|
Earth Day Begins at Home
 | | |
Help Mother Earth by celebrating her this year. Some ways to make everyday Earth Day include:
- Purchase non-toxic cleaning products - use bio-degradable and chlorine-free products
- Reduce paper use - use rags instead of paper towels
- Repair instead of replace - resole shoes
- Refurbish responsibly - use water based stains and varnishes
- Replace disposable goods with renewable ones - dishes instead of paper plates
- Plant for the planet - fruit and veggies gardens to attract good bugs
Happy Earth Day! |
|
Past Issues | | |
Interested in looking at our prior issues of the Informed Homeowner, click here to see our E-Newsletter Archive
|
| Photo of the Month |  |
A beautiful new walkway!
With a vision of replacing her walkway to create a more stable and presentable path, I don't think our client ever imagined it would turn out so beautiful. Not only did she end up with an amazing new path to her front door, but a patio was added at the landing too!
Contact us if you have a creative outdoor project, we'd love to be a part of it.
 | |
Patio & Walk Before Remodel |
|
| Gearing Up for Rampathon |  | |
Our company employees, family, and friends will be volunteering again this year on May 19th to build a ramp for a less fortunate resident in our community. We appreciate your support!
This will take place at a resident's home in Shoreline to help her and her family regain mobility to move in and out of the home again with a power chair.
Our team of volunteers, staff, co-workers, family and friends are looking forward to making a difference in this family's lives.
For more info on the Master Builders Care Foundation and Rampathon visit rampathon.org
|
| Household Battery Disposal |  | |
Are you throwing your old and dead batteries in the trash?
In King County some household batteries are to be recycled.
You may be asking what exactly are household batteries?
Household batteries are dry cell batteries like alkaline (AA, AAA, D), nickel -cadmium, small lead, lithium and button cell batteries. These include:
- Lantern batteries are like a bunch of alkaline batteries packed together.
- Ni-Cads are found in kitchen appliances, power tools, lighting, and computers. Ni-Cads are rechargeable. Although Ni-Cad batteries are more toxic than alkaline batteries, their longer life service makes them the best choice.
- Lithium batteries are found in cell phones, computer clocks, headlamps and cameras.
- Button cells (containing mercury, silver, or zinc) are found in watches, hearing aids, cameras, and calculators.
- Lead-acid batteries:
- Unsealed Lead-acid batteries are found in cars, motorcycles and marine batteries.
- Sealed Lead-acid batteries are the same as Gel Cell Batteries.
So where do I recycle these?
- In Seattle, there are 2 transfer stations click here for more info
- In other areas of King County you can visit call2recycle for locations
|
| Become a Fan |  | |
You can see our latest events, information and photos on Facebook
|
|
|
|
April Showers, Bring May Flowers
As the saying goes, we are still in the rainy season. But the weather is starting to warm up and that means more outdoor activities, barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings.
Its the perfect time to start sprucing up your home and yard. Gardening, mowing, painting, staining, and sealing are chores for some and fun for others. If you don't enjoy these things - let us do the work for you. We can handle your honey-do-list or handyman needs too!
There are so many fun things to do this April with your family. Here are some events to keep in mind when planning your next few weekends.
Earth Day Events
- Family Earth Day Celebration at the Arboretum, Graham Visitor's Center more info
- Earth Day for Kids, Olympic Sculpture Park, more info
Spring Time Family Events
- Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, April 1-30, more info
- Northwest Railway Museum, 4/1-10/28, Snoqualmie more info
- Seattle's Pike Place Market Tours, April - June, includes a food/beverage tour, more info
- Science Fiction Festival, 4/19-5/2, Cinerama Theater Seattle, more info
- Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Daily 7a-9p, 3015 N.W. 54th St. in Ballard, more info
- Elliot Bay Park Rose Garden, 3199 Alaskan Way in Seattle
 Enjoy the season! |
|
Springtime Projects
Are you, your neighbor, a friend or family member planning an upcoming project? It's a great time to do so. We consider spring time to be perfect weather for taking care of your minor home maintenance before it becomes a major problem.
How do you know when to hire a professional?
Spring is a great time to work on the exterior of your home and take care of siding repairs or full re-siding needs, caulking and painting, and repairing or adding onto your deck and patios. The longer days and warmer weather mean more efficient and productive work hours. But these projects and others may be more than you can handle.
Here are the top 5 reasons to hire out the work:
1. Available Time: Whether you're retired or have little kids running around, it's hard to find time just to get the basic household chores done, let alone a major project that involves planning and big blocks of dedicated time.
2. Tools: Do you have tools that are sitting collecting dust in the garage, shed, or attic? Most homeowners find projects a good excuse to buy tools, gadgets and equipment. Unfortunately, most of you will only use the tool you purchase once or twice. Next time, consider spending your money elsewhere, unless you are employed in the skilled trade industry.
3. Quality & Speed: When you hire the right person, the work is done faster, in a professional manner, and right the first time. They do have "Do-it-Yourself" books for everything, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
4. Warranty & Liability: Most professional contractors guarantee the quality of their work with a warranty. This means they coordinate and fix any problems during this period. Also when you do the work or have a friend, neighbor, or unlicensed contractor take it on, you're liable for any damage, injury or problem that may happen. When the work is performed by a registered , licensed, and bonded General Contractor in Washington they take on all liabilities.
5. Cost of Mistakes: Most of our clients have had at least one project they've completed where they undertook it themselves to save money. Unfortunately, a costly mistake was made and they ended up having to hire a professional to fix it. It is more cost effective to do the work right the first time.
Of course the most important tip to remember is to hire the right contractor for the job. Whether you work with us or choose another company, we want you to have a good experience. Review these Consumer Tips when selecting your contractor of choice.
For a copy of our Spring Home Maintenance Guide for all seasons and monthly check-ups, contact us and we will be happy to email you a copy. |
The Reality of Online Customer Ratings and Reviews
For some people making a decision about a purchase or service can be an agonizing and difficult process. For others it can be a quick and easy. With the information online from public reviewers and past clients, making many decisions may now be easier than ever. However, you should still ask questions of the service provider even after reviewing the online ratings and testimonials to make an informed decision. Not all information submitted online is true and from a reliable source. For a list of sample questions to ask your contractor click here.
The reality is that online ratings and testimonials on sites such as Google, Yahoo, Yelp, Angie's List and others are helpful tools for consumers, however they can also be a business' worst nightmare. A review can be both supportive and destructive depending on what is written and where it is posted.
It's also important to note that there can also be hidden information or filters in some review and rating websites. This means a business's 5-star ratings may not even be seen. These sites may even appear to be misinforming potential clients about the business and service they are researching. For example, sites such as Yelp "filter" reviewers ratings allowing the public to only see the ratings the company decides are pertinent. This is based on the reviewer's percentage of ratings conducted for the site. Therefore, a less favorable review may appear on the business listings and the positive ratings must be looked up and may take longer to find.
The best compliment a company can receive is a referral or in this case a testimonial or review. So please consider rating us and other company's online for their great service and quality. This will help future and potential clients can see how you were treated and what service was provided. In addition, it also helps the company's search engine optimization online and makes them more present in the online community. However, you do need to remember that what is written is open for public viewing. So don't make the rating too personal and realize that it may not even be shown on some sites if you're only reviewing the one company.
We would like to thank our amazing client's, colleagues, vendors, and suppliers for supporting us and our company online. |
|
|
Spring has sprung and we are getting very busy! If you're planning a project this season so is everyone else. Start early and plan ahead so things go smoothly and are done in time for you to enjoy this summer.
I hope you've enjoyed this month's edition and find some value in the information provided. I look forward to seeing you and your families out and about in this beautiful weather.
President
2009, 2011 MBA & 2010 BIAW Remodeler of the Year
Remember one of the benefits of hiring our company is that I am personally involved in your project. Contact us to schedule an appointment and ensure your spot on our upcoming project calendar. |
|
|
