2/11/2014 Make Your House Your ValentineThis Valentine’s Day, skip the fancy jewelry and expensive chocolates. No more golf clubs or silk ties, and please, give up on the cheesy Hallmark cards. Try something new this year: remodel your home to bring your family closer together. End petty squabbles by designing your space to promote harmony, comfort, and fun for everybody. Reignite the spark and put old grievances to rest with some simple changes. Here’s a few remodeling ideas to solve some common household disputes: 1. Double sinks in the master bathroom If you and your partner are still battling over a single sink, it’s time to streamline your morning routine and de-stress your bedtime ritual. Add another sink and enjoy a little space, so you don’t have to deal with his beard trimmings or her over-flowing make up cabinet. And when you can both be in that bathroom at the same time, try a saucy wink in the mirror to spice up your day! 2. Hi-tech Laundry Room Almost everyone in the world hates doing laundry. Some couples fight over whose turn it is, or who left the soggy towel on the floor this time. End the drama! Invest in a gorgeous new laundry room so you’ll want to spend time in there. Paint it a fun color, get the latest washing and drying technology, and build in shelves to keep everything in its place. 3. Kitchen Island with Bar Stools Tired of having people under foot while you’re cooking? The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in the home, and it can be a fantastic spot for families to congregate, but it can get a little crowded. Make an area for your kids to do their homework and your partner to go over the bills, so that you can spend a little more time together- without getting in each other’s hair. 4. Open Floor Plan Do you ever feel like you never get to see your family, even though you’re all in the same house? Make it easier to be together with an open floor plan. A smooth transition from kitchen to dining room to living room makes your main space feel welcoming. It also gives you enough space to spread out but still feel connected to each other. Encourage openness in your family and your home. 5. Dimmer Lights in the Bedroom or Bathroom Add a little mood lighting- you know why. 6. Built-In Organization Are you one of those families that needs three pairs of scissors- one for mom, one for dad, one of the kids- because they keep getting lost? Are you constantly fighting over the missing tape or where the pan lids ran off to? No more! Make sure everything has a place, conveniently in reach and cleverly hidden. Install some cabinets in the island for your bigger pots, then hang the lids from the door for a space saver. A long, shallow drawer makes it so everything is easy to see and find quickly, and nothing gets buried underneath. More storage, more happiness. Make your home your valentine this year. Show it some attention, and watch how it brings more harmony to your family. Let Lifespan bring the love to your house this year. 1/27/2014 Get To Know Us: Joe ZimmermanAs our Production Manager, Joe carries a lot of responsibility at Lifespan. He helps us plan our construction schedule, decide who to assign to a project, and supervises the on-site work. We rely on him pretty heavily to help things run smoothly, and we think he's a great guy! Let's get to know a little more about him. What's your background of education and work experience? I graduated early and began building at 17. I've built everything from decks and resort cottages to large custom homes, and everything in between. My building career has taken me all over the western United States and allowed me to learn and see many great things. What skills and traits do you bring to the table? I believe I bring a lot of knowledge and a strong respect for quality, combined with great leadership skills and pride for what I and my team can accomplish. What are your favorite projects or aspects of your work? I enjoy all phases of construction. I believe that not limiting yourself to one particular phase allows you to see the big picture and keeps the mind sharp. What do you like to do outside of work? I enjoy just about anything outdoors. My main hobbies are hiking, climbing, motorcycle riding, fishing, snowboarding, waterskiing, and being a dad. What do you like about working for Lifespan? I've always enjoyed working for Lifespan! The best part is the people. I know that, no matter what our team does, it is always driven by quality. Everyone takes pride in what they do and it shows! More and more of our clients are asking us to build them outdoor kitchens. They're the latest and hottest thing in remodeling, and it's not hard to see why. You can make your deck into a creative, dynamic space for entertaining, al fresco cooking, and relaxing. Are you a master behind the grill? A pizza chef in the making? This might be the project for you. The beauty of the outdoor kitchen it's unlimited options. It's your getaway at home, and it can be as extravagant or refined as you want. Why not meld it with your landscaping to create a seamless transition? Why not include a hot tub, or have your dining area flow out toward a fountain with a bubbling waterfall? Make it your oasis! The major considerations with this kind of project are simple: everything needs to be waterproof, and everything needs to be protected from the elements. There are tons of options to make this possible, from going modern and making everything stainless steel, to building a pergola over the area to shade and shelter. You'd want to avoid a slippery tile floor or wood cabinets that aren't rot-resistant. For convenience, add lots of power outlets and lighting for nighttime parties, and attractive seating options so your guests can relax. Go rustic and woodsy with stone and redwood. Add an enormous grill and smoker combo, and channel a hunting lodge with mossy green accents and natural, local materials. Pull some bar stools up, fire up some steaks, and kick back with a beer. Tweak it a little, add a wood-burning pizza oven, and try a Tuscan vibe, perfect for enjoying wine in the sun. Go exotic, and deck everything out in bamboo. Make your own tropical island with tiki torches and a swim-up bar in the pool. Build a giant fire-pit for everyone to lounge around and then roast your dinner on a rotisserie grill over it. Or try a Moroccan theme with a mosaic tile back-splash, ornate cushion seating, and skewers to roast lamb and tomatoes. If you love throwing elegant dinner parties, step up your game and make it sleek and modern. Imagine all state-of-the-art appliances, a stainless steel grill with built-in warming drawers. Add dramatic lighting and wrought iron furniture, and impress all your friends. The outdoor kitchen can be anything you want it to be. You can have a fully-functional second kitchen, with an under-the-counter refrigerator, cabinets, and a sink, or just create a souped- up grilling station that's unique to you. The sky is the limit! When you first start imagining a remodel in your home, the process can seem daunting. You might be put off by all the hoops you have to jump through, all the planning and big numbers. Luckily, Lifespan’s job is to make it as easy and painless as possible. Let’s take a look at what goes on during a project. STEP ONE: First Meeting So you’ve decided to take the leap and start a project! Let’s say you’re interested in a kitchen remodel. The first step will be for us to come by and have a chat with you. We’ll talk about the big picture- what your hopes and dreams are for your future kitchen, what your budget looks like, what challenges we’re up against, what ideas we may have. We’ll do a walk through of your space and take some initial measurements and talk about our next step… STEP TWO: Ballparking This is where all the big decision-making starts so we know which direction you want to take. We’ll take your ideas and your measurements and come up with a jumping off point for your project. Lifespan does all the tough stuff, like calculating materials needed and checking building codes. Then we present you with a rough estimate of everything: what it’s going to look like, what it’s going to cost, and how long it will take. STEP THREE: Refinement Now that we have an idea of where we're going, it's time to refine the project. We'll get some subcontractors to take a look and we'll draft a plan for permits. You get to be the designer and start making the fun choices- what kind of cabinets do you want? Which counters are going to make your kitchen stand out? Do you want state-of-the-art modern appliances or a rustic, homey feel? We'll be there it help with your selections so you get the kitchen of your dreams. STEP FOUR: Contract This is the exciting part. We’ve gone back and forth on the plans, hammering out the details, and we’ve written up a contract that explains exactly what’s going to go down in your kitchen. You’ve read it, everything looks good, and- deep breath- you sign! STEP FIVE: Pre-Construction All those great items you chose need to be verified and ordered. Subs need to be scheduled and staff needs to be brought up to speed. We want to be ready and make sure every detail is taken care of. We'll meet up again and introduce you to your lead carpenter- that's the guy who will be taking point on your project, so you'll become familiar pretty quickly- and do a walk through. STEP SIX: Construction Begins Life at home might seem a little topsy-turvy at this point. Our employees are extra careful not to disturb you too much. They’re careful to cover the floors to protect against damage, to clean up after themselves, and work quickly and well, but still- it’s going to be weird to have these new people in your house. Luckily, the progress will be visible pretty much every day, and it’s thrilling to watch your kitchen transform. STEP SEVEN: Project Evolves No matter how much we plan ahead, things always end up a little different in reality. Usually it’s just small changes, like opting for some more can lights. Sometimes, though, you decide you want to go big. While you’re remodeling the kitchen, why not get some landscaping done? Why not build an addition? It happens! We’re flexible and always ready to get creative, and sometimes your simple remodel turns into a gorgeous home makeover. STEP EIGHT: Finishing Touches Your kitchen is starting to look like a kitchen again; the cabinets are in, the sink works, the tiles are setting. This is when Lifespan really shines. We’re all about bringing it home in the little details, like cool under-cabinet lighting, or hidden power strips, or the perfect backsplash. This is where your kitchen goes from upgraded to uniquely suited to you. STEP NINE: Send off! We’re outta here! After double checking that everything’s working, secure, and beautiful, we pack up and give you your house back. We deep clean everything for you so you’d never know we were there, and then, with a pretty bouquet on the counter, Lifespan hits the road. You’ll have our number if you have any questions or concerns, but we go the extra mile to make sure you’re happy with your final product. |
9/16/2014
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