Kathy's Remodeling Blog

Remodeling News from the Net

• Incandescent bulbs on the cutting edge [N.Y. Times, July 5)

• McMansions out of favor, for now [Wall Street Journal]

• Urban farming movement 'like a revolution' [CNN]

• In man caves, evolution not required [The Santa Clarita Valley Signal]

• Remodeling couple complain of gas leaks; house explodes [AP]

Police seek contractor accused of bilking woman, 73, out of $35,000

From the Orange County Register:

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Police are seeking the public's help in finding Masoud Tabeshnekoo, who is charged with stealing $35,000 from a 73-year-old woman.

The 48-year-old Tabeshnekoo, who is also known as Matthew Nekoo, has been charged with five felony counts of theft, theft from an elder, and diversion of construction funds, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The woman responded to a commercial for Hollow Brick Inc. on a Persian language radio station in December 2006 to have some remodeling done on her home.

Tabeshnekoo agreed to do the remodel in two weeks for $60,000, police said, but insisted on $35,000 up front, police said.

Tabeshnekoo, who wasn't licensed as a contractor, hired unlicensed workers to begin some demolition work at the house, police said.

Read the whole story

(Photo: Huntington Beach Police)

Are solar panels ugly?

In Santa Monica, California, home of the really pretty people, solar panels are fine as long as you hide them from view. That is according to a blog posting at the L.A. Times.

It was the City Council who recently voted 4-1 that for some residences solar panels must be installed "in the location that is least visible from the street."

I wonder what it would be like if true beauty was not just skin deep, but linked to function. For instance, what if a woman's aging skin was a testament to her years of wisdom and experience, rather than something to be injected and stretched into a mask of horror?

It's the same with solar panels. What they represent -- a household contributing less to the destruction of the planet than many of the neighbors -- is beautiful.

What do you think?

Cool new French door wall ovens

You know, new products were a lot more fun a few years ago when we were rolling in dough and using our homes as ATM machines to fix up our homes. Of course, the big new mortgages we got after all those cash-out refinances are now a burden, but that's another story.

Still, even in our depressed state of economy, these new wall ovens are pretty sexy. If you've ever worked in a commercial kitchen, you've probably come face-to-face with an oven with French doors. Here's the way the doors work: You use one hand to open the left door and the right door opens automatically. This gives you access to the oven without having to bend over the door. Because if you think about it, an oven door that swings down and out and blocks easy access to the oven chamber is pretty goofy. I mean, what have we been thinking?

 These oven are made by BlueStar and cost about $2,500 for a 24-inch single oven and about $8,700 for two 36-inch double-stacked ovens. 

All oven sizes offer convection cooking and feature a 25,000 BTU burner and a 15,000 BTU ceramic infrared broiler. 

Did I mention these are high-end appliances? Or as an appliance salesman put it yesterday when I was looking at a fancy drawer-type refrigerator: "The manufacturer is awfully proud of those." And what he meant was the astronomical price tag indicated a certain amount of pride. So let's say that BlueStar is real proud of these ovens.

And here's something amazing: They come in 190 colors. Yeah, that's not a typo. I checked it out twice. And you can get custom colors. I'd be proud, too. See more at Blue Star Cooking.

Are you in a DIY nightmare? Does your family have a lot of personality? This renovation show wants you!

The production company that brought you "Wife Swap," a guilty pleasure of mine, is casting unique families with plenty of personality to take part in a new show. They are looking for families who are in a "Do-It-Yourself Home Nightmare." Is that you?

For instance, did your husband or wife start a do-it-yourself project on your home and now your home is impossible to live in? The show is looking for families in the California area who are in need of professional help. The worse, the better -- pipes leaking, walls exposed, ceiling crumbling, only living out of half of your house, etc. The best part: if you're selected, the show will pay to fix your mistakes.

If you are a family with at least one child over the age of 5 living at home and you are in a "Do-It-Yourself Home Nightmare," contact casting producer Sunny Foscue at (310) 309-3945.

Good luck! And be sure to mention that you read all about it on Kathy's Remodeling Blog.

Recalls! We've got recalls!

Did the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission get increased funding? It seems to me the agency is involved with a lot more product recalls than in the past. And that's a good thing.

Below is a list of the home-related recalls for the past three months:

Applica Consumer Products Inc. Recalls Black & Decker® Spacemaker™ Coffeemakers Due to Burn Hazard

Crane Plumbing Recalls Bath Tubs With A Whirlpool Due to Entrapment and Drowning Hazards
SmartSpark Energy Systems Recalls Battery Equalizers Due to Fire Hazard
Wagner Spray Tech Recalls Heat Guns Due to Fire and Burn Hazards
Laceration Hazard Prompts Recall by Starbucks of Coffee Grinders; Made by Tsann Kuen
Viking Range Corporation Recalls Built-In Refrigerators Due to Injury Hazard; Doors Can Detach
W.P. Appliances Inc. Recalls Wolfgang Puck Toaster Oven/Toasters
Six Reported Deaths Prompt Urgent Re-announcement of Blair Recall of Women’s Chenille Robes
Hair Dryers Recalled by Vintage International Due to Electrocution Hazard
Samsung Recalls to Upgrade Certain Cell Phones; Could Fail to Reach Emergency 911 in a No-Service Area
Bunn-O-Matic Recalls Single Cup Tea/Coffeemakers Due to Burn Hazard
Digital Clamp Meters Recalled by Fluke Due to Shock Hazard
HP Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Fire Hazard
Lumetique Recalls Botanika Candles Due to Fire Hazard
Richard Abraham Herder KG Recalls Torque Wrenches Due to Risk of Injury
Wagner Spray Tech Recalls Paint Sprayers Due to Electrical Shock Hazard
Popcorn Machines Recalled by DTX International Due to Burn Hazard
Hair Dryers Recalled by Universalink International Trading Due to Electrocution Hazard
HMI Industries Recalls Floor Cleaners Due to Burn Hazard
Women's Chenille Robes Recalled by Blair Due to Burn Hazard
Toaster Oven/Broilers Recalled by Haier America Due to Burn or Electrical Shock Hazard
Senseo One-Cup Coffeemakers Recalled by Philips Consumer Lifestyle Due to Burn Hazard
Women’s Shoes Recalled by Wal-Mart Due to Fall Hazard
GE Recalls Ranges Due to Fire and Burn Hazards
Stanley and Solarwide Industrial Recall Stud Sensors Due to Shock Hazard
Honeywell International Recalls Vista Security System Control Panels Due to Failure of Panic Feature
Atico International USA Recalls Coffeemakers Sold Exclusively At Walgreens Due to Fire Hazard
Best Buy Announces the Recall of Certain Insignia 26-Inch Flat-Panel LCD Televisions Due to Fire Hazard
Best Buy Announces the Recall of Certain Rocketfish Universal Portable Power Sources Due to Fire Hazard
Faulty Installation Instructions Prompt RadioShack Corp. Recall of Electrical Switches; Shock Hazard to Consumer

Furniture and fixtures for fat folks

I know, I know. The headline I put on this post is offensive. But as I was at one time a fat folk -- topping 275 pounds -- and have been maintaining a 100-pound weight loss through a food plan and exercise for more than 20 years, I guess I give myself a little leeway.

Still, I'm not sure how I feel about these items made for obese people. Is this what they call enabling?

It makes total sense, though, to have a toilet seat that fits a big rump. And a chair that won't collapse. Because let me tell you from my own experience: it's hard enough to be obese without the furniture around you giving out. 

The company that sells these items is called Brylane Home and other offerings include larger dining room chairs with wider chair cushions, a sturdy step stool, an 800-pound-limit folding chair and larger hangers to hold wider garments.

See the whole collection here. (My only gripe is that the company uses normal-sized people to demonstrate the products. I don't suppose they'd have much trouble finding plus-size people to do that job.)

The more I think about this concept, the more I see the beauty in it. We need to love one another, no matter our size.

Book Report: Backyards: A Sunset Design Guide

For the past few months, I've been lucky enough to live in a house with amazing landscaping — lawns, flowering shrubs, ferns, graceful trees, fencing, a multi-level deck. 

But the most amazing element is an enormous screened gazebo (seen here) next to a waterfall and a pond. There is a bridge going from the deck to the gazebo, with a rocky "river" flowing under it. When I sit in that gazebo and listen to the water cascading onto the rocks below, I am in bliss. The city and its excitements are all around me, but in the gazebo I'm in my own little paradise

If I known how the sound of falling water affected me, I'd have arranged to live near it a long time ago. And since you're not allowed to build your home next to Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite National Park, I guess putting something together in the backyard is the answer.

Toward that end, you might want to check out Backyards: A Sunset Design Guide. This is an enormous book: 9 by 11 inches, and 224 glossy, full color pages, along with a Sunset Landscape Designer DVD. And here's some happy news for us Mac users: It works on a Mac. That's rare for these design DVDs. Trust me on that.

The book was written by Bridget Biscotti Bradley along with the editors of Sunset Books. I have written several design books and here is what I found out from readers: you want pictures, lots of them, in color, big and beautiful, several on every page. This book has all that, many gorgeous pictures to give you the inspiration it will take to turn a flat and boring backyard into the kind of paradise I'm enjoying this very moment.

The book is divided into these chapters: Getting Started, Backyard Spaces, Cooking and Entertaining, Water, Kids and Pets, Light and Heat, Furniture and Accessories, Backyard Structures, and Getting It Done. To me, these are unique and compelling chapter headings.

If you want to upgrade your backyard, here's what I suggest: Get this book and put sticky notes on each page with a photo that sings to you. If you're a couple, then put different colored sticky notes and see what photos get both colors of notes. Then, look at each photo you've selected and try and figure out what do they have in common. Maybe they all have stone. Or water. Or iron. Or are rustic. Or are modern. In this way, you'll narrow down your choices and be better able to move forward with some plans.

If, on the other hand, you've put a sticky note on each of the 200-plus pages, I feel your pain.

Other Sunset books include:

Patio & Stone: A Sunset Design Guide

Kitchens: A Sunset Design Guide: Inspiration + Expert Advice

Bathrooms: A Sunset Design Guide: Inspiration + Expert Advice 

Barbecues & Outdoor Kitchens: Fresh Design for Patio Living, Complete Guide to Construction, Simple Grills and Gourmet Kitchens

Hillside Landscaping: A Complete Guide to Successful Gardens on Sloping Ground 

Building Screened Rooms: Creating Backyard Retreats, Screening in Existing Structures, A Complete How-to Guide

She Said He Said: Who should be the general contractor?

A columnist (Kathy Price) and a contractor (Bill Robinson) duke it out on questions about remodeling.

QUESTION: My husband and I are planning a big renovation to our home, including building a new kitchen and family room, remodeling all the bathrooms, and putting in new windows. I always assumed my husband would act as general contractor, but now he says he doesn't want to do it. My dad and two of my brothers are contractors and they would do it for us, but they live 3,000 miles away. I don't want some strange contractor taking over my house. How can I persuade my husband to be the general contractor?

Melanie M.

SHE SAID: I'd try bribery. On a major remodel, say $100,000, you could save $30,000 with your husband acting as the general contractor. Start pointing out to him all the guy-type thing he can buy for that kind of dough--a fishing trip to Mexico, a big-ass television, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Well, don't go that far. But you get the idea.

HE SAID: Right, he'll need to spend the money they save "self" contracting on a trip to the asylum for rehab time. I am appalled at the simplistic thinking of people who think they can carry out the responsibilities of a general contractor in their spare time without any prior experience. Be realistic, Melanie. Let your husband do his job and hire a contractor to do your remodel.

SHE SAID: Well, I'm appalled at a husband who won't do this one thing for his wife. She’d rather talk about the progress of the remodeling job each day with her husband than some unknown contractor. Melanie probably thinks this will bring them closer together. Of course, it's usually the wife who figures out bonding experiences for her and her man.

HE SAID: Take it from me, Melanie will have much happier discussions with her hubby during the remodel if he is NOT neck deep in scheduling subs and signing change orders. A major remodel is very stressful and time consuming. What does Melanie really want: her husband acting as general contractor or the feeling that her man is in charge?

SHE SAID: You know, I'm starting to think that maybe it’s Melanie who has the energy and passion to act as general contractor.

HE SAID: If she’s anything like you, I’m sure she does.

SHE SAID: Sure, if she has the time, she can study up on it, take classes in how to do it, spend hours on the phone with her family getting advice. Granted, she'll make a lot of mistakes, and the remodel might be a disaster. But it will be her disaster.

HE SAID: Okay. Why not? If she has the time to devote to orchestrating a major remodel, more power to her. I know plenty of women who are effective and successful contractors. And it sounds like it’s in her blood. She can still share the daily events with her husband. And I bet hubby will gain a new appreciation for Melanie, not to mention the in-laws.

Oops! LP recalls 48 million linear feet of potentially rotted decking

This is a big recall, folks. LP, Louisiana-Pacific, is putting out notice that its decking under the brand names WeatherBest®, ABTCo. and Veranda may rot and you may get hurt falling through the decking. 

Already there have been 37 reports of composite decks breaking, resulting in 14 injuries, including a broken wrist, sprained ankle, minor lacerations and bruises.

If you have a deck made of one of these products, sold between January 2005 and August 2008, and the deck is showing signs of "premature deterioration," you may get a free replacement. That's big. (See a list of specific products sold in specific states that are subject to the recall.)

Here's the full announcement from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Composite Decks Recalled by Louisiana-Pacific; Decks Can Deteriorate and Break, Posing Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Composite Decks

Units: About 48 million linear feet (decks vary in size)

Manufacturer: Louisiana-Pacific (LP) Corp., of Nashville, Tenn.

Hazard: The recalled decking can prematurely deteriorate and unexpectedly break. Consumers can fall through broken decking and suffer serious injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: LP has received 37 reports of composite decks breaking, resulting in 14 injuries, including a broken wrist, sprained ankle, minor lacerations and bruises.

Description: The recall includes outdoor deck board and railings sold under the brand names LP WeatherBest®, ABTCo., and Veranda®. They are composite products that look similar to natural wood and were sold in various colors including Tuscan Walnut/Chestnut, Driftwood Grey/Greystone, Pacific Cedar and Western Redwood. Veranda decking products were manufactured by multiple firms; only products manufactured by LP are included in this recall.

Sold at: The Home Depot (Veranda® brand) and building product dealers (LP WeatherBest® and ABTCo. brands) nationwide from January 2005 to August 2008 for between $1.50 and $2.25 per linear foot.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers with the recalled decking should immediately contact LP for a free inspection. If the decking is affected by premature deterioration, LP will arrange for a free replacement.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact LP toll-free at (888) 325-1184 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.deckingnotice.com

Climate change is here — is your house ready?

As you have seen on CNN.com and other news-gathering sites, the hills above Santa Barbara are ablaze once again, and the fire is threatening to sweep down into the city.

Climate change is here and we must respond by building and remodeling our homes to face weather-related problems. The easy days of thoughtless building practices are over.

And please don't suggest that people in areas with extreme weather don't live there. Where will we all go? Here are the places where weather-related events are becoming a problem:

Southwest: There may be increased drought and wildfires.

Northwest: Increased rain and flooding.

Midwest: Tornados, flooding and levee topping.

Northeast: Freezing, ice storms and power lines down.

Southeast: Hurricanes and flooding.

So, where ya gonna go to avoid weather? The solution is not to move or abandon communities, but to build houses suitable for the area. All homes in fire areas need to be fireproofed as much as possible, which includes clearing away trees and leaves and planting fire-resistant plants. Eaves should be sealed up, and attic vents need to be screened to prevent embers from entering. And any wood roofs need to go.

And in the drought areas, every home should have water-conserving toilets and sinks and washing machines, and get rid of those water-sucking lawns!

In areas subject to flooding, the houses need to be elevated. No more slab-on-grade homes in New Orleans, people! And all roofs in hurricane areas need to be tightly secured.

So, the future is here. Is your house ready?

(Photo: Los Angeles Times)

Good advice on remodeling

Here's some good advice on remodeling — from me — at the fixR blog.

Get out of house with Chinese drywall, doctor tells family

From CNN:

Yorelle Haroush fled a million-dollar South Florida home this week -- chased out, she said, by drywall made in China that's emitting vapors that smell like rotten eggs. 

Haroush lives with her aunt Amy Massachi and her four siblings and cousins in the home. They believe a year's worth of upper respiratory infections, antibiotics, bloody noses and sickness have been caused by the walls. 

Read the full story

45 ways to green any home, whether you rent or own

From the U.S. Green Building Council:

KEY:

UPFRONT COST: $ Low or none | $$ Moderate ($50-$500) | $$$ High ($500-plus)
RELATIVE BENEFITS: Modest benefits | Moderate benefits | High benefits

1. Lint hint

Saving energy doesn’t get any easier than this: Lower your energy bill by cleaning your clothes dryer’s lint trap before every load to improve air circulation, therefore cutting down on energy-wasting drying time. $

2. Power to the people

Reduce your carbon footprint (and maybe even your waistline) by using human-powered appliances and equipment. Think reel mowers, good old-fashioned manual can openers, carpet sweepers, whisks and wooden spoons instead of electric mixers. $

3. Good day sunshine

On cold sunny days, open window coverings to let the sun warm your home. On hot days, close window coverings on the south and west sides to keep your home cooler. $

4. Washing day

Save $30 to $40 per year in water heating costs by washing and rinsing clothes in cold water. You can also save more than 3,400 gallons of water per year, according to Energy Star, by washing full loads instead of partial loads. $

5. Fridge shui

Refrigerators blasted by the sun’s rays or subjected to heat from an adjacent oven or heating vent have to work harder to chill your food. If possible, relocate the fridge to a cooler spot, or close window coverings to keep the sun off. $

6. Rock-a-bye computer

Enabling your computer and monitor’s power management features so they go into sleep mode when idle can save from $25 to $75 each year in energy costs, according to Energy Star. Also, turn off computers and peripherals at night. $

7. Wrap it up

In the winter, room air conditioners installed in windows can be a source of cold drafts. Remove window units during cold months or insulate them with tight-fitting A/C covers, available from most local home-improvement stores. $

Top green-building innovations: one architect's viewpoint

I asked green-leaning Berkeley architect Robert Nebolon to make a list of the top green-building innovations from his perspective. Of course, he had to make two lists— architectural and non-architectural — and if you know any architects, you'll know it's pretty typical that he did more than was asked for.

Robert also consulted a colleague, Steve Means, a certified energy analyst.

Here are the two lists Robert came up with:

My list of top architectural green-building innovations includes:

1. Site planning — This takes advantage of each site's micro-climate to assist in cooling and/or heating a house. Arrangement of rooms can strongly affect the comfort of the occupants.

2. Downsizing the house — People have come to realize that a smaller, well-designed house can be as livable and pleasant as a much larger house. Since smaller houses require less energy to operate and make a smaller impact on the environment, smaller well-designed houses with “green” features are becoming popular.

3. Informal floor plans — Informal floor plans tend to have rooms with multiple uses instead of rooms dedicated to one use, like a formal dining room, for example. Building costs being what they are, it is best to merge many activities into one or two rooms. This reduces energy costs since unused areas of the house are not heated.

4. Architectural form — By simply applying some smart architecture, reliance on mechanical systems for thermal comfort (heating and cooling) can be reduced. Use of major architectural elements, such as atriums, courtyards, massing of the building, in conjunction with the local micro-climate, can greatly reduce dependence on mechanical systems for thermal comfort all year long. Simply introducing a breeze can make a hot environment much more tolerable even if the temperature didn’t decrease. Look to structures constructed before there was air-conditioning and forced-air systems to see how they dealt with heat loss and heat gain.

5. Architectural details — Use of minor architectural elements, such as eaves, shading devices, well-placed operable windows and skylights, covered porches, breezeways, all in conjunction with the local micro-climate, can greatly reduce dependence on mechanical systems for thermal comfort all year long.

6. Landscaping — Well-placed trees and plantings can reduce the heat gain by any building.

To see the non-architectural list, click below.

Q&A: What tax credits can I get for fixing up my home?

	Question: How has the new Stimulus bill affected the tax credits for energy efficient home improvements?
	Answer from Energy Star:
	On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the "Stimulus Bill" (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. These changes apply to products "placed in service" in 2009. The highlights are: The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010 as well. The tax credit has been raised from 10% to 30%. The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC), have been converted to 30% of the cost. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1,500 total for the two year period (2009-2010). However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum. The $200 cap on windows has been removed, but the requirements for windows has been increased significantly. Not all ENERGY STAR qualified windows will qualify.

Click below for details

What's up with the blue wood?

If you've noticed some houses in your area being built or fixed up with blue- colored framing lumber, roof trusses and sheathing panels, you may think the Smurfs came in at night and sprayed the place.

Actually, the blue wood is BluWood, building components with a factory-applied treatment to prevent mold and rot in wood and to repel the frisky little critters called termites that come along later to chew up and digest mold-weakened wood.

This blue treatment is gaining interest because highly toxic chemicals once used to preserve wood were recently outlawed. The problem is that much framing lumber is pretty darn wet when it's delivered to the site, and then it might get rained on or absorb more moisture somehow. Then it gets installed in the house and closed in with thermal barriers, radiant barriers, vapor barriers, house wrap, insulation, drywall, wallpaper and so on. So the moisture gets trapped, and when there is lots of water and heat and food (wood), mold has a feast.

The BluWood treatment, the company says, allows existing water to evaporate but prevents new water from coming in. The company gives a limited lifetime warranty against mold and mildew, and the warranty is transferable.

So, if framed houses start looking like they're being built by the Blue Man Group, that's why.

More info:

BluWood has been listed in the GreenSpec Directory.
Read a Garden Web forum discussion of BluWood.
Watch a YouTube video showing an "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" house built with BluWood.

(Photo: Garden Web Forum)

Dear Kathy: Fix or replace my ruined doors?

Dear Kathy: I am planning a major remodeling in a 12-year-old house we just bought and I’ve been reading your blog articles for the past week. I found them very informative and inspiring. Most importantly, they are very practical and also very fun – a rare combination to find among remodeling articles nowadays! Now I have a big problem with my exterior wood French doors. Eight of them have developed dry rot from the bottom. Some are more serious than the others. When it rains, water came through and stained the carpet. Different contractors have different opinions about this: some think it can be fixed while some told me firmly that my only choice is to replace all of them with vinyl or fiberglass doors. However, I have concerns on both of the options: To replace:

1) They are very expensive due to the size and number of my doors. I’ve been given estimate from $35,000 to $45,000 to replace all of them. 2) Can I make sure that water will not come through again with the new materials? To fix: 

1) How can I make sure the same problem will not happen again? 2) How I can find a licensed people to fix this problem? Should I find a contractor or a handyman will do the job? 3) One contractor told me that it might be even more expensive to fix compared with just buy some new ones. Is it true? Look forward to your reply. Thank you very much. Christine in Diamond Bar

Dear Christine:

Thank for the kind words about my blog. I am not a contractor, architect, consultant, lawyer or anything like that. But I do have one very strong opinion based on my years of home remodeling observation.

And that opinion is this: You have a moisture intrusion problem, not a door problem. Unless you address why the water is coming into your house, no type of door will solve the problem. The problem is usually that there is insufficient slope away from the door opening to the outside. It could be the flashings around the door, designed to create a barrier between the inside and outside, are not in place. Perhaps there should be a sill pan.

(Note: The photo above is from a house with just such a problem. See it here.)

So the problem is not so much whether you fix or replace the doors. The problem is stopping the water intrusion.

I suggest you don't hand this job over to a handyman. I suggest you find an excellent remodeling company to help you. This is a serious problem and needs a top-notch company. Your chosen company should licensed and insured, of course, but it should also be respected, award-winning and a member of a local remodeling or building association.

You may well run into this comment: "We don't do small jobs." That's fine. Just keep developing a list of excellent companies and calling them until one is receptive.

Any other advice for Christine?

Got a stinky room? You could win $5,000 and 50 gallons of odor-eating paint

Do you have a room that stinks? If so, I suggest you do the following:

Step 1 — Identify what stinks

Step 2 — Get rid of it

The stinky thing could be dirty socks. A mold problem. A dirty ashtray. A cat box. A dirty dog. (Well, don't get rid of the dog. But give the poor thing a bath!)

Don't ever, ever, ever try to mask the odor with so-called "air fresheners." I mean, why ingest more toxins trying to mask other potential toxins?

If the first two steps don't appeal to you, here is another idea: Coat your walls with Dutch Boy Refresh paint, which uses the technology of Arm & Hammer baking soda to absorb odors. Yep, the baking soda that absorbs odors in your refrigerator will now absorb odors in your room.

However, the paint will not absorb odors forever; eventually its ability to do that will lessen. The good news is that, according to the company, the odors will never be released back into the room, no matter how much you scrub the walls, if you happen to be a wall scrubber.

If you do have a stinky room, and you'd like to enter it into a contest, you could win $5,000 and 50 gallons of this high-tech paint. The stinky room you see above is one that's entered in the contest.

Can you top this? Chick here to enter the contest and to vote on other stinky rooms.

I love a rug in the kitchen . . . but is it practical?

What could be cozier than a rug in the kitchen? It's warm and cherry and softens the hard surfaces in the room.

But, there's a good reason kitchen surfaces are hard: they need to be cleaned of grease and other food-related flying organic matter. And how about food that drops to the floor? Or water that splashes from the sink?

My guess, regarding the kitchen you see above, is that a stylist decided the kitchen looked too bland and brought in a colorful wool carpet for the photo shoot. This happens a lot in magazine photo shoots, and you should realize that not everything you see in a magazine is practical to live with. It's the same idea when skinny actresses get Photoshopped to look even skinnier. It's not real, and it's not something to aspire toward.

(Photo: Ozark Spaces)

What is it with men and wood?

Today I came across a headline in the Los Angeles Times about Patrice Pinaquy, who makes wooden furniture so intricate that it seems to come from the 17th Century. 

Oh goody, I thought, a story about a woman who makes furniture. And isn't the piece you see here gorgeous and feminine?

When I got to the main story, of course, I discovered that Patrice is a man (see him here). 

So that got me thinking: 

What is it with men and wood? 

My colleague Kitty Bartholomew calls it "the wood gene." And why don't women have that same obsession?

I could understand how bigger and stronger men would tend to be lumberjacks and framing carpenters. But fine-furniture making? That doesn't take much brute strength, just artistry.

Why are not more women into woodworking? Got any opinions about this?

(Photo: L.A. Times)

California firefighter invents ember-blocking attic vent covers

Let's face it, folks, climate change is bringing with it more natural disasters: fires, floods, hurricanes, drought. It seems there's too much water in some places, and no water enough in others.

For those dry places where wildfires will become more prevalent, keeping houses safe is critical. You want to keep flying embers from getting through your attic vents and starting the whole house on fire.

But if you think about it, attic and foundation vents are a contradiction. The vents are necessary to allow free movement of air, which helps prevent mold inside. On the other hand, these vents allow in burning embers during a wildfire. Thus, the requirement that wire mesh be installed over the vents.

But here is the real dilemma: The smaller the mesh on the vent cover (quarter-inch mesh is required by many building codes), the better the protection from embers. But the smaller the mesh, the worse for air flow and greater the tendency to get clogged.

And even the quarter-inch mesh does not prevent some firebrands (chunks of burning wood) from burning through the mesh.

"Quarter-inch mesh cannot stop embers and flames during wildfires," said Stephen Quarles, a wood durability advisor for University of California Cooperative Extension. "This is an example of conflict in code preferences between building and fire officials. Smaller mesh screens would do a better job of keeping out fire and embers, but these same screens plug up more easily."

Brent Berkompas, a city of San Bernardino, Calif., firefighter, has had many occasions to think about this issue, particularly when fighting big wildfires in 2003 and 2007 and watching homes burn from the inside out after embers got into the attic or crawl space. So he came up with a solution.

Berkompas' invention, Brandguard vents, are baffled vent covers, made of 26-gauge galvanized steel, that allow air to flow freely but block embers from passing through, he says.

Here's a story on the vents in Fire Engineering magazine.

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How to turn a closet into a laundry room

Isn't this the most beautiful transformation you've ever seen? Hopefully there is a pan under the washer in case there is a plumbing failure. I'd hate to see those hardwood floors get ruined.

See the whole thing over at Fine Homebuilding.

Plus, check out a washer and dryer in a kitchen.

Home's green remodel gives mother and daughter space

See all photos

Charles Darwin might have found an interesting research subject in the Burke family's Goleta, Calif. home, which has evolved over the last 47 years as the family has changed.

Chuck and Harriet Burke purchased the five-bedroom tract house in 1962 as a place to raise their five rambunctious kids. As the children grew, the Burkes added a 425-square-foot family room in 1967 and a swimming pool in 1971.

The house became a post-child-rearing retreat for the couple in the 1980s and '90s. The kitchen was updated with granite counters and a slate floor, and two bedrooms were combined to make a grand master suite.

Then, following Chuck's death in 2006, the house evolved once again into an environmentally sensitive, solar-powered, intergenerational home for Harriet Burke and her oldest daughter, Kathy Scheidemen, 52.

The latest improvements -- completed last year in seven months for $300,000 -- include solar water heating, operable skylights, woods from sustainably managed forests, drought-tolerant landscaping, doors from century-old homes and a mirror salvaged from the Santa Barbara Biltmore.

"I'm really proud that we did it," said Burke, whose only regret is that her husband, who was involved in the early planning, did not live to see the remodel completed.

Eco-decorating is suddenly hip

I guess my friend and co-author Kitty Bartholomew is a visionary. For many years, long before it was eco-hip, she was finding new uses for old things that have served their purpose well and that deserve more than a slow ride to the landfill.

Old leather belts are a case in point. Consider how much service a nice leather belt has given, with countless wearings and outings until one day the belt is either worn at the buckle or too wide or narrow for current styles or simply the wrong color.

Next, consider a wooden chair that has lost its cane or leather seat to wear and old age. While the chair and the belt might ride in the same trash truck to their final resting place, it takes a creative mind to say, hey, why don't you two get together and make something new?

And so I bring you Kitty's belt chair, pictured here.

What you need is a wooden chair with or without a seat. You lay out the belts on top horizontally and vertically, then weave them together and buckle them on the bottom. The nice part about old belts is that the buckle area wears out, not the back, and this is the part that will end up on your chair seat. The smaller the chair, the easier it will be to find belts long enough.

You can find belts really cheap at yard sales and thrift shops. Plus, if you have the unpleasant task of clearing out the house of a loved one who has passed away, and you find a collection of belts, making a belt chair for your home is a way of keeping a connection with that person and his or her life.

Also, hanging on the back of this chair is a quilt made of used men's suits. Did you know that quilting is the latest craze? Combine quilting with reuse of quality fabrics and the hipness level goes off the charts.

(Photos: Sharon Cavanagh)

How to build a brick pizza oven in your kitchen

The article is here. And the video is here:

(Video: L.A. Times)

Do you want your remodel good, quick or cheap?

There's a common ditty in the remodeling industry that goes like this:

"Do you want it done good, quick or cheap? Pick two."

While you may want all three (and maybe you've actually done that), there's a certain amount of truth to the fact that you won't likely get all three. I'm not saying this to be a mean girl, but because it's the reality.

I was reminded of this reality this morning when I received a funny email from a reader in Pasadena, California. He took exception to the prices in a recent Pardon Our Dust article. He wrote:

"Your July 6 article on bathroom makeovers gave me pause: $30,000 for the master bath, $14,000 for the kid's bath . . . WOW!

"As I gazed into my 6-by-7 1/2-foot bathroom, (and mentally uttered 14 grand), then gazed at my checkbook, I found the only improvement we could afford is moving up to 2-ply toilet tissue, as opposed the old and antiquated 1-ply relic."

Well, I'm glad he can upgrade his toilet paper. That's a good start.

But for those of us with higher aspirations, here's how the "pick two" scenario would play out:

Good and quick (but not cheap): We saw this played out on Sunday in the newspaper and here on this blog. The homeowner wanted two bathrooms done with a minimum of stress and she wanted it done well. But saving a few thousand bucks was not at the top of her list. So she paid top dollar ($30,000 for the larger bathroom (pictured above), $14,300 for the smaller one), and in exchange she got a trouble-free, stress-free and very speedy job done. In this case, preserving her serenity is linked to good healthy, so it was a good deal.

Cheap and quick (but not good): I saw this scenario when a homeowner in Long Beach hired a guy who normally remodels low-rent apartments to do his house. Whenever you remodel low-rent apartments, you're probably not going to use the highest-grade materials or do a job that would satisfy Donald Trump. It's all economics. So when this contractor did this Long Beach house for a very low price, and used some of the materials he had on hand, they were not the best. But for this homeowner, price was everything. Funny thing was, he told me a few years later that he wishes he hadn't put in the cheapest pressboard cabinets made. But at the time, low price was his god.

Good and cheap (but not quick): If you were hiring someone talented to do your remodel, you might get a cheaper rate if you were willing to have your job on the back burner until time was freed up. Let's say you hired a talented carpenter to put up a house full of intricate moldings. If he or she was to stay on your project for days or weeks on end, he or she would have to be paid top dollar. But if the carpenter could swing by and do some work whenever there was lull in the high-paying work, you could potentially get it done cheaper. I'm not saying this common or desirable, just something I've heard of. Or, you hired someone with a known drug or alcohol addiction who worked cheap, you might get part of the work done before he or she went on a bender, and then the rest done when he or she sobered up. This strategy is way more common than you might imagine. Also, if you want to do the work yourself, and it takes you forever and you happen to be a perfectionist, you'd get it done good and cheap but not quick.

Bonus round: You can also get just one of these attributes in a remodel. It can be super good, but not cheap or quick. It can be cheap, but not good or quick. And it can be quick, without being good or cheap. But ideally, you would get two of the three.

(Photo: Rod Foster)

Save money on a remodel by eliminating bathtub? I doubt it

An article by CNN (see it here) suggests saving money by eliminating your bathtub in favor of a shower only. 

I question the numbers here: $2,000 for a tub vs. $1,000 for a shower. The article claims that by eliminating the tub you are saving $1,000.

But depending on where you shop and the quality of fixtures and tile you shop for, you could just as easily say that a shower costs $2,000 and a tub costs $1,000. Heck, you could even cook the books and claim a shower costs $10,000 and a bathtub costs $300.

There may be good reasons for eliminating the tub. You can have a great big walk-in shower if the tub is eliminated. And you might save water and money as showers generally need less of those.

But as a daily bath-taker (I call it bath therapy), getting rid of such of source of comfort to save (supposedly) a few buck is foolish. What do you think?

(Image: CNN)

It's official: barter works

So what do you do when your prized market umbrella goes flying off in the wind and breaks two spokes? And what do you do when your avocado trees are putting out so much fruit you fear the boughs will break?

In my case, with this very scenario, I put a free ad on Craigslist saying I would trade organic avocados for umbrella repair.

Five people answered my ad, including one fellow who had a list of electronic gizmos he was trying to unload. Seems he could almost taste the guacamole such a trade would bring him.

I chose the guy who said he had a carpentry shop nearby, and I was to drop off the umbrella the following Saturday. When I couldn't reach him that day, I feared I had a flake on my hands. Maybe barter is too much trouble, I thought.

As it turns out, his pregnant wife had gone into premature labor and they had been at the hospital. This is what happens with barter. Instead of some impersonal clerk at a big box store, you're dealing with individual human beings with real lives. It's kind of shocking. But I think I can get used to it.

I dropped off the umbrella the weekend before last, along with a bag of avocados as a down payment, and went out of town for a few days. When I got back, I e-mailed the carpenter, who said the repairs had been done. I brought another bag of avocados to settle the bill and got a tour of the shop where he makes furniture out of salvaged wood.

My umbrella is home now, with two new spokes made of some kind of salvaged exotic hardwood, and lovely copper nails where the pieces hinge together.

In this uncertain economy, I feel like being more careful with my cash. And with avocados as my new currency, who knows how far I'll go with the bartering?

After this, I think I'll start referring to myself as a writer and a farmer. It has a nice ring to it.

A daily log and other ways to stay organized

Anyone who has survived a big remodel knows how confusing and chaotic it can be. Who's coming today? Is anyone coming today? What will they do? Is this thing spiraling out of control?

Several methods can help you feel less confused. Much of it depends on your contractor, if you have one. Some strategies your contractor might use are a job notebook or a white board, according to Tim Faller, owner of Field Training Services, who teaches contractors how to run their projects better. 

I especially like the idea of a job notebook where notes are written about everything that happens on the project. The homeowner can write notes for the crews and the crews can write notes for the homeowners. It can also serve as a record of what went down in case the job ends up in arbitration or court. One consultant I spoke with suggested a spiral notebook, rather than a 3-ring notebook, so the pages are not taken out and remain part of the complete record.

The Daily Log above is one Tim developed for supervisors in the field. If you are acting as your own contractor, you might consider something like this to cut down on the confusion.

Also, if you are running your own project, you might check out Tim's book, The Lead Carpenter Handbook: The Complete Hands-on Guide To Successful Job-site Management. The book is aimed toward professional lead carpenters, which are a hybrid carpenter-supervisor, but you might find some wisdom here on making your project run more smoothly.