Spotlight On: Millworks Custom Sheds

Millworks Custom Sheds bring your unique ideas to life! Each project is an original work of art, so your imagination is the only limit. In their own words: “At Millworks Custom Sheds we build more than sheds. Our storage sheds, playhouses, garden sheds, greenhouses, chicken coops, tree houses, dog houses, play systems, and tea houses are pieces of art.”

So what sets Millworks Custom Sheds apart? Well, they bring a custom touch to every element, and use only the highest quality materials. As The News Tribune wrote: “Dan Britton has built playhouses, writing studios, painting and photography studios, and teahouses. He prides himself on using home-grade construction, such as full-size window headers, in his work.” Starting with custom lumber, milled by a local milling operation. They are also friends to the environment! All the trees used in the creation of their lumber are taken from locally sustainable forest operations, or from trees that were removed because they pose a danger to the property. They also use recycled materials whenever possible! They can take your old window or door, and repurpose it.

Owned and managed by Dan Britton, they have been doing construction for over 17 years in the greater Puget Sound Area. Dan is involved with every stage of construction, to ensure projects are completed within your time frame and to your specifications. Most projects take no more than two days to complete! One customer recently reflected: “I cannot get over the construction and the quality of the materials you used (I guess it makes a difference when you produce it yourself). It is unlike any other product I have seen on the market. It is certainly the “leader of the market”. I also appreciate your interest in using “recycled materials” such as the windows. It adds a lot of class. Lastly, you delivered exactly as promised, exactly “when” promised at a very fair cost. A true value! Hard to find in this day and age!! We can hardly wait for our upcoming greenhouse/storage shed.”

Whatever small structure you’re looking to add to your property, from playhouses for the young and young at heart, studios, potting sheds, chicken coops, teahouses to storage sheds of all sizes and types, we proudly recommend Millworks Custom Sheds! They are on the cutting edge of their market, their customer service is top notch, and their flexibility can’t be beat! Visit their site here to inquire for more specifics.

Responsible Contractors aims to bring you the best in each industry, and recommend only the most reliable companies. We know that your home is worth the best! See more of our contractors and services at: http://www.responsiblecontractors.com/

October Newsletter 2014

The October Newsletter 2014 is now available for viewing!

Spotlight on: Innovative Kitchen & Bath

When it comes to luxury, design, and quality, there isn’t a better local choice than Innovative Kitchen & Bath. Located in Kirkland, WA, they bring twenty-eight years of knowledge, expertise and experience. The great part: Luxury doesn’t always have to break the bank! Innovative Kitchen & Bath was created with the goal of bridging the gap between general contractors working in every area to complete an average, inexpensive job without specialization, and highly specialized contractors charging significant amounts for the best in their area of expertise.

Innovative Kitchen & Bath’s tagline: “Building the kitchen and bath of your dreams” is more than a slogan; it is their conviction. Rob Watson, owner, founded his company on the belief that remodeling is more than completing a job: it is creating a home. Having personally coordinated and managed over a thousand remodeling projects, including personally designing, building and installing hundreds of them, Rob has experienced it all. He understands what homeowners go through when undergoing a remodel project in their home, and knows how to make the process as smooth as possible. As one of his customers put it: “Our whole experience with Innovative Kitchen & Bath was really rewarding. I liked the way Rob gave us the estimate, I liked his design, and I liked his crew. He's very personable, and tries to get back to you as soon as he can. The foreman of the project was also a really good guy. If any problems came up, he took care of them right away. All around, they were a very good team. The kitchen turned out even better than we expected!”

So what’s the secret? What makes these guys so good at what they do? It starts with good communication and personal attention to what a homeowner wants. Why are you remodeling? What does an investment in your home mean to you? Understanding the “why” behind it all makes all the difference! One customer recently reflected: “We went into this process not having a great idea of what we wanted but Innovative Kitchen & Bath helped us figure out the plan and how to properly utilize the space we had available. They were easy to work with and were very thorough in their process of determining our preference and what we liked down to the smallest details.” Innovative Kitchen & Bath’s personal understanding is backed by their expertise. They use only the highest quality materials, and provide them at fair market price, to work within the homeowner’s budget. To top it off, their experience in the industry allows them to quote accurately, and finish each project on time, on budget, and with no detail overlooked.

Innovative Kitchen & Bath believes in going above and beyond the minimum expectation. They exceed industry standards, provide custom designs to make your home truly one-of-a-kind, and keep overhead low. When you work with Innovative Kitchen & Bath, you know exactly who will be in your home. They coordinate, manage, and implement every aspect of the project. From the design to the construction: you’ll have someone you can trust working closely with you to make your home the best it can be!

To see more recommended contractors like this, click here for a list of our partners!

Shelf Hanging

If you find yourself needing a little extra organization, or you come down with the urge to decorate a bare wall, knowing how to hang a shelf so that it looks its best and is sturdy will be of great help! While shelf hanging is simple enough, using the right technique will make the process go more smoothly, and give you more confidence in your shelfʼs durability.

Before you hang anything, you have to know precisely where to hang it. The anchors needs to be set into a stud in the wall, or you risk tearing out sheet rock with the weight of the shelf as it tumbles to the ground. Painterʼs tape can come in handy for this, and save you from making unneeded marks on your wall. Using a stud finder, locate a stud and mark it with a small piece of tape. Locate a second one near the other end of the shelf. While there are exceptions, particularly in older houses, studs are standardly located 16” apart. If it is a particularly long shelf, continue marking each stud for the remainder of the length. Once you have all studs marked, using a level, bridge the space between them. Rather than drawing a line across the wall, you can use painterʼs tape to create a straight line that will let you see exactly where the shelf will hang.

When it comes to hanging, you have many options depending on the shelf. If you purchased a new shelf, it should have come with its own brackets. In this case, hanging is simple and will only take a few minutes. Using the marks on the tape, drill a hole in the center of each stud right above the tape and, using a hammer if necessary, lightly push the anchor into the wall. Remove tape from that side, place the bracket over the anchor, and screw it in! Repeat this for each bracket and your shelf is ready to hang!

If you built a custom shelf, or are hanging an older or used shelf that did not come with brackets, you have a few options. Toggle bolts are conventional options, that are sturdy and will support a lot of weight. The downside is that they are more difficult to install, and intended to be permanent. If you need to take the shelf down for any reason, you will need to rehang the shelf from scratch with a new pair of toggles. One liked alternative to these is Snaptoggle anchors. Designed to be moveable, you can purchase these with their own installation instructions, and, once in the wall, screw the shelf directly into the toggle. Another option is to build your own hanging rail. This is a more attractive option for those already building their own shelves. Hanging rails can be drilled directly into the wall, allowing you to place the shelf on top of it, and gives you the freedom to attach it to the rail instead of the wall itself. A similar option to hanging rails, which is convenient for hanging the more heavier shelves, is cleats. With cleats, one will be attached to the wall, and the other will be attached to the shelf. They lock into one another like puzzle pieces, and allow you to install both while the shelf is still on the ground. Then, simply place the shelf on top of the wall cleat once ready. Bulkier shelves and cabinets are good projects to consider using cleats with.

When preparing for a project, even as small as hanging shelves, having your process planned will save you hassle. Decide ahead of time which shelf youʼre using, and which hanging method you should use. Know where you want to place it, and make sure the wall youʼre attaching it to is complete. Itʼs a good idea to paint or wallpaper your wall before hanging a shelf on it. If you have any doubts about the hanging method you should use, you can either contact your shelfʼs manufacturer, or if you donʼt know who that was or are building your own shelf, you can take it into a hardware store and ask for recommendations. Happy hanging!

Stop it, Faucet! Handling Leaks

So youʼve washed your hands, done the dishes, or brushed your teeth. You turn off the water and walk away, only to be bothered minutes later by the sound of dripping. Or maybe you noticed that your water bill this month was just a little higher than normal. Whatever the case, a faucet that leaks itʼs more than an annoyance; itʼs a waste of water. But when youʼve pushed the handle as far as you can and the leak wonʼt stop, how should you fix it? The good news is, for most faucets the solution is inexpensive and quick. Less than an hour and a small investment and you can restore your faucetʼs water stopping abilities!

Before you begin, check your faucet type. While there are many kinds, most leaky fixtures are compression faucets. Compression faucets can be identified with separate hot and cold handles, and the pressure used to turn them off. These are older faucets, and you will feel the handle tighten as the water is turned off. Newer faucets often require specialty maintenance, however are less prone to leaks. If unsure, you can also check your manufacturerʼs website, as many of them have instructions for repair, or contact information to get specifics. The majority of leaky faucets however will prove to be a simple compression faucet, so letʼs look at repair methods for these.

The first step in repair is to turn off the water. The control for this can usually be found
under or near the sink. Once the water is off, remove the handle that is leaking. To
remove this, first locate a decorative piece that can be easily pried off usually near the
middle of the handle. There should be a screw underneath holding the valve in place.
By removing the screw, you can detach the handle by turning counter clockwise. Next,
remove the washer, which is identifiable as a rubber ring around the base. There should
be a screw holding this in place as well.

The leak will be caused by either a faulty valve, or faulty washer. When removing the handle above, simply replace the washer with a new one. You can find one at a local hardware or plumbing store. Itʼs crucial to make sure you have the right size! We recommend taking your handle with you when you purchase one. If replacing the washer doesnʼt fix it, it may be a faulty valve. Chances are your valve will need to be replaced as they corrode overtime. You can remove this with a valve seat wrench. Make sure you replace it with one of the exact same size.

If after replacing both you find that the leak has not been solved, there may be more serious issues behind the scenes. Or it may simply be that you made a mistake in the process. Donʼt worry, it happens. At this point call a plumber to have a look for you. We can recommend a trustworthy one! If you need a professional plumbing contractor, check out http://www.responsiblecontractors.com/plumbing_contractor.html! Donʼt let a leaky faucet go unchecked for too long though, as you donʼt want more significant issues to manifest down the line. And for newer faucets, or more automated systems, contact your manufacturer or a plumbing professional straightaway! Happy plumbing!

Gutter Maintenance

With rain finally making its appearance in the northwest, the time to check our houseʼs water defense has come! Your gutter system exists to direct water away from the house. Without it, the water would be allowed to flow into unwanted areas, causing damage to lower parts of the house. This can range from mold in the walls, to more serious problems such as damage to the foundation. Because of this, gutter maintenance is crucial to your homeʼs longevity. Taking time to keep them maintained and being quick to make repairs can as much as double the life of your drainage system. So letʼs cover some of the basics.

As a general rule, gutters should be examined semi-annually. Ideally before the rain comes: fall, when the leaves are changing and the sun is being hidden by more clouds, and spring, just before the heavier rains make their appearance. The first thing you should look for are clogs. Leaves, dirt, and other debris will create buildup that will prevent the water from flowing normally. Most of your clogging is likely to occur at the elbow of a gutter:that is, where the gutter connects to the downspout. Occasionally, the downspout itself can
get clogged. If water goes into the elbow and does not come out the bottom, you may need to check it. Pay attention to hangovers such as trees, as this can create a need for more frequent cleaning. When examining your gutters, watch also for rust, as it can cause leaks.

One important aspect of a working gutter is the pitch. Your gutter should be leveled with a drop of approximately a sixteenth of an inch for each foot of length. You can check this a couple ways: with a chalk line and level, if you want to be very precise, or a simple way of pouring water into it, and simply watching the flow. The water should all run out without leaving any puddles or pools. If you find stagnate water, you have a low spot. To fix a low spot, check the gutter hangers. Most gutters are hung with either straps or brackets. You can add either of these to lift low spots. Itʼs best to choose one already used with the gutter.

A good prevention measure to take is to use a leaf guard and strainer. Strainers are inserted at the elbow of the downspout, and allow water to flow but prevent leaves and other large debris from entering. These are inexpensive and easy to install. Leaf guards, which can be found in metal or plastic, are similarly easy to install. The leaf guard covers your entire gutter system. Placed on top of the gutter, and underneath the first shingles of the roof, these will stay in place and keep out unwanted debris. Leaves that end up on top of the guard will often blow away on their own once dry.

If you find you have leaks in your gutter, it may be time to replace it. Depending on the size of the leak, some can be repaired, while others are telling you that section has met its end. When you find a leak that you cannot repair, you may be able to replace just the section itʼs in. If you are finding multiple leaks throughout, donʼt discount investing in a whole new system. Remember that a working gutter will protect your foundation. For a small leak in a gutter that is overall in good condition, you can repair it by covering it with a layer of plastic cement specifically designed for gutter repairs. If doing this, first clean out debris, and remove as much rust as you can from the area youʼre going to cover. You can scrape off rust with a steel brush. This is important to prevent the rust underneath the cement from spreading, causing a larger hole down the line.

When your gutter and your downspout are both in good working order, the rain will not be an adversary against your homeʼs stability. Maintenance for these, while simple, is important and effective. If you are having problems that you cannot pinpoint, or are more significant than the minor common issues covered here, call a professional to help. If you have concerns about possible damage from old leaks or poor drainage, you may also want to have your home inspected. For a qualified home inspector, go to:

 http://www.responsiblecontractors.com/home_inspection_contractor.html

A small investment now can save you on major repairs water damage can have down the line. Your home is worth that!

September Newsletter 2014

The September Newsletter is now available for viewing!