MISS by an inch, miss by a mile—an old nautical motto—perhaps best capsulate Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino Jaraula’s reaction to the unequivocal stand of the First Labor Organization of the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (Flow).

Flow President Engr. Anthony Yang, in a text message yesterday, reiterated that they never opposed the facilitation of potable water in Barangay Indahag saying that the barangay is among the serviceable areas included in Cagayan de Oro Water District’s (COWD) Eastern Lateral Improvement Project scheduled for implementation on 2011.

Access to potable water is among the key facilities that would spur development and investments in any area. Barangay Indahag’s elevation and location—overlooking the city has caught the attention of many local and national housing developers.

Yang recognizes the valid need for water in the area as the area rest atop an arid corral-like soil. Flow opposes to the manner in which the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the construction and operation of the Indahag Reservoir Project which they claim to be full of onerous provisions.

First, Flow claims that the final MOA was not prepared by COWD—who bidded out the project—but by the Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc. (RVWCI) and that final contract contained stipulations that digressed from the model agreement.

In the tripartite agreement, obtained by this paper, a certain stipulation states that the “first party (city government) will construct the reservoir where funding shall be advanced by the first party out of the annual allocation by the second party (COWD) to the first party and the total expenses shall be liquidated against the first party’s consumption.”

“The second party will purchase from the third party (RVWCI) 10,000 cubic meters per day,” it continues.

This would mean that the RVWCI would not cough up a single cent to build the reservoir—Yang pointed out—and instead COWD will pay for the bulk water supply of RVWCI that far exceeds the water consumption need of the area.

In a letter addressed to Joel Baldelovar, chairman of COWD board of directors—dated September 14, this year—Bienvenio Batar Jr., acting general manager said that the reservoir project was beset with “various legal and financial concerns,” which would make its implementation “difficult.”

Among others, Batar said in the letter, “we cannot anticipate a substantial market from the Indahag Project (with) only about 100 to 300 connections.”

Yang estimates the average consumption (for) a family of four is between 30 to 50 cu.m. a month or at the maximum about 25,000 cu.m. per month for Indahag.

With the provision in the contract that COWD will be obligated to purchase—10,000 cu.m. per day—more than the actual consumption in the area, a Flow member—who requested anonymity—calculates would spell the bankruptcy or the facility’s concessionaires would bear the brunt of exorbitant water bills since COWD’s operational costs will ultimately be passed on to the consumers.

No meu último post (quase quatro meses atrás!), eu mencionei que havia me inscrito pra um concurso em Rio Verde, interior de Mato Grosso do Sul. Acabo de voltar de lá, cheia de pensamentos e idéias em mente e quero muito registrar em algum lugar. Se alguém ler isso, vai ser o suficiente pra contar nos dedos de uma mão, haha! Ótimo, vou escrever aqui mesmo.

Eu e mais três amigas saímos de Campo Grande no sábado (17/10) às 07 da manhã, fomos de ônibus pra Rio Verde. Peguei pouca coisa, coube tudo numa bolsa grande, e só. A viagem demorou demais, por causa do famoso pinga-pinga dos ônibus! Foram quatro horas, sendo que normalmente se faz esse trajeto em três horas ou menos. Ficamos todas hospedadas na casa da Jéssica, que é natural de lá.

Primeiras impressões…

Que calor da porra! Eu costumo dizer que Campo Grande é a ante-sala do inferno, agora descobri que lá é o inferno de fato! Lá não venta e nunca chove. Não pretendo ir morar/ trabalhar em qualquer lugar que se direcione ao Norte, de jeito nenhum! Fresca+calorenta+mole+enjoada que sou, não sobreviveria muito tempo. Outra coisa que me causou um pouco de “estranheza” até a hora de ir embora, é que minha amiga mora numa BR! É, beira de estrada mesmo. Muito diferente. Tem a casa dela ali e mais nada. Você precisa atravessar a rodovia pra chegar na cidade.

Chegamos, acomodamos nossas coisas e o calor incomodando cada vez mais. Almoçamos bobó de frango clássico, com batata-palha e arroz (atóron!) e já começamos a trocar de roupa pra ir conhecer o Balneário de Sete Quedas. De biquíni, eu fui pra debaixo de um ducha que fica do lado de fora da casa. Que delícia.(Foi quase aquela sensação de quando vc está apertado pra ir fazer xixi… E finalmente faz! Só depois me toquei que eu entrei embaixo de uma ducha gelada sem nem piscar. Se fosse num clube ou mesmo aqui em casa eu iria pensar 3 vezes antes. Não tô querendo dizer que eu seja uma Chica Benta que não gosta de tomar banho, é que eu só tamo banho de água fervente quente. Ainda que Campo Grande esteja beirando os 40ºC, é só banho de água quente.

Fomos pra o tal balneário que a Jéssica tanto falava e praticamente exigiu que nós fôssemos conhecer. Eu confesso que não estava muito interessada, nem empolgada. Tenho esse probleminha, quando surgem convites (interessantes ou não) de fazer algo, eu dificilmente me interesso e quase sempre acabo não indo. Encontro trocentos problemas (não tenho roupa/tô gorda/meu cabelo tá ruim/preciso acordar cedo). Provavelmente por isso eu seja muito um pouco anti-social (na vida real!).

O lugar não é tão grande, é como se fosse um hotel-pousada, haviam poucas pessoas. Fiquei encantada a primeira vista. Apesar de morar em Campo Grande e muitos imaginarem que eu vou pra aula de canoa, ou que eu tenha jacaré no quintal, não estou acostumada com esse tipo de contato com a natureza. Eu me sinto até um pouco constrangida por sequer saber diferenciar as frutas, menos ainda o que é um pé-de-qualquer-coisa. Batemos centenas de fotos com a câmera fotográfica da Jéssica, porque a tchonga que vos fala não levou. Veja aí o tamanho do meu interesse pela viagem, a princípio.

Passeamos, escalamos, corremos das abelhas, mergulhamos, fomos pra debaixo de todas as sete quedas d’água (Derr! Haha).  Foi uma tarde maravilhosa. Me senti renovada. Concurso? Que concurso? Não estava pensando em nada, só queria aproveitar aquele lugar.

É um local super interessantes, mas como eu disse antes, não é tão grande assim, ao longo de um dia dá pra conhecer tudo. A tarde foi se acabando, fui me cansando dali e decicimos ir embora.

Estranho como a gente fica exausto quando sai de dentro da água. Eu tava louca pra dormir, mas as meninas tinham outra programação pra o fim da noite. Tomei banho, tirei 5 kilos de areia de mim e das roupas, lavei o cabelo e coloquei o pijama. Todos se reuniram do lado de fora pra ficar jogando conversa fora, bebendo tereré e eu fiquei pensando comigo mesma “Como eles ainda têm saco pra isso?”. Eu, difinitivamente, não sou lá muito sociável. E os mosquitos? Só depois do banho eu percebi na minha perna direita, logo atrás do joelho, uma pereba de mosquito cabulosa, sem falar nas outras perebinhas menos cabulosas que apareceram em todos os lugares – até na planta do pé, juro! Teve um momento em que eu passei pela sala e vi um bezouro gi-gan-te voando locão, se debatendo pelas paredes. Foi só o tempo deu ver e sair correndo dali. Todo mundo bebendo tereré e eu bebendo café com leite. Não gosto de tereré, não adianta. Nunca vou conseguir entender o porquê de se beber aquilo, daquela forma. Mas quando você está quase desmaiando de calor e tem uma pessoa com uma cuia de tereré geladinho te servindo, eu bebo. Não era esse o caso daquela noite, eu já não me sentia mais tão encalorada, não precisava beber aquilo. E também usei como desculpa que precisava do café pra continuar acordada. Bobagem, isso não rola comigo. Eu posso beber litros de café antes do sono, se eu tiver que dormir, eu vou dormir.

A Jéssica havia planejado que a gente fosse num baile – esses ‘bailão’ de música sertaneja, onde as pessoas ficam dançando e tal – e eu, desde o começo, torcendo pra que não desse certo. As meninas estavam comentando tanto de ir comer um tal cachorro-quente na lanchonete de não-sei-quem que eu até acreditei que elas tivessem desencanado da idéia de baile. Nos arrumamos (pra ir comer cachorro-quente!). Eu me arrumei na medida do possível, porque eu não tinha levado nada demais que pudesse usar pra sair a noite. Anyway, isso foi indiferente pra mim, porque eu iria estar linda naquele dia, naquele lugar?

Fomos pra uma praça central, que é o point dos finais de semana. Aquela noite eu percebi como a cidade é um nadica de nada. Rio Verde parece que foi esquecida pelo resto do mundo. Enquanto caminhávamos pela praça todo mundo fitava a gente sem nenhuma discrição. Reparei que as casas, todas muito antigas e implorando por uma reforma, pareciam abandonadas, luzes apagadas, nenhum sinal de vida. Assim foi pela cidade inteira, exceto na praça e nos comércios abertos.

Reparei como lá as coisas parecem vazias, quase que abandonadas. Eu quero dizer o seguinte; quando você está numa cidade grande, qualquer lugar que você direcione o olhar, você vai ter uma imagem cheia de coisas até o fim de onde você consegue enxergar. Já ouvi muito que, em Campo Grande a gente consegue ver o céu, e em São Paulo não. É mais ou menos isso. São Paulo por ser uma metrópole, tem a imagem coberta de prédios e tudo mais por todo o seu campo de visão. Campo Grande, que é uma capital bem menor que São Paulo, também se vê prédios e muitas coisas, mas ainda assim sobra uma brechinha pra o céu na sua visão. Lá em Rio Verde sobra demais, haha! Você vê algumas casinhas, uma ruazinha e o resto da sua visão é céu e mato.

De cima pra baixo: São Paulo, Campo Grande e Rio Verde

Lá, as pessoas dirigem devagar quase parando. Dá até um nervoso de tão devagar. Ir a pé e ir de carro naquela lerdeza dá no mesmo. Eles só devem insistir no carro pra irem sentados, protegidos do sol e talvez no ar-condicionado.

Comemos o tão recomendado cachorro-quente, realmente uma delícia. Depois ainda tomamos milk-shake! Por falar em comilança, meu regime já era! Certeza que eu engordei tudo o que tinha emagrecido. Fiquei super mal com o que vi nas fotos. Uma baleia empanada nas areias de Rio Verde.

Seguimos pra o tal baile. Apenas chegamos no lugar, nos escoramos nos carros pra conversar e, graças à Jacob, não entramos. Só aquela visão do lado de fora me deixou… assustada! Um ambiente hostil, estrada de chão, mal iluminado, pessoas estranhas. E ainda tinha que pagar mais ou menos 15 reais pra entrar! Nem de graça! Eu acho que era esse Grupo Zíngaro que estava lá. Acho! Tinha um ônibus estacionado na frente com esse nome. Uma palinha do incrível evento que eu deixei de apreciar;

Enfim fomos embora pra dormir, eu já tava pescando de tanto sono. Estávamos em quatro garotas; eu e a Norma dormimos na cama de casal, a Jéssica e a Natália dormiram num colchão de casal. A princípio eu até achei que fosse passar a noite em claro, me revirava sem parar na cama, incomodada, e com medo de acordar minha amiga. Não sei como eu consegui dormir até as 10 da manhã do outro dia com aquele calor sufocante junto ao quarto com pouca ventilação.

Apesar dos pesares, eu dormi bem. Até poderia ter me levantada mais cedo da cama, mas fiquei esperando por todas acordarem também. Tomei uns 5 copinhos americanos de café com leite e comi um pão com manteiga e mussarela. Fomos assistir Crepúsculo, porque a Norma não iria sossegar enquanto não fôssemos assistir esse filme, ela estava assim desde o sábado na volta do balneário. E a Natália deu mais corda ainda, já conhecia o filme e é dessas Twilight maníacas. Ela ainda não conhece True Blood! Imagina só quando conhecer, vai ficar doida querendo que os vampiros existam de verdade, igual eu!

Ah, achei legalzinho (bem inho). Foi bom eu ter visto logo esse filme, tão comentado e citado em todos os meios de informação que eu acompanho. Crepúsculo é bastante adolescente, e a história em si parece muito vaga. True Blood supera centenas de vezes.

Almoçamos e fomos fazer a prova. Fiquei pouco nervosa, provavelmente porque eu não esteja contando com essa vaga mesmo, ainda que eu passe! Pra eu trabalhar naquela cidade, só por um excelente salário. E olhe lá. Não há qualquer perspectiva pra quem vive ali. É como meu namorado comentou, “é dar 2 passos pra trás!”. Nem de longe eu chego a ser uma Carrie Bradshaw, mas essa vida pacata demais, soa como castigo pra mim. Eu adoro me sentir como parte atuante de um mundo globalizado.

Quanto à prova, achei bem tranquila, exceto pelas 20 questões de  Língua Portuguesa! Porra, pra que tanta questão de português? A mesma quantidade de questões de Conhecimento Específico. Sem falar que todas as questão foram sobre as mesmas chatices. Ainda não disponibilizaram o resultado oficial do gabarito. Também não entregaram o caderno de questões, disseram que iriam mandar por e-mail para todos. Tô esperando, de idiota. A maioria dos concurso do Estado (MS) são extremamente mal organizados, uma vergonha. Minhas amigas acharam a prova difícil. Ou eu fui muito bem ou eu fui muito mal. Achei bem tranquilo, pra quem não estudou nada.

Eu e a Norma agendamos a volta pra Campo Grande pras 19h30 do mesmo dia. A Jéssica e a Natália ficaram mais um dia inteiro por lá. Todo mundo deu o bolo no estágio da segunda-feira! Na viagem da volta eu estava ansiosa pra chegar logo em casa e ao mesmo tempo super empolgada, com uma sensação ótima, imaginando todo os próximos concursos (logo, mais viagens) que irei prestar, montando o futuro que eu quero pra  mim. Tirando as duas vezes viajei com minha irmã, uma quando fomos pra casa dos nossos avós em São Paulo e outra vez quando fomos pra Disney, essa foi a 1ª vez que viajei sozinha.  E nem foi tão sozinha assim, eu estava com amigas, me hospedei em casa de pessoas confiáveis, tudo planejado e tal. Ainda assim, o trajeto inteiro eu me senti como se estivesse realmente livre.

Pensei muito sobre essa coisa toda de ser concurseira, quero me focar nos concursos do interior de São Paulo ou da região Sul. Eu gosto de saúde coletiva e, infelizmente – ou felizmento, não sei -  pra entrar nesse ramo, praticamente, só sendo funcionário público, ou seja, concursos!

A viagem de volta foi bem mais rápida. Eu esperava chegar em Campo Grande às 23h30, cheguei às 22h50. Ao contrário da ida, voltei todo o trajeto acordada, eram tantos pensamentos e sonhos me consumindo.

Sempre falo sobre o inferno astral, que é a época que antecede a data do nosso nascimento. Não entendo bulhufas do assunto, mas acredito que todos os anos, essa época próxima e anterior à data do nosso nascimento, seja uma época de concluir ciclos, encarar realidades e tomar decisões. Uma época difícil, logo chamada de Inferno Astral. O que isso tem a ver? Completei 21 anos de idade pouco tempo atrás. E ao contrário disso, existe o Paraíso Astral. Eu devo estar vivendo isso agora. Só pode ser. Minha vida não está perfeita, mas eu estou muito feliz. Amor, segurança, tranquilidade, sonhos. (André, você tem 98,9% de responsabilidade por isso.)

Muitas Às vezes tenho medo de me frustrar, de decepcionar meus pais. Mas eu tento não dar brecha pra esses pensamentos. Quero me encher de sentimentos de esperança, iguais aos que me deixaram a viagem de volta inteira acordada.

P.S.: A Jéssica já está com meu pen-drive pra me mandar todas as 988764 fotos. Depois eu completo esse post com mais algumas imagens.

A primeira consulta pública referente ao A será realizada pelo Sistema Estadual de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos (Sisema), nesta quinta-feira (15), na cidade de São Lourenço, região Sul do Estado. O encontro tem como objetivo apresentar os aspectos relacionados ao diagnóstico da bacia, por meio da exibição de relatórios realizados sobre o cenário atual e o que pode ser modificado para efetuar melhorias referentes à qualidade e a disponibilidade de água na região.

A partir das consultas publicas é elaborado um prognóstico, documento que incorpora os cenários futuros referentes à qualidade e à disponibilidade de água na região. A previsão é que o documento seja elaborado até 25 de novembro deste ano. A apresentação final do Plano está prevista para 26 de março de 2010.

O Plano será discutido na consulta por membros da sociedade, do Sisema, da Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (Emater-MG), do Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária (Incra), da Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA) e das prefeituras dos municípios relacionados.

O analista ambiental do Instituto Mineiro de Gestão das Águas (Igam), Rodrigo Mundim, destaca que a participação da sociedade é fundamental. “É essencial a participação de todos, pois possibilita a discussão sobre a elaboração do plano, o esclarecimento de dúvidas e a contribuição através de sugestões de ações para a melhoria da qualidade ambiental da bacia.”

Planejamento

O Plano Diretor de Recursos Hídricos da Bacia do Rio Verde é um instrumento de planejamento contínuo e dinâmico, numa visão de longo prazo, definido em cenários, de forma a permitir uma gestão compartilhada do uso integrado dos recursos hídricos superficiais e subterrâneos. O Plano Diretor busca definir objetivos de qualidade e quantidade de água na bacia, para propor prioridade de ações escalonadas no tempo e no espaço, com as respectivas avaliações de custos, para compor o modelo de gerenciamento integrado de recursos hídricos da bacia, sob a ótica do desenvolvimento sustentável.

O Plano abrange 31 municípios, sendo eles Aiuruoca, Alagoa, Baependi, Cambuquira, Campanha, Carmo da Cachoeira, Carmo de Minas, Caxambu, Conceição do Rio Verde, Cristina, Cruzília, Dom Viçoso, Elói Mendes, Itamonte, Itanhandu, Jusuânia, Lambari, Monsenhor Paulo, Olímpio Noronha, Passa Quatro, Pedralva, Pouso Alto, São Gonçalo do Sapucaí, São Lourenço, São Sebastião do Rio Verde, São Thomé das Letras, Soledade de Minas, Três Corações, Três Pontas, Varginha e Virgínia

Localização

A Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Verde situa-se na mesorregião Sul-sudoeste e abrange um total de 23 sedes municipais. Com uma população total estimada de 423.449 habitantes e uma área de drenagem de 6.924 km².

A bacia possui clima úmido, apresentando de um a dois meses secos por ano e disponibilidade hídrica entre 10 e 20 litros por segundo por quilômetro quadrado. A média anual do Índice de Qualidade das Águas (IQA) ao longo do rio Verde em 2008 manteve-se no nível médio. A Contaminação por Tóxicos (CT) nos 10 pontos de monitoramento ao longo do curso d’água foi baixa.

Serviço

1°Consulta Pública
Data: 15/10/2009
Horário: 13h
Local: Câmara Municipal de São Lourenço
Alameda Doutor Gabriel Avsir, 58, Centro – São Lourenço/MG
Informações: (31) 3282-0353

O objetivo do curso é capacitar o participante a falar em público através da redução da inibição e do desenvolvimento dos recursos verbais. O conteúdo programático aprimora os recursos de oratória e explora temas como autoconfiança, força interior, motivação e poder da mente. Assuntos fundamentais para uma boa apresentação como a desenvoltura, a postura correta e o poder de improsivo também estão presentes no conteúdo das aulas.

Quem organiza – Senac Rio Verde

Onde – Rua Ilídio Leão, qd. 17, Vitória Régia – Rio Verde/GO

Quando – de 29 de setembro a 3 de outubro de 2009, de 18h a 22h (terça e sábado)

Valor – não informado

Carga Horária – 21 horas

Telefone – (64) 3622-5529

Site – Senac Goiás

Para mais informações sobre inscrições, valores, formas de pagamento e outros, acesse o site da instituição.

Fire Pits and Fireplaces Gain Prominence on Patios and in Courtyards of Arizona Custom Homes!

http://www.woodridgecustombuilders.com

There has always been a fascination with an outdoor fire while camping or spending time outdoors.  In Arizona, this fascination has been brought home to the backyard.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC many of our custom homebuyers want full fireplaces or built-in fire pits incorporated in the landscape of their custom home.

Some may wonder why Arizonans adore the backyard fire, one reason is because an outdoor fire can be enjoyed through so many seasons, fall, winter and spring.  Having a New Year’s Eve party around the fire pit is a pleasure that we can enjoy in Arizona.  An outdoor fireplace isn’t only used for parties.  Sipping a morning cup of coffee by a courtyard fireplace is a luxury Arizonans can enjoy on a cool spring morning.  Having an after-dinner drink by a fire pit or fireplace in comfortable outdoor furniture is a great way to end a dinner party.

As much one may like a wood burning fire pit or fireplace, in some municipalities of the Phoenix metropolitan area, outdoor wood fire pits and fireplaces are no longer permitted for new construction.  This is due to air quality issues.   This is one reason we recommend gas fire pits or fireplaces.

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we assist our custom homebuyers with the planning and design of an outdoor fireplace at the very beginning of construction.  Especially important, if the fire pit or fireplace will be powered by natural gas or propane.  When natural gas or propane lines are being installed during construction of the house, it’s usually easier to extend or place a gas line at the exterior of the house near the intended fireplace location ahead of time.  This line can then be easily extended to the fire pit or fireplace upon its construction during the landscaping phase of the project.

1. The fire pit in photo 1 is located in the backyard of a custom home, also near the outdoor grill, so the gas line was easily routed here for the fire pit.
2. In photo 2 this fireplace is in the front courtyard of a Tuscan style home and is a great place to socialize with guests around the extended hearth of this fireplace.
3. Located in a transitional area of the back yard, this fire pit in photo 3 included built-in seating.  In the background of this photo is a Ramada that also included a full size fireplace which is highlighted by photo 4.  During parties, houseguests easily flow from one area of the yard to another emphasizing the well-planned and easy flowing layout of this backyard.

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we work with potential custom homebuyers for months, if not longer before breaking ground on a custom home.  We practice open and honest communication and believe in sharing as much information with our customers as possible regarding the homebuilding process.  Outlined below is one of the most frequently asked questions that receive.   

What is the Best Strategy for Choosing a Builder?

If you’re like most custom homebuyers you want experience, competence, service, trust, and open and honest communication.  Look for someone that you can trust.  Synonyms for trust include faith, confidence, and belief.  You want to have faith in your builder, feel confident that he can do the job on time and within budget, and believe he is the right contractor for you.  The relationship we have with our customers is long-term.  We have worked with customers for more than a year before they were ready to build their home. For another year while they worked on their plans, and then during the course of construction.

Whether you have your home site selected or not, or whether you have your house plans completed or not, the construction expert you hire to build your home is one of the most important decisions you will make during your custom home project.  Outlined below are several strategies that you may want to use.

1)      Referrals are one of the best strategies to use for finding your custom home builder, ask for referrals from your house designer if you are working with one, and/or family and friends that may have had a custom home constructed. 

2)      Visit projects that you like, if there is a construction sign on the project, call the builder.  Is the builder easy to reach?  Must you go through a handful of office staff to reach the builder or does he have a direct line?

3)      Interview builders and visit completed homes.  A finished project will reveal as much, if not more than a construction site.  Some people don’t know a good job from a bad one.  A finished home can show you the quality of finished details not just rough construction and how clean a jobsite may be.

4)      Interview builders and ask questions.  Do not ask for an estimate without a full set of house plans.  No reputable builder will give you a bid from a house plan drawn on a napkin or partial plans.  If the builder does, he is not likely the best choice.  We will explain why later in this section. 

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we are available for questions, feel free to contact us through our website or information outlined on our About page.

Custom Kitchen Lighting… So Many Options for Accents!

http://www.woodridgecustombuilders.com

As a custom home builder we have had the opportunity to install a wide variety of accent lighting in custom kitchens.  Depending on the desires of the customer, home design and home style there are many options for kitchen accent lighting.  The five most popular in our experience at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC has been 1) underneath upper kitchen cabinets, 2) above upper kitchen cabinets, 3) hanging light fixtures above kitchen work areas, 4) underneath lower kitchen cabinets, and 5) jam switches.

1)      Underneath the Upper Kitchen Cabinets:  Often popular in custom kitchens are accent lights hidden underneath the upper kitchen cabinets, these can be hidden by the upper cabinets so that only the light itself is seen reflecting onto the kitchen counter.  Fluorescent or halogen light fixtures are great for this area, with a different glow, tone, and warmth offered by each.  These lights are usually designed to be powered by one or two light switches in the kitchen so that all of the under cabinet lighting is lit with the power of one switch rather than turning each one on individually.

 2)      Above the Upper Kitchen Cabinets:  Becoming more popular in custom kitchens are outlets located above the upper kitchen cabinets.  Some customers opt to locate rope lighting above the kitchen counters, but others install lamps as shown in one of the photos below.  These outlets are usually electrically connected to the same under cabinet lighting so that these lights come on with the under counter lighting at the flip of a switch.  The warmth created by these lights is incredible especially in large custom kitchens with high ceilings. 

 3)      Hanging light fixtures above kitchen islands:  Above work or eating areas such as kitchen islands, hanging light fixtures offer good light for working as well as accent lighting.  The fixtures selected often match the home’s style and other lighting fixtures in the home.  Often customers will choose to hang one large light fixture above a kitchen island, others will hang two separate light fixtures, or multiple pendant types light fixtures.  This depends upon customer choice and the size of the island.  Photos below highlight both styles.

 4)      Under lower kitchen cabinets at floor level:  Another recent accent lighting feature that we have installed includes rope lighting at floor level below the lower kitchen cabinets, primarily around kitchen islands.  A photo below highlights this awesome feature.  A rope light installed at floor level is the ultimate ‘Oh wow’, when designing and planning a custom kitchen.  It is still relatively uncommon but adds a special element to the kitchen environment.  These light sare usually electrically connected toh a sensor on a wall mounted light switch.  This sensor recognizes movement in the kitchen and automatically switches on the light whenever someone enters the kitchen.  After a period of time without movement, the lights turn off.  These are great night-lights when headed to the kitchen for that late night snack.

5)      Pantry door-jam switches:  Many of our custom kitchens include a walk-in pantry for plenty of additional storage.  These pantries are usually large enough to require its own lighting, so we have frequently installed a light switch in the door jam of a pantry that allows the light to come on automatically when the door is opened, and shut off when the door is closed.  This is similar to a refrigerator door light switch, an awesome feature in a custom kitchen pantry.

Photos below highlight some of these features.  These lighting features are in addition to general overhead lighting installed in kitchens which can range from canned incandescent to canned halogen lighting.

Planning and Creating A Master Bath Retreat

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A master bath retreat is a dream come true for many homeowners.  More and more homeowners are recreating the luxurious atmosphere of a spa in their own home.  As custom home builders, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC  large  bathtubs and Jacuzzi-type jets, large master showers with multiple sprays, large closets off the master bath area, full length three-way dressing mirrors, morning coffee bars, and sitting areas in the master bath area are just a few features incorporated into a master bath retreat.  When building a custom home, our customers benefit from advance planning.  Designing the master bath takes time, thought, and a lot of different ideas that eventually culminate into one terrific master retreat.

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, our customers begin in many different ways when planning their master bath area.  Some of our customers take the floor plan as designed by their architect and plan around that.  Others collect photos from magazines or photos of other homes showing these to their architect or home designer.  The architect designs the master bath exactly how the customer wants it.  Planning these details are some of the most joyous experiences when building a custom home. 

The floor plan of a master bath retreat is an important initial step.  Decisions for sizing the bathtub, and if it will be a Jacuzzi-type, the shower, and whether to include shower doors or create a walk-in style, to construct dual vanities, or one vanity with dual sinks, are just several decisions jointly made between the architect and customers.  These decisions determine the layout of the master bath area.  The importance of the layout cannot be over emphasized, adding a built-in full-length three-way dressing mirror is not something that can be easily added later.  The space must be planned well in advance.  

Once the space is planned and designed, customers begin making selections for the master bath.  Selections for the plumbing fixtures, the number of sprays in the shower, mirrors, and the lighting fixtures are a few of the decisions that help a custom homebuyer achieve the master bath retreat of their dreams.  The tile selected for a master bath retreat is a very important decision determining the look and feel of a master bath retreat.  As one might expect, small white ceramic tiles used throughout a master bath area with chrome plumbing fixtures definitely offers a luxurious spa feeling.  Yet, a natural stone tub surround, shower, and floor with rustic oil-rubbed bronze plumbing fixtures, lends the feeling of an old Santa Fe resort.  Each decision made by custom homebuyers beginning with the floor plan, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, and mirrors comes together creating the final look.

The total look and feel of master bath retreat is completed when the homeowners move in and accessorize.  Luxurious bath towels, curtains, candles, potted plants, potpourri’s, and other accessories pull the layout, amenities, and accessories together into a fabulous master bath retreat.   The photos below highlight master bath features of custom homes built by Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, offering ideas to anyone building a custom home and creating a master bath retreat.  These photos highlight oversized vanities including make-up areas, walk-in showers eliminating the need for shower doors, and luxurious oversized bathtubs with Jacuzzi-type jets, one accessorized by beaded curtains.

Saltillo, Ceramic, and Natural Stone are Only a Few Options!

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At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, as custom home builders in Arizona our customers want flooring that reflects the architectural style of their home or their own unique style.   Unique to each homeowner’s taste and style, floors vary from saltillo tile, commercial grade ceramic tiles, and natural stone in various patterns. 

Photos below highlight some of the flooring styles selected in homes constructed by Woodridge Custom Builders LLC. 

1. Saltillo tile reflects the tastes of custom homebuyers staying true to their Spanish Colonial home style.  Saltillo tiles often vary in color from light orange-red to darker shades of red-brown.  This terra cotta Saltillo tile floor was laid in a two-piece pattern.
2. Natural unfinished or tumbled stone has a very classic look.  The home in photo 2 incorporated Mexican Noce tumbled travertine stone in Versailles pattern.  The Versailles pattern uses four stone sizes, these include 16”x24”, 16”x16”, 8”x16”, and 8”x8”.   The tile floor in this pattern works very well with the Tuscan features of this home, the wood beams, wrought iron lighting, interior stonewalls, and stone fireplace.
3. The tile used in the home of photo 3 is also Mexican Noce tumbled stone.  This tile floor included one tile size in a running pattern.  Quite large at 16”x24”, these rectangular stone pieces added an old European look to this home.
4. A very formal-looking polished, honed and smooth travertine tile is shown in photo 4.  One tile size was used for this pattern, the tiles were 24”x24” and created a sleek, elegant look for this traditional home.
5. The tile selected by the homeowners in photo 5 included commercial grade ceramic tiles.  These large pieces were 18”x18” inches and accented with black marble 3”x3” squares.  The baseboards installed here were also cut from the tile squares.

The products selected directly affect the cost of a tile floor.  Ceramic tile can be one of the most cost effective tile floor coverings.  Natural stone products are pricier.  Most products are sold by the square foot.  Installation is also priced per square foot.  Cost to install a tiled floor varies on the tile selected, the complexity of the pattern, and the complexity of the installation process itself.  A home with many curved walls affects installation costs. The number of corner posts at a kitchen island, kitchen cabinets, or bathroom vanities, and other cutouts required around cabinets affect the installation price. 

These five examples are just a few of the endless options for flooring.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we will assist our custom home buyers to plan, design, find and install the tile flooring system they want in their custom home at the right price for their budget.  We have various suppliers with thousands of ceramic tile, natural stone, slate, and marble flooring options to select from so our customers get the look and style they desire.

Current Housng Market Conditions in the Phoenix Area

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As a custom home builder in Arizona, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we must stay abreast of the housing market in the Phoenix area.  Data available through the local multiple listing services (MLS) through August 2009 reveals interesting housing market information.  Is the news good?  It still depends on whom you ask.  Here we have detailed information on closed sales, pending sales, active listings, types of homes sold, average days on the market, average sales price, list price to sales price ratio, cancellations and expired listings, and months of inventory.  Whether the news below is good or not depends upon if you’re a buyer, seller, banker, or in our case, custom home builders.  One conclusion for us is that the market looks better each month and nowhere as bad as it did 20 months ago. 

Comparing closed sales over a three-year period revealed that in August 2009, 7,028 homes sold compared to 4,847 in August of the previous year and only 3,838 in August of 2007.  Wow!  Does that indicate that this market has turned around?  One may think so.  July and August have seen a decrease in the number of homes sold since June when 8,235 homes closed.  On the seller’s side, this is due in part to the decreasing inventory – A GOOD THING.  On the buyer’s side, the market remains very competitive for homes prices less than $200,000.  The first-time homebuyer credit offered by the stimulus plan ends December 1, and this may prompt potential buyers to make decisions over the next few months before the benefit expires.

What homes are selling?  In August only 31% of the homes sold were regular sales while 51% were foreclosed homes and 18% were short sales.  Pending sales have dropped each month since this year’s high of 9,641 in June.  However, considering that the number of pending sales for August (7,179) is more than twice that in August of 2007 (3,527) indicates that things are happening here again.  Buyers most likely feel the competitive atmosphere, many buyers, especially for foreclosed homes are now offering more than list price to be the best and most competitive bidder.  The good news is that prices remain affordable with the average sales price around $176,000.

There is awesome news regarding the average days on the market where August saw an 11-day decrease.  This is the lowest since December 2006.  This number drops when there is more buyer interest and competition for properties.  This may lead to higher sales prices.  The list price to sales price ratio is another indicator of market activity.  In August the list price to sales price ratio was 96.9%, a slight in increase from the prior month.  This is another indicator that buyers must compete for great homes.  For bank owned homes, the selling price is often above list price. 

Monthly cancellations and expired listings have steadily dropped since June 2009, August experienced the lowest number of cancellations and expirations in the past three-year period.  This may mean that fewer sellers are pulling their homes off the market to wait for a better time. For buyers, it creates a competitive market and it means more homes are staying on the market with seller success. 

The number of active listings remained around 31,600 in the Phoenix-Maricopa County area for the month of August.  This is down from a three-year high of 60,600.  Nearly half as many homes are now out there for sale as were in November 2007. 

Over the same three-year period the months of inventory have dropped to 4 ½ months, up a bit from July at nearly 4 months, but nothing like the 22 ¾ months of inventory in January 2008.  Note: taking the number of active listings and dividing it by sales for the past month measure the active listings.   The great news here is that 5 or fewer months of inventory indicate a seller’s market. 

 At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we pay attention to the housing market, as our potential customers have been concerned about knowing when the right time might be to move ahead with their custom home plans.  A couple of our customers that suspended their plans in 2008, are moving forward with their plans as this data indicates much positive activity. 

The information provided here is based on the MLS system and covers the Maricopa County area only, the data fluctuates daily.

Embora seja um projeto polêmico, não deixa de ser uma boa notícia o fato da prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro estar pensando em mais áreas de integração entre os habitantes e a natureza na cidade, numa tentativa, neste caso específico, de tornar mais agradável a “selva de pedra” quase robotizada em que se transformou o belo centro da antiga capital federal. Cabe apenas a pergunta: será que será bem realizada e constante a conservação — e a segurança — do enorme local (o projeto da prefeitura é transformar a Avenida Rio Branco num imenso parque de dois milhões de metros quadrados), efetivamente melhor que outras áreas como o Campo de Santanna e a Quinta da Boa Vista ? Sendo uma região de grande circulação de pessoas, será também que a própria população vai ter consciência em também colaborar com a preservação da região ?

Seja como for, o projeto deve fazer com que o Centro ganhe mais dois mergulhões, a exemplo da Praça Quinze (que, como sabemos, estão completamente deteriorados). De acordo com o Globo Online, eles seriam construídos nas interseções da Rio Branco com as avenidas Nilo Peçanha e Almirante Barroso, e os carros oriundos dessas vias usariam passagens subterrâneas a caminho da Rua da Carioca e da Avenida Chile:

O projeto, apelidado de Rio Verde, prevê ainda a construção de pelo menos duas grandes garagens no subsolo, para compensar a restrição ao tráfego na avenida e a proibição do estacionamento na superfície.

O número de vagas e a localização dos estacionamentos subterrâneos ainda serão estudados, mas a Rua México e a Avenida Graça Aranha estão cotadas. Segundo o secretário municipal de Urbanismo, Sérgio Dias, o projeto pretende garantir que o vencedor da licitação para a construção do parque se comprometa com a manutenção de todo o espaço. O objetivo é evitar problemas de conservação como os do mergulhão da Praça Quinze e de outras áreas públicas. Em troca, o concessionário teria o direito de explorar as garagens e os serviços de bicicletas, carrinhos elétricos e ecotáxis previstos na concepção do parque.

Dias informou ainda que o projeto não inclui os 500 metros iniciais da Rio Branco, entre a Praça Mauá e a Candelária, porque o trecho será importante na reorganização do trânsito prevista na revitalização da Zona Portuária. Já os ônibus que hoje passam pela Rio Branco circulariam pelas avenidas Passos e República do Paraguai. Mas a opção de seguir pela Avenida Presidente Vargas até o mergulhão da Praça Quinze não deixaria de existir

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Tuscan, Andalusian, Spanish Colonial… Including Wood Beams Compliments Many Home Styles

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Popular Arizona custom home styles include Tuscan, Andalusian, and Spanish Colonial.  When designing, planning and building a custom home, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, it is never our intent to imitate a Tuscan villa as though it were physically moved from Tuscany and relocated in Scottsdale.  It is more a reflection of the Tuscan style incorporating the best of the features into our own Arizona desert lifestyle.  One of the most beautiful architectural features found in these homes are wood beams.  Wood beams are often used inside the house, on the exterior of the house, and on patio ramadas.  Some are actual structural support systems, while others are complementary architectural details.

Often these beams are new wood beams that are hand hewn to give the appearance of old-beaten up beams one might find in a 15^th century villa.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, our framers are skilled with hand hewing techniques where wood beams are formed and shaped by hand.  The beams can be carved and distressed for an ‘old-world’ look.  Other times old wood beams and boards are purchased from suppliers on the east coast that sell old barn boards and barn beams.  Many barn beams are faded with old white or red barn paint.  These can be stunning in the right setting.

In the first photo, the carved cornice on this Tuscan style home works well with the rough edged over grouted stone and red roof tiles.  The second photo highlights how the wood beam supporting the covered porch tie in well with the cornices above the fortress-like entrance.  The stone, wrought iron, terra cotta colored exterior shutters, and red roof tiles complete the Tuscan look.  The third photo is an interior photo of wood beams in a Spanish Colonial style home.  The beams, stone bases, wrought iron; clerestory windows and tile floor are true to the Spanish Colonial style.  In the final photo, these beams on the kitchen ceiling are decorative architectural details fitting with the Tuscan style home.

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, it is our goal to help our custom home buyers achieve the look and feel of the home they desire.  If wood beams inside of the house, on the exterior or patio Ramada, are desired, we are experienced with hand-hewing techniques necessary to do that.

The Eagle Solar Roof

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As custom home builders, Eagle Roofing Products has been one of our suppliers at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC  for years.  Recently, Eagle Roofing has introduced a new roof solar panel.  The Eagle Solar Roof uses highly efficient silicon solar cells.  It is a solar system that powers the home, but also integrates seamlessly with the home’s roof tiles.  Integrating the functionality of a solar powered home with the beauty of its roof tiles is worth checking into.

There are significant benefits to including an Eagle Solar Roof into a custom home including:

• Quiet and reliable power generation
• Significant federal and state rebates and tax incentives are available
• Bank extra power with the local utility
• Substantially reduces or eliminates monthly energy bills
• Increases resale value to the property
• Reduces pollution
• Provides safe and sustainable energy to the home

During the day the solar panels create energy for the home, at night energy is drawn from the utility grid.  It’s possible that any extra energy created by the home’s solar panels during the day gets banked at the utility company and then used at night.  The federal, state, and utility rebates available can be quite significant.  Up to $2,000 is a federal tax credit available. State rebates vary from state to state. 

There are many factors that affect a solar roofing system with location being very important.  Arizona is a terrific location for using solar panels.  Clear sunny skies increase solar output.  For highest energy output solar panels should face south.  Solar panels lose their effectiveness if shaded by trees or other buildings.  Since the sun is higher in the sky in the summer months, the solar panels create more energy during the summer.  

The fascinating feature of the Eagle Solar Roof is the fact that the solar panels are designed to fit with Eagle concrete roof tile.  These are not the huge solar panels of yesteryear that sit unsightly on a roof.  The Eagle Solar Roof is composed of a number of roof-sized tiles constructed of a quality frame, with tempered glass, and designed to divert water to prevent leaks. 

Eagle Roofing offers a 25-year power warranty, and 25 years protection against water intrusion.  They offer free Internet based solar system monitoring for 10 years.  This system can be used with an existing electrical system.  Eagle Roofing offers a wind load rating up to 125 mph.  The solar panels are lightweight, safe and easy to install. 

At Woodridge Custom BuildersLLC, we were thrilled to be introduced to this new roofing system.  We are currently working with customers interested in this type of system and are confident the energy savings benefits are worth any extra up front costs.

One Decision That Can Save Money When Building A Custom Home…  Clay or Concrete Roofing

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At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, more often than not lately, our custom home buyers are asking us how they can get the most for their money and still get the home of their dreams.  There are so many decisions that a custom home buyer must make beginning with the size of the home and the selected floor plan.  Once the floor plan is completed, selections from toilets, to plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures to accent lighting, floor coverings, sinks, cabinet wood and style, appliances, custom built-ins, doors and door hardware, counter surfaces, among others must be made.

We are happy assisting our custom home buyers with economical selections that can save thousands of dollars without impacting the quality of their custom home.  Just one example of cost savings can be found when comparing clay roof tiles with concrete roof tiles.  Choosing between clay roof tiles and concrete roof tiles is one often consideration for Arizona custom home buyers. 

Clay Roof Tiles:  Having a personal residence with over-the-thigh-hand-shaped clay roof tiles lends itself to timeless beauty.  Clay roofs are one of the original roofing materials and have been used for centuries in Europe.  Clay roof tiles offer an authentic Mexican Old-World look as well as Old European.  Clay roof tiles may be hand made or machine made, but there are rarely two identical tiles of the same color. Natural color variation is part of the tile’s aesthetic appeal.  Clay roof tiles are sometimes installed on a roof in curving rows and multiple stacks for an ancient handcrafted look. Installation in this manner requires more tiles.  

Concrete Roof Tiles:  Concrete roof tiles are a lower cost alternative to clay.  They are considered equal to clay in durability and longevity.  Concrete roof tiles are available in shapes and colors similar to clay roof tiles.  Concrete roofs can be boosted.  This is where tiles are mortared on top of one another similar to stacking clay roof tiles.  This lends itself to the Old-World look so popular with the clay roof tiles.  Natural color variation of clay roof tile is emulated in concrete roof tiles.  A weathered look has been reproduced in the concrete; each tile also varies in color similar to clay roof tiles.

What They Both Have in Common:  Both types of roofing tile must be installed over an approved roof covering complying with local codes, usually a 90-pound underlayment.  Tile is actually a decorative material.  Both roof types will last a lifetime.  Clay and concrete are equally durable.  Each roofing material has several varieties to select from, and an equally wide range of colors.  Each roofing type lends itself to the Mexican Old-World and Old European look. 

What Is the Difference Between the Two?  Clay roof tiles can cost more than twice that of concrete roof tiles.  Ultimately, the custom home buyer chooses the roofing material for their custom home. At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, as custom home builders, we enjoy assisting our customers in any way possible to make the best choice for their home.  We are happy helping them to find ways to reduce expenses, never compromising quality, yet achieving the feel and look of the home they desire. 

The photos below show examples of concrete and clay roof tiles, the natural color variation of each and the look of boosted tiles.

Create Outdoor Comfort Zones with an In-Home Misting System

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Now available for home use are high-pressure misting systems, or sometimes referred to as misting cooling systems.  These units can be installed on any home completed or under construction.  Our experience has been with the installation of a misting system during the custom home building process.  As custom home builders, our customers at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC  have expressed more interest in misting systems than in the past.  A high-pressure misting cooling system compliments the Arizona outdoor lifestyle by providing a cool mist of pressurized water onto a back yard patio or dining area.  The mist line is installed on the overhang and around the perimeter of a backyard patio or outdoor dining area.  Specially designed mist nozzles evenly distributed throughout the high-pressure mist line produce tiny water droplets.  The tiny water droplets are dispersed in a mist that cools the surrounding air temperature.  This mist keeps an outdoor living space comfortable in the heat of the day.

Installing a high pressure misting system in a custom home can be a tricky task.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we are cautious with the installation of these misting systems for several reasons.  The system includes high-pressure water lines, mist nozzles, a high-pressure pump and ancillary plumbing equipment.  These units are usually installed following the framing phase of a custom home project on the overhang of a patio or outdoor Ramada.  This is a rather early construction phase.  By the time a home is completed, only the misting nozzles are exposed.   Usually, the high-pressure water lines are encased within the stucco finish of a home. The units must be tested periodically throughout construction process to ensure that lines haven’t been inadvertently closed off or cut during construction and that the misting nozzles remain clear and free of debris.  If a problem occurs with the line or the nozzle after the stucco has covered the lines, the stucco around the nozzle must be torn out, the nozzle or line fixed and stucco repaired. 

Another tricky feature regarding installation is that the mist nozzles should cover the entire perimeter of an overhang so during breezy conditions, the benefit of the misting system can be appreciated from all directions.  The pumps to these units are not quiet so the location of the pump must be planned in advance and not located near the patio or dining area.  Once a custom home is completed, maintenance for the homeowner can also be tricky, misting nozzles must be kept free of debris.  Over time, hard water deposits clog the nozzles and must be cleaned.

Despite the detail and attention required to install these units in a custom home, and the follow-up maintenance required by the homeowner; the end result is worth the effort.  High-pressure misting systems can maximize the comfort of our Arizona outdoor living spaces. At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we have assisted our custom home buyers with these units to create great comfort zones in outdoor living areas.

What is the Stereotype for An Outdoor Awning?    Let it go!

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Like us, do you have prejudged views of outdoor awnings?  If someone suggested installing an awning on a custom home one might instantly think of Sun City, Arizona, well known as a city of retirees.  Does one think of those unsightly retractable awnings that might look better on a camper?  Or does one think of a striped metal awning from the 1960’s?   Perhaps awnings should be given a second look.  This is 2009, after all.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, it has been our experience that there is most definitely a place for awnings on a custom home. 

The ‘Old-World’ look of a spear tent awning adds timeless beauty to a custom home.  Traditional awnings can be installed on square windows as well as arched windows.  Awnings can not only enhance a home’s appearance but block direct sunlight from passing into the house and fading carpets, draperies and furnishings.  By minimizing direct sunlight that passes into a house the mechanical ventilation required to cool those rooms is reduced.  Those features sound pretty good to us, less fading of furnishings and the less the air conditioner must run to cool those rooms.  Perhaps awnings should be given a second look after all.  Our custom home buyers visit Phoenix Tent and Awning  when it comes to selecting the perfect awning for their home.  Phoenix Tent and Awning  have demonstrated absolute expertise assisting our customers with awning selection and installation.

The photo below shows a traditional awning.  This large game room gets late afternoon sun and the awning prevents sunlight from entering the room and fading the fabric of the pool table that sits adjacent to this window.  The awning was not designed as colorful accent, yet a subtle, functional accent.  The following photo shows the same awning from another angle and how the awning works well with the home’s wood, stone, exterior shutters and wrought iron. 

So Many Options for Fireplace Surrounds…  Where to Begin?

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As a custom home builder, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, our custom home buyers have many choices to make during the design and construction process.  Options include everything from flooring, cabinets, doors, door hardware, and light fixtures among other features and amenities.  One such selection a custom home buyer may need to make is the type of fireplace surround to choose.  There are so many styles from traditional wood mantels to stone.  Many times it depends on the style of the home, a very traditional style home in the Midwest may be very different from the custom homes we build in Arizona. 

Becoming very popular in Arizona custom homes are those fireplace surrounds that have the Old-World look.  This look can be achieved with stone fireplace surrounds, precast concrete, or crushed marble fabricated surrounds.  Precast concrete is a masonry product that simulates natural stone and is more cost effective than natural stone.  Precast concrete mantels are cast molds of concrete, or made with reinforced high-density industrial grade fibers.  The finishes resemble natural stone finishes in a variety of earthy colors.  These fireplace surrounds are beautiful and can be very economical.  Other fireplace manufacturers cast their surrounds from crushed marble and bonded with white Portland cement.  These fireplaces are faux finished to give the custom homebuyer the exact look they desire.

Other fireplaces do not need a surround.  A fireplace can be designed and constructed within a wall of stone, and only require the installation of a wood mantel.  Whatever fireplace surround is selected, the options are endless.  Most of our custom home buyers begin with the style of the home and go for the look they are trying to achieve such as Old-World or traditional. 

The photos below highlight various types of fireplace surrounds in some of our custom homes.  In the first photo, the white fireplace is one of the composite type fabrications previously described and absolutely stunning in this traditional environment.  The fireplace in the second photo is a complete stone fireplace wall.  In this great room the fireplace extends the full height of the wall.  At 20 feet high, the hearth was raised about a foot and a half from the floor for perfect proportions.  A wood mantel complements the stone features of this fireplace. The third photo highlights a fireplace without a projected surround.  The flush surround is made of ceramic tiles.  The ceramic tiles of the fireplace match those of the floor yet get dressed up with the small accent tile pieces.  The other photos highlight various styles selected by our customers.

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, when our custom home buyers are looking for a stone or similar fireplace surround we have them visit Phoenix Fireplace, Inc. www.phoenixfireplace.com.  At Phoenix Fireplace there is a tremendous variety of surround styles and finishes that can match almost anyone’s custom home style.   

Multiple Sprays, Larger Spaces, and Frameless Shower Doors

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As Arizona custom home builders, at Woodridge Custom Builders, LLC our luxury home buyers are very attentive when designing and accessorizing shower systems.  Shower areas have become larger and taken a more prominent space in the master bath of our custom homes.  Out, is the narrow shower stall where elbows may hit the wall while showering.  Long gone are the flimsy, opaque, metal-framed bypass doors of a shower/tub combination.  New, are larger shower spaces, frameless shower doors made of heavy glass, multiple sprays, snail showers, shower sitting areas, coated glass, and a wider variety of finishes for the fixtures. 

Luxurious showers now seem to be the new status symbol.  Larger than ever, some are large enough that shower doors are not required.  Others are built in a spiral shape eliminating the need for shower doors, (snail shower).  Eliminating the need for shower doors also eliminates the need to clean all of that glass.  In a new or model home, clear glass showers seem so inviting, but once the homeowner moves in and actually begins using the shower, those once lovely glass walls and doors quickly get covered with soap scum and water marks.  Now there is a coating available for glass shower doors and glass walls.  This coating helps prevent permanent spots, stains and soap scum.  Several brands now offer shower doors protected by this coating.

For showers that require doors, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC  nearly all of the shower doors that we have installed recently in custom homes have been made of a heavier, thicker glass.  This heavier, thicker glass no longer requires the use of a metal frame around the doors.  Outlined in the pictures below are examples of these frameless shower doors.  Excluding the metal frames emphasizes the beautiful tile work of many of these showers.  Shower doors no longer just open out.  The doors in these photos can be pushed into the shower for entry and pushed out of the shower for exit.  They offer much more versatility and ease of use.  Bypass doors have also been replaced with a set of frameless French doors.  What an elegant feature these doors add to a shower area.   

Shower stalls have transitioned from just that, a narrow stall to a prominent feature of the bathroom.  The shower areas have become larger, offering more room to enter and exit with ease, and offer less confining feeling.  Large master shower spaces often include multiple sprays.  They may include a rain showerhead from above, a standard sprayer off the wall, a hand-held sprayer that either fastens to a wall pole or can be used free hand, and sometimes, multiple body sprays at various heights of the shower wall.  

The finishes on showerheads and fixtures vary more now than ever.  The chrome, brass, and antiqued brass have forged into softer shades of finishes such as satin nickel or for that Tuscan look oil rubbed bronze.  Oil rubbed bronze is probably the most popular finish that our custom home buyers have selected over the past several years.

The ever-changing style of the American bath continues to offer a wide selection of features for the custom home buyer.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we will continue to offer our customers the best selections for their particular needs.

Kitchen Design and the Multiple Uses of Kitchen Islands

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An elegant home with everything one could hope for—from unique living spaces to a custom kitchen just meant for entertaining.  In recent years, kitchen trends have changed significantly.  A shift has taken place from the functional wall of cabinets to architectural spaces where window walls and work islands are replacing the row of look-a-like cabinets along each wall.  Complimenting the architectural style of a home, kitchen cabinets look like independent pieces of furniture grouped in furniture-like arrangements.  Stained alder wood is a popular material used for custom kitchen cabinets, mixing stained cabinets with painted and glazed alder wood cabinets.  Long gone is the small window sink placed between cabinets, but replaced by larger windows and plenty of natural light. 

Many Americans are spending more time at home and entertaining at home, increasing demand that kitchen spaces be aesthetically pleasing and great entertainment areas.  As custom home builders, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we have see this transition.  Our custom home buyers want style, natural light and room to gather and socialize in their kitchen.  Many also are seek abundant storage space with state of the art kitchen appliances.  Space, often at a premium, requires that every inch count. 

More than ever, the kitchen is the heart of the home, usually designed into a floor plan that opens into a great room or casual living and dining area.  This obviously reflects the trend for living-in and gathering-in kitchens and serves to explain why kitchen cabinets are evolving into furniture in these new ‘living spaces.’  Islands have become more stylized, resembling old farmhouse tables with decorative corbels and corner posts.  Many kitchens are designed large enough to include a sitting area with a kitchen fireplace, satisfying the customer’s desire to reflect the uniqueness of their personalities.  The home, after all, reflects the person or family living inside. 

Like living rooms, kitchens are no longer suites of identically matched furniture, but eclectic blends of old and new, stately and whimsical. Stainless kitchen appliances are often mixed with whimsical painted pieces.  The traditional work triangle of a one-cook kitchen has evolved into work zones such as preparation areas and clean-up areas.  Kitchens can be designed for one or multiple cooks, two islands becoming more popular in multiple cook kitchens. 

There are so many possibilities when it comes to creating the dream kitchen. Will it be a family gathering place?  How many cooks will be using the kitchen? Will it be used for entertaining?  Will it be used for large holiday gatherings or small dinner parties?  The perfect kitchen can become a reality with a little planning. 

Woodridge Custom Builders LLC  built the kitchen shown in the photos below as a family gathering place.  The photos highlight how this family uses the kitchen as a great gathering place for their teenage kids and friends after school, or shown below a surprise birthday party with 10 teenage girls.  There are two islands in this kitchen.  One is used as the main food preparation area where the sink and dishwasher are located with the cook top directly opposite of the sink.  The second island is definitely where the kids hang out after school, sharing daily experiences, refreshments and snacks.  This second island contains an under counter refrigerator for bottled water, sport drinks and sodas where the kids can quickly grab a drink without opening the full-sized refrigerator. 

This second island has evened served as a buffet table as the picture below demonstrates.  Perfect for covering with a large tablecloth, removing the chairs and using the island as a dessert buffet table for a friend’s baby shower, this island has multiple uses.  The kitchen table in the adjacent area served as the appetizer buffet table.   

Tennis Anyone?  Golf Anyone?  …In the Backyard?

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In Arizona, not all yards are large enough for a tennis court, but many Arizona backyards are large enough for a sport court, putting green, batting cage, trampoline pit, or skateboard ramp.  Popular in Arizona, are small sport courts and half-court basketball, as shown in the photos here.  Courts can be used for multiple purposes, or dedicated to one sport.  Whether it is a half-court for basketball as shown here, or multi-sport court for volleyball, tennis or badminton, each comes in an array of colors and designs.  Because these are custom courts, each court is built to meet the unique needs of the custom homebuyer and designed for the specific space available. 

There are several types of surfaces and choosing the correct surface depends on the intended activity.  Many of these sport courts are made of a modular polypropylene surface with an interlocking design, and placed over a draining system.  Most surfaces are smooth and non-abrasive and come in a variety of UV protected colors and designs.  When running or jumping on the surface, it offers some ‘give’ helping absorb shock and minimize impact to the knees and joints.  Many are virtually maintenance free. 

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, the popular backyard activities that we have built into our custom homes have included the half-court basketball court, trampoline pits, and putting greens using synthetic of fake grass and natural grass.  As shown in below, a trampoline is installed over an opening or pit in the yard.  The trampoline becomes flush with the ground minimizing fall injuries and eliminating the need for the unsightly protective mesh cage.

For those custom homebuyers interested in shaving strokes off their golf game, nothing beats a backyard putting green.  Low maintenance, synthetic or fake grass putting greens offer a terrific option for the golf enthusiast.  There is a variety of turf available for backyard putting greens depending on the customer’s choice.  Many backyard putting greens include breaks and green undulations for developing putting skills. 

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC our customers work with Michael Fox, at Sport Court Arizona, http://www.sportcourtaz.com to help them plan, design and realize the backyard of their dreams.  Michael can assist with sport courts, batting cages trampoline pits, putting greens, and backyard skateboard areas.   For a short video highlighting backyard recreation see this YouTube video Arizona Backyard Recreation… Profile of An Arizona Custom Home Builder.

As an Arizona Custom Home Builder, We See Stone and Stone Veneer Showing Up Everywhere!

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More often than not lately, as a custom home builder, we are incorporating stone to the front of custom homes, around fireplaces, wet bars, swimming pools, and other accent areas of the home.  Stone can fit with almost any architectural styles from modern and contemporary to the Old-World looks of Tuscan and Andalusian. Usually the stone is not authentic stone, but recreated using unique molding methods that capture the finest details of natural stone. These recreated stones offer the authentic and natural beauty of real stone at a fraction of the cost.  There are several advantages to using faux stone or stone veneer, it is lighter weight and allows easy installation over any existing surface without requiring additional support or foundations.

The color choices are phenomenal including light gray, soft creams, golden umbers, and light coffee to deep rich quarry tones.  The varieties of styles are also endless.  The stone can be stacked without the look of grout, or it can be a hybrid of horizontally oriented fieldstones and ledge stones with chiseled edges.  For the popular Tuscany look the stone can be over grouted, meaning the pasty look of the grout covers the stone as well as the joints and gives it the Old World look. 

For the near future it seems stone veneer is here to stay.  The quality and functionality continue to improve with new manufacturing methods and the natural beauty of stone endures.  The stone veneer on the custom homes shown below have been placed in selected locations, particularly on the two pop-outs of the front elevation and the over turret above the entryway.  The second photo is stone on a Tuscan style home and emphasizes how stone added to the rear of a custom home completes the look and complements the outside living area.

Custom Home Laundry Rooms Complete with Storage and Multiple Washers

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At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, laundry rooms are often times more than laundry rooms. They become utility rooms, larger than closets, sometimes even containing a closet as in the photo included here.  This laundry room houses two washers and two dryers.  These custom homebuyers preferred having two washers and two dryers in one location.  The family wanted to get their dirty laundry to one room where all of the work could be done.  Other custom home buyers prefer having two separate laundry rooms, perhaps one upstairs and one downstairs, or one in the master closet, it depends on the family and what the specific needs might be. 

This laundry room has a closet for storing cleaning supplies, mop, broom, and a bucket.  The family owned several cats and this is where the cats were fed.  The litter box was placed under a cabinet to keep it out of foot traffic.  The room also contained a built-in ironing board to avoid hauling-out a full-size ironing board for those once in awhile ironing needs.  The built-in ironing board is truly a custom home amenity, at Woodridge Custom Builders, LLC our customers are often surprised to learn that this extra feature is such an inexpensive, yet valuable item to include in their laundry room. This particular laundry room also contains a large stainless steel sink for miscellaneous cleaning or hand washing specific laundry items.  The large bank of under counter and upper cabinets provides terrific storage for extra linens, beach towels, and seasonal items, while the counter surfaces are great for folding clothes.  The large window above the sink in this room offers a great view of the home’s back yard, and adds significant natural light.  The clothes hangers and racks above the washer and dryer offer more functionality for hanging those clothes that shouldn’t be placed in the dryer. 

The second photo is a great laundry room with washer, dryer and refrigerator.  The laundry room is roomy enough for hanging, sorting and folding clothes. The window above the sink allows for plenty of natural light.

The contractors at Woodridge, spend as much time as necessary with a custom home customer helping each one plan and design the laundry room for their home, whether it be a small laundry closet or large utility room such as this one.  Spending time up front, working on the house plans and emphasizing the various uses of a room can save our custom home buyers from making unnecessary changes after a project has begun, when they may become more costly to change.

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Many potential customers at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC often ask us how to get started when thinking of a custom home.  First, there is not really a right or wrong way to get started.  Some of our customers find us after they have purchased the land or lot for the home, others want our help in this area.  Some are referred to us by previous customers.  Some are referred to us through our network of architects and home designers as they work on their house plans.  Outlined below is an overview of the custom home building process.  Detailed construction steps are not included here.

Planning and Preparation:  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we believe that each project is an investment for our customers therefore each home we build is a signature of our work.  A fantastic benefit of building custom homes is helping our customers realize your desires for your dream home.  Each one of our customers has unique lifestyle preferences and we take great pride working closely with you to create a home where you and your family can enjoy your personal lifestyle. 

Home Site Selection:  If you don’t already have a lot for your custom home, we can help you find the ideal location for your dream home.  We are familiar with many of the prominent custom home communities in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Chandler, Rio Verde, Cave Creek, Tempe, and Carefree.  We’ll need to find out if you want the natural beauty of our Arizona desert landscaping, the greens of a golf course or mountain views.  What size of a custom home would interest you?  What architectural style interests you?  Once we understand exactly where your interests lie, we can focus our attention on an ideal neighborhood for you and family.

Floor Plans and Illustrations:  When the lot is selected, we partner with you and your architect or home designer to help design a home that will fit your family’s unique needs.  We begin working on a set of house plans designed for your lot.  With your lot selected, we can design the house for maximum views, best layout for minimizing western exposures and maximizing north and south exposures.  The home designer will want to know what home style you prefer, Tuscan, Santa Barbara, Andalusian, Spanish Colonial, Hacienda, or contemporary.  This is the first time your vision is transferred to paper.  We encourage you to bring in a collection of photos, magazine clippings, preliminary designs, a rough floor plan and any other visual tool helping transfer your ideas to a floor plan, elevations, and illustrations. 

Materials:  While the floor plan is formalized, we can begin working on the home’s materials and details.  Exterior stone, exterior color, stain colors, gates, wrought iron accents, formal entry door, driveway materials, exterior fireplace and grill locations must be made.  Then we’ll ask you to make similar selections for the interior of the house including cabinet style, counter surfaces, flooring materials, door style, door hardware, plumbing fixtures and lighting fixtures among other selections. You will work with our suppliers and visit showrooms to make these selections.  For example, if you choose granite materials, you will actually walk the warehouse and select your own slabs of granite.   Once the floor plan, elevation and materials are selected, each can be submitted to your design review committee for approval.

Bidding Process:  When you have made the many selections for your home, we can begin the bidding process.  We bid competitively each and every project to get you the best possible price for your home.  Our tradesmen are proven and talented contractors that understand we bid each and every job.  We will discuss and contemplate the cost and efficiencies of different designs, structural features, and material selections.  We believe its better for you to take your time making material selections and receive an accurate bid based on these selections, than get a rough estimate up front.  When working with our suppliers and showroom professionals they can assist you with selections that keep your budget in mind.

Permitting:  During the design review committee approval process, all required documents are professionally gathered and submitted to the city for permitting.  The length of this permitting process varies per city but can take anywhere from two to eight weeks.   During this time we will walk through the plan together on paper and specifically review the materials you have selected and mark the specific location of these materials on the plan. 

Construction:  After proper planning, design review approval and city approval we can break ground.  There are various phases of construction beginning with site preparation, the foundation, the vertical stage, the roof dry-in phase, the rough mechanical and rough electrical phase, insulation, lathe, stucco, drywall and trim stage, interior finish stage, cabinets and interior trim detail, finish electrical, plumbing, and mechanical stage, flooring stage, and finally a finish and final clean phase. 

Progress:  During the construction process, you’re welcome to visit the jobsite and see the progress on your home.  During several phases of construction you’ll be asked to re-evaluate or confirm your selections for the location of telephone outlets, light switches, soap dishes, and other details that had only been done on paper before.  As much as possible we keep our jobsites as clean and free of debris as possible, yet during major construction activities this can be difficult, since your safety is our concern, we encourage you to walk the jobsite with the project manager.  If your having your home built while you live elsewhere, you can have private access within our website where photos and updates of your home’s construction will be posted.

Inspections:  Throughout the construction process, your home will go through various inspections by the city to assure that your home is built consistent with the required building codes.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, we are proud to offer our customers additional inspections throughout the home building process by an independent inspector.  We are proud of our work and welcome an independent inspector on the job to keep our subcontractors as judicious in quality as we are.  Our customers appreciate the openness with which we encourage an independent inspector.

Final Approval:  Once the city has approved the completed project and issued a certificate of occupancy, you’re closer to moving in.  Before taking possession we will walk through the home and identify any items that need correction before moving day.  You will receive a warranty booklet and directions on maintenance of the new products in your home.  When all the punch list of items has been addressed, moving day has arrived.

Your Custom Home:  You deserve a custom-designed and built home that will bring your family years of enjoyment.  Your home is unique for your character and lifestyle preferences, it is a place to be proud of especially because or your own influences from the design and layout, to material selections, to the finishing touches.  It is your dream home!

The Popularity of Fake Grass and the Forever Green Lawn

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In Arizona grass lawns are at a premium.  Not naturally indigenous to the Sonoran desert areas of Arizona, grass is a landscape amenity.  Grass lawns are not possible in Arizona without a well-planned and well-managed sprinkler system.  Look at it like the perpetual golf course, never breaking for fall and winter.  Finding the perfect low-maintenance alternative to the green lawn is the desert landscape strategy.  Planting low-water use plants in rock gardens is a very popular desert landscaping technique in Arizona.  Many of these plants are absolutely stunning and include many varieties of flowering plants.  Yet to some, there is nothing like that green lawn that says, “home”. 

At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we have recently had one of our custom home buyers use an alternative to the unnatural green lawns in Arizona with the latest alternative, synthetic grass or fake grass.  This waterless, low-maintenance solution looked absolutely fantastic in this homeowner’s lawn.  We were amazed at house natural, realistic, beautiful and functional it turned out.  The custom home buyer used the synthetic grass in the front yard, and backyard where he had also installed a putting green.  The pictures below show the beautiful results of this lawn.

Finding the right synthetic grass takes a bit of research, there are more and more options today than ever before.  The quality of the product selected is very important as well as the installation.  Poor installation can make the best product look horrible and fake.  Quality seams are important for the overall result to be effective. The seams need to hold up over time to the severe changes in Arizona temperatures and weather.  Over time these synthetic grasses can fade, although some manufacturers offer up to an 8-year warranty.  The grass is priced per square foot, depending on the size of the area, and ground preparation requirements determine if it makes sense to use synthetic grass.  At Woodridge Custom Builders LLC, it has been our experience that small areas are better suited to synthetic grass than large areas.  When once considered for a large lawn, and calculated against the landscaping fees and water usage, it still made sense financially for natural grass usage.  For the more environmentally sensitive, it may be worth the extra up front expenses to save water. 

When considering the use of synthetic grass, there are a few things to know.  Synthetic lawns do not stay as cool as natural grass.  The products are made of non-absorbing materials and designed for water to flow through the material, they will not harm pets, or children, are non-flammable and do not provide organic harboring places for insect pests.