fire. The other sprinklers remain unactivated, saving water damage and property loss compared to the use of fire hoses.

-Sprinkler heads DO NOT ACTIVATE WITHOUT CAUSE, leaking is extremely rare, and they are NOT ACTIVATED BY SMOKE. Only the heat of a fire (at about 165 degrees) will activate a sprinkler head. The chances of accidental activation are 1 in 16 million!

Additionally, the average cost to install a fire sprinkler system is about $1.65 per square foot for new construction and $2.65 per square foot for retrofitting existing homes.

Concealed fire sprinklers can be installed that are nearly flush with the ceiling or walls. They look like a disc, similar to a concealed speaker system. These are not the unsightly pendant sprinklers you see in industrial buildings.

Cost and aesthetics should not be barriers to making the decision to install a fire sprinkler system in your home. Imagine how you would feel if your spouse, kids, pets, and everything you own burned up in a fire because you didn’t want to put an extra $5000 into your construction budget or you didn’t want to see plastic discs on your ceilings.

My company, Chelsea Custom Contracting, has made a firm commitment to include fire sprinkler systems in ALL new site-built residential construction, regardless of whether the Commonwealth of Virginia formally adopts the International Residential Code requirements. We will not build your home without a fire sprinkler system. If other contractors or architects try to tell you that you don’t need a sprinkler system, ask them why they care so little about protecting your life and everything you own.

Learn more by watching these interesting demonstrations:

How much water does a fire sprinkler use?

How do fire sprinklers work?

Got questions about fire sprinkler systems or any other questions related to construction? E-mail me at alexandra@TheLadyContractor.com

Aging-in-place modifications can be made to the modular home during its construction in the factory, or modifications can be made once the modular is delivered to the home site and placed on the foundation.

Typical things we can do in the factory would include installing all the components needed to create an accessible bathroom (curb-free shower, grab bars, wheelchair turnaround room, accessible sink), raised outlets/lowered light switches for easy access without reaching or bending, and widened doorways and hallways. We can have additional electrical wiring installed during the construction phase in the factory to accommodate automatic switches, locks, door openers, alarms, etc. which would be installed on site. Lever-handle type door knobs, that you can easily push down instead of gripping and turning, can also be installed in the factory.

You don't have to trade beauty for function! Accessibility design can be breathtaking, too!

On site work may also include having the house delivered without kitchen counters so we can then install custom counters and cabinetry to accommodate a client’s specific needs, whether it be height or mobility limitations, etc. We can also have the house delivered either with standard ADA faucet options or without any faucets at all so we can install specialty faucets on site, like the kind that turn on by light touch or by motion detection instead of having to grip or turn knobs.

Universal design is for everyone! Who wouldn't want storage like this?!

Of course, we would also build wheelchair ramps on site as well. Modular homes are set on foundations. They cannot be set on slab-on-grade, so it is not possible to have a zero-curb entry. There is some height from the ground up to the front door entrance that would have to be accommodated by a ramp. As part of an overall aging-in-place design plan, I strongly encourage the use of ramps even if none of the residents are in a wheelchair. As the resident ages, and walking becomes more difficult, the ramp is much easier and safer to navigate than steps.

Even if no one in the home has any current aging or mobility issues, having some of these designs in place can really come in handy if someone suffers an injury and finds themselves temporarily in a wheelchair or on crutches or using a walker. It’s a great relief to know that your doors are already wide enough to accommodate assistive medical devices, and that you have ramps and grab bars to help you move around, so you don’t become a prisoner in your home just because of a temporary injury!

As a specialist in universal design, I am more than just your run-of-the-mill building contractor, I would sit down with my clients and create an action plan that would include absolutely everything we would need to do to make their home fully accessible, functional and comfortable as well as beautiful.

See some more great universal design tips here on ThisOldHouse.com.

Wheelchair ramps can be designed to blend nicely with the architecture of your home!

Check out these links and my handy list of tips below, and feel free to email me at Alexandra@theladycontractor.com if you have questions or need my help with a kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, home addition, or new construction project.

Create your design at Kohler: Choose countertop color, sink style and color, and faucet style and color.

Be adventurous and creative with Kohler

Click on Design Your Own Kitchen in Moen. Choose cabinet color, wall color, countertop color, and faucet style.

Design your dream kitchen with Moen

Find your perfect kitchen faucet at Delta: Answer multiple choice questions about style and function to create a selection of faucets that best suits your tastes.

Find your perfect faucet at Delta

 Tips for choosing a kitchen faucet:

Make sure faucet mounts in such a way that it fits your existing plumbing configuration (i.e. the supply lines and drain pipe).

Consider faucet’s height and handle width – will any portions of the faucet bump against walls or window sills? Is height of the faucet  in good proportion to the sink and surrounding areas?

Make sure the faucet is compatible with your sink style and countertop (consider location of faucet, location of holes in sink, or location where holes will need to be created in countertop material).

Make sure the faucet and any pull out sprayers will easily reach the sink basin area(s). Especially important if you are a selecting double or triple basin sink!

 Chrome and PVD finishes are the best and most durable. Be aware that many specialty finishes are hand-applied or plastic, thus requiring extra gentle care and are less durable.

 Consider the actual construction of the faucet. Cast brass is more durable than tubular brass. Ceramic disc valves are the most durable and most preferred type of valve.

 Tips for choosing a kitchen sink:

Make sure the length and width of the sink fits the sink base cabinet that it will go into

Standard basin depth is 7 or 8 inches. Deeper basins are available, but consider whether the sink depth will interfere with the plumbing configuration and location of a waste disposal unit.

When choosing the width and number of basins in your sink, consider the size of dishes, pots and pans you typically use.

 Drop-in sinks, also known as top-mount or self-rimming sinks, work with any countertop material.  Cleaning the counters is a little difficult because of the rim. Keep in mind that the rim needs to be caulked periodically.

Undermount sinks can be used with granite and solid surface counters.  Undermount sinks typically cannot be used with laminate because the raw edge of the laminate counter would show.  Undermounts make cleaning easier because you can just push crumbs off the counter directly into the sink.

When shopping for quality stainless steel sinks, look for 18 gauge Type 304 stainless (contains extra chromium and is less susceptible to corrosion), with sound deadening material applied to the underside of the basin(s). Without this insulation material, stainless steel sinks are very noisy, especially when a waste disposal unit is used.

One of the most durable sink materials to use is porcelain over cast iron. Such sinks can last 30 to 50 years.  However, they are very unforgiving – if you drop a glass in a cast iron sink, the glass will shatter. Definitely use a sink mat if you choose this type of sink.

Shaw’s Anso nylon carpet is durable,  resilient, and abrasion resistant – even retaining shape after moving heavy furniture.  Shaw’s Anso nylon carpets are treated with their patented R2X formula to create stain and soil resistant fibers.

Where Shaw’s Anso nylon carpet really takes the lead over other nylon carpets is in the manufacturing process. Anso nylon is made of Type 6 nylon which is 100% recyclable into new carpet.  When Anso nylon carpet is removed from homes, it does not have to go into landfills. Every bit of it can be recycled again and again, endlessly!  Carpets of Type 6 nylon are recycled at Shaw’s Evergreen Nylon Recycling facility in Augusta, Georgia.

The importance of a good padding

Your carpet pad is every bit as important as your carpet.  Your flooring is a major investment, and it is pointless to spend good money on a good carpet, then cheap out on the pad. Sadly, I see customers do this all the time, despite my attempts to educate them otherwise.  Please don’t make this mistake! A high quality pad is necessary to prolong the life of your carpet.

Shaw’s TripleTouch Carpet Pad is one of the best investments you can make.  At 7/16″ thick, 8 pound density, this pad provides unsurpassed comfort underfoot.  Using this pad instantly DOUBLES your carpet warranty (from 7 to 14 yrs for Shaw’s 4-star carpet;  from 10 to 20 yrs for 5-star).  Your carpet will maintain its texture for the life of the warranty.  Secondly, and very important if you have kids and/or pets: spills and pet accidents will NOT seep into the pad! The TripleTouch pad allows for all moisture to be completely removed from carpet upon cleaning, and prevents return of stains.

Shaw's TripleTouch Carpet Cushion

The TripleTouch pad contains an antimicrobial treatment which kills mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria.   And, of course, it’s environmentally responsible.  As part of Shaw’s Green Edge Program, the TripleTouch pad is made with natural oils, reducing dependency on petroleum-based products, and the backing is made with recycled content.  

What to do next

Ready to seriously think about investing in a great quality, environmentally friendly carpet? You can start by virtually designing your room with Shaw’s “Try On A Floor” at  http://shawfloors.com/Try-On-A-Floor

And, of course, you can call us! We’ll come to your home with samples, we’ll take measurements and give you price quotes. We have excellent, skilled installers. Let us help you make your home gorgeous! Call Chelsea Custom Contracting at 757 407-2653.

Did you know?

Lots of customers tell me they want to rip out all of their carpet in order to reduce the level of allergens in their home.  However, studies show that with proper cleaning and maintenance, carpeted rooms have a LOWER level of dust-borne allergens in the air than rooms with hard surface floors! That’s because allergens must be inhaled in order for exposure to occur, and allergens are inhaled when they are airborne.  Carpet acts as a TRAP for allergens,  keeping significant amounts of dust, pollen and other allergens out of the air.  For  a more detailed explanation, read this article: http://shawfloors.com/allergens

Your questions and comments are welcome. Please leave feedback at this blog site or e-mail me directly at Alexandra@chelseabuildsitbest.com

Beyond the looks, however, is our commitment to the environment. Tile gives off no volatile indoor emissions. Tile is hypoallergenic; fully dense porcelain tile is resistant to mold and mildew. Clean air, clean environment – it’s what you want for your family and your workplace.

My company carries several brands of tile, but I am really impressed with Florida Tile’s recycling efforts. Last year, Florida Tile recycled more than one and a half million gallons of water back into their processors, and reused 382 tons of dust collected from their production lines. Their shipping cartons are made of high–percentage recycled paper, and all of Florida Tile’s offices are actively involved in recycling.

Florida Tile is better for the environment and better for you.

So, perk up your porch. Make your sunroom sizzle. Have a blast with your bathroom. Bring some kitsch to your kitchen, with Florida Tile!

Call me, Alexandra with Chelsea Custom Contracting, at 757 407-2653 for an appointment to view Florida Tile sample boards at my Virginia Beach showroom. Initial consultations are free. Interior design services are available for an hourly fee. (Oh, by the way, my tile installers are superb!)

Enjoy some photos from Florida Tile:

Spice up a sunroom!

Tile over a concrete screened porch for warmth and character!

ADA compliant porcelain tiles are beautiful and perfect for homes or businesses!

Add a medallion for pizzazz!

Turn your hall bath into a retreat!

Make it snazzy with glass mosaic!

Bring the spa experience home - you deserve it!

Don't stare at a blank wall - create art with tile!

Add a pinch of sophistication and a dash of drama!

Chelsea Custom Contracting is a Virginia Class A general building contractor company. We perform residential and commercial remodels and new construction. We offer professional interior design and architecture services as well. Please call Alexandra Whiteside, CEO, at 757 407-2653 with any questions. We are always happy to offer advice and assistance!

Ozone Generators Not Acceptable

There are several companies with lots of independent reps hawking these useless and even dangerous ozone producing “air purifiers.” Please, find out the facts, and avoid these products! Don’t endanger the lives of your family members or pets with one of these ozone machines.

I am not usually this outspoken, but these “air purifiers” have been shown to cause the death of pets and put kids and elderly people in the hospital. Ozone is poison to humans and animals! Do NOT let anyone try to tell you otherwise.

A rep from one of these companies recently tried to convince me that this was a “green” product. Sickening, just sickening. Help me take down these snake oil salesmen. Share this post with everyone you know, and send these guys packing!

The company that Pam works for, Seniors First, has been locally owned and operated for over 10 years. The company was founded on old fashioned values, and the name clearly states what its priorities are. Seniors first specializes exclusively in reverse mortgages. Pam’s strong concern for seniors is very important to her and she truly wants to share that passion with others. Please feel free to contact Pam for further information on how reverse mortgages can provide financial security to the seniors in your life. E-mail Pam at pdeshong@cox.net or call her at 757-285-7278. Visit the Seniors First web site: www.seniorsfm.com

Advantages of a Reverse Mortgage

The main advantage of Reverse Mortgages is that they are an extremely flexible financial planning product with very few – if any – restrictions on how you receive and use the money.

To many people, a Reverse Mortgage simply sounds too good to be true. But, there really are no catches. Given the right set of circumstances, a Reverse Mortgage is an ideal way to increase your spending power in retirement.

Key advantages and benefits of Reverse Mortgages include:

No Risk of Default: Unlike a home equity loan, with a Reverse Home Mortgage your home can not be taken from you. If you default on a home equity loan, you could lose your home.
The Reverse Mortgage Lenders have no claim on your income or other assets.

No Downside: With a Reverse Mortgage you will never owe more than your home’s value at the time the loan is repaid, even if the Reverse Mortgage lenders have paid you more money than the value of the home. This is a particularly interesting advantage if you secure a Reverse Mortgage and then home price declines.

Tax Free: The money from a Reverse Mortgage is typically tax free, since it’s a loan when the homeowner receives the funds, as either additional fixed income or a lump sum.

No Restrictions: How you use the funds from a Reverse Mortgage is not restricted – go traveling, get a hearing aid, purchase long term care insurance, pay for your children’s college education – anything goes.

Flexible Payment Options: You can receive the Reverse Mortgage loan money in the form of a lump sum, credit line a combination of the two.

Easy Pre-Qualifications: There are no income qualifications to get a Reverse Mortgage.
Home Ownership: With a Reverse Mortgage, you retain home ownership and the ability to live in your home.

Guaranteed Place to Live: You can live in your home for as long as you want when you secure a Reverse Mortgage.

Federally Insured: The Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) is the most widely available Reverse Mortgage. It is managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs and is federally insured. This is important since even if your Reverse Mortgage lender defaults, you’ll still receive your payments.

Recently Increased Lending Limits: As of Nov. 6, 2008 the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs increased the loan limit on the HECM to $417,000. And, for loans written in 2009, the loan limit is $625,500.

Disadvantages of a Reverse Mortgage

A Reverse Mortgage may not be for everyone; consider the following:

Beware if You are Eligible for Low-Income Assistance: If you are currently or will be eligible to receive low-income assistance from the Federal or State government (like Medicaid), you will want to be careful that income from a Reverse Mortgage does not disqualify you from that assistance. (NOTE: Social Security and Medicare are not impacted by a Reverse Mortgage.)

Reconsider if You Are Planning to Move in the Near Term: Since a Reverse Home Mortgage loan is due if your home is no longer your primary residence and the up front closing costs are typically higher than other loans, it is not a good tool for those than plan to move soon to another residence.

Evaluate if You are Willing to Reduce Your Heirs Inheritance: Many people dismiss a Reverse Mortgage as a retirement option because they want to be sure their home goes to their heirs. And it is true, a Reverse Mortgage decreases your home equity – affecting your estate. However, you can still leave your home to your heirs and they will have the option of keeping the home and refinancing or paying off the mortgage or selling the home if the home is worth more than the amount owed on it.

- Modular homes are NOT mobile homes, manufactured homes, or trailers.
- Modular homes are NOT built on non-removable steel chassis (manufactured homes are).
- Modular homes are NOT built to HUD codes (manufactured homes are). HUD codes are in many cases inferior to local and regional building codes.
- The location of a modular home is NOT restricted (manufactured homes are greatly restricted in where they can be placed).
- Modular homes are NOT inferior to standard site built homes. In fact, in many ways modular homes are superior to site built homes, which is why I aggressively promote this building technique.

THE PROCESS: Modular – or “system built” – homes are built using an engineered and highly efficient streamlined process that results in a structurally advanced home. Essentially, the same building techniques employed in site-built housing are moved into a factory setting and improved upon. In the factory, the house is built in several separate components (modules) that are then brought to the site and attached to the foundation using the same nails, straps and fastening techniques as site-built. When a modular home is complete, it is impossible to tell by looking at it that it was not built on site.

ADVANTAGES: Moving the building process from an open lot into a protected factory environment has some very obvious advantages:

- Protection of all the building materials from rain, sun, snow, mud, theft and vandalism, which greatly reduces the costs typically involved in material losses.
- The assembly line approach to construction results in faster, more efficient building, with expert labor and superior quality control.
- Substantial cost savings from reduced waste (no piles of debris like you see on outdoor job sites) and reduced down time. In the warehouse setting, large crews are employed. If one carpenter is out sick, there are plenty of others to keep the job going. No delays means your home is ready sooner, and you can convert your construction loan to a mortgage sooner.

STRUCTURALLY ADVANCED: Additionally, modular homes are built with about 30 percent more materials in order to withstand transport on flatbed trucks to the site. All the extra lumber, bolts, brackets and straps added to the walls, floors, and ceilings that keep the modules perfectly square and rigid en route, provides you with a more structurally sound and superior home than a standard site built home!

FINAL THOUGHTS:
- Modular homes stand up to high force winds better than standard site-built homes. In the wake of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, FEMA found that modular homes in Dade County, Florida, sustained far less damage than site built homes!

- Excel Homes, whose modular homes are available through my company, not only meets but EXCEEDS applicable state and national building codes, including IBC, SBC, and CABO.

- Modular homes can be completely customized. The floor plans I have in stock can be altered, or you can come to me with a vague idea scribbled on a napkin, and our team of architects and engineers can create a complete set of custom home construction documents for you.

- Modular homes can range from simple ranch homes to million dollar mansions, limited only by your imagination!

Please help me spread the word about the benefits of modular home building – share this post with your friends. Thanks!

If you have any questions about modular home building (or building in general), please feel free to e-mail me at ChelseaCustomContracting@gmail.com.

Be on the lookout for my next post: The GREEN Benefits of Modular Home Building!

Interested in a consult regarding a modular home? Contact The Lady Contractor, Alexandra Whiteside, at 757-407-2653!