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http://www.thecharlottepost.com Wit CI[)arlotte THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13. 2005 4D REAL ESTATE Prep for spike in buUding material Blame it on hurricanes Hy David Bradley int. ASS(x lAiw rHKss Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were a twin blow to con sumers and builders heading into fall projects. Numerous leports forecast steep price hikes for building materials as a result. Gulf* Coast residents have few options but to pony up for pricier Imnber and other assorted products foi* a recon struction process that will drag on well into 2006. Even homeolYiiers hun dreds or thousands of miles removed finm hann’s way will need to make what is largely a financial decision: Do we plow aliead with reno vations or sit ti^t and wait for prices to diop aiad supplies to increase? Ibugh call. And it’s tourer still for homeownei's cau^t in mid-project. Your budget may be blown out of tlie water aiul if your locale isn’t lii^i on the priority list for materials that are instead diverted towani much-in-need Soutli- eni markets, you mi^it kiss your completion schedule goodbye, too. Homeowners will want to broaden their seai*ch for materials across multiple conuuunities. Home store Web sites typically list store addresses and contact num bers. You may be forced to work the phones to locate ade quate supplies of plywood, ori ented strand board, drywall or oilier lumber products. You might step up your pro- airement schedule for items slated for use latei* in your pnyect. This includes plumb- ii^ hardware, county's, floor ing, and fixtures. Such look- aliead thinking will be impor- t ant if you involve subcontrac tor specialists. Indeed, some of tlie product pressure may fall on contractor shouldei's. Contractors usually patronize a select number of outlets wha*e they have a line of cn»dit or the staflfknows tlieir needs. You may need to talk about secondary outlets for some products. For partiailariy hard-to-get pixxlucts, the homeowner- contractor conversation may become quite candid on mate rial substitutions. Wlien it comes to costs, once prices rise, at least part of the increases tend to stay in plate, Tb what degree the spikes in cost stay elevated is anyone’s guess. If you can delay a project, chances are product prices may drop somewhat diuing the con struction ofif-season as manu facturers gear up for building to come. This means make your purchases befca*e home- building starts in earnest in tlie spring of *06. Homeowners who involve contractors in remodeling or renov'ations may also want to stick up for thanselves when it comes to product buys usu ally left for contractors. Rather than allow contractors to buy significant quantities o£ materials • on which they build in a margin - homeown ers should make those buys and a\*oid the contracter sur charge Material prices are a suph ply-and-demand reality caused by large, horrific storms Homeowners will need to rely cai their own (^uck. persistence and sense of timing to grab the best available materials at the beat pricee A&E1D Looking up for light versatility PHOTO/ARA CONTENT Modern skylights ojfer dependability, location options and health benefits .\RnClJi RESOURCE ASSOC'IATIOS When you think of skyii^ts you may picture them as unattractive, inefficient, fading plastic bubbles that leak. If so, you’re probably thinking, to parap^ase an old auto commercial, of “your father’s skyii^ts.” According to Joe Patrick, product manager with Velux America, today’s skylights, properly installed, don’t leak. “Matched flashing systems and other improvements have done away with the number one fear of people who are considering aitting a hole in a perfectly good roof,” Patrick says. And where are skjdi^ts most used? TVadition- ally in bathrooms and kitchens. According to an American Standard survey, American homeown ers say if they had a choice of accessories for the ultimate di^eam bathroom, the number one option would be a skylight to bathe the room with more natural light. Add the privacy factor of light fiom above, plus the additional ventilation available witli skylights, and you’ve upgraded one of the most-used rooms in the home. Aside fix)m the aesthetic benefits of natural light, there are health related considerations. Studies show that 20 percent of our population suffers varying degrees of Seasonal Affective dis order (SAD). Individuals with SAD may experi ence depression, lower energy, an increased appetite, and a need for more sleep. SAD is direct ly linked to insufficient dajfight. And there are other light-related health considerations. Are there older adults in your home? Researchers McFarland and Fisher report that to accommodate the adaptation of the aging eye, the amount of light required for visual acuity dou bles for each 13 years after the age of 20. More natural li^t equals better si^t. Or, perhaps you have youngsters at home. Students perform sig nificantly better in environments that are lit with natural rather than artificial light. A study directed by Heschong Mahone Group in California tracked test scores for 21,000 students in California, Colorado and Washington and found that learning rates were 26 percent hi^er in reading and 20 percent hi^er in math in rooms with the most natural light. Low-E energy- efficient ^ass in modem units is durable, reduces ertemal noises, and won’t discolor as did older plastic bubble skjii^ts. And sl^dights no longer just sit there. Please see MODERN/5D (Why) not your mother’s wallpaper .\Rncu: RFj:oiRCE ASSociAnos One of the more exciting trends today in interior design is mid 20 century modem, but, retro with a twist. Modification of this motif is necessary because today’s new homes are, according to The National Association of Homebuilders, more than twice as large as they were in the 1950s, and 50 percent larger than they were in the 1970s. Mexiem houses call for open floor plans with the spaces flowing into one another, instead of having smaller, sep arate rooms. The standard eight-fcx>t ceiling has been raised to nine, ten, often, twelve feet. This is true even in the ‘Traditional” st>ie home that most buyers prefer. Kitchens are open to family rcx}ms or breakfast rooms or homework/computer areas. Bedr(x>ms flow to sitting areas PHOTO/ARA CONTENT or dressing rooms, even mini breakfast bars. Bathrcx)ms may have his and her compart ments. dressing or exercise areas. The homeowner is left in a ejuandary as to how to dec orate these spaces. Can the spaces be unified. Please see (WHYVBD PHOTO/ARA CONTENT Tips to take deck from autumn drab to fall fab ARTICLE RESOURCE ASSOCIAVON Spring 'may be the time for renewal but when it comes to your backyard deck a pinch of care, a dash of improvements and a touch of TLC is just the right recipe for taking your deck fix>m “Autumn Drab” to “Fall Fab.” “Most people think spring or early suromer are the only seasons to spruce up the deck, but fall is an ideal time to get things done before the worst of weather hits,” ecplains Tferry Guest, marketing manager fix)m Wey erhaeuser. “Best of all - deck dwellers in warmer climates can immediately eiyoy any ‘beautifying’ improvements a few extra months, while the rest of us get a jump-start on nert year’s decking season.” Taking the time to complete those easy-to- procrastinate repairs, much-needed upgrades and backyard brightening projects ensures your deck remains a favorite spot for the • entire family When developing a checldist of things to accomplish or create this fall, con sider the following ideas and tips for keeping your backyard deck beautiful; Simple repairs and quick fixes Occasionally, you may need to address structural repairs like replacing a damaged board or re-nailing loose boards. Fixing these items in autumn provides better protection against additional damages over the winter months, like waiping or cracking. Also, clean ing your deck is a critical part of the entire deck care process. Aesthetically, deaning can make a dramat ic visual improvement by removing years of built-up dirt on surfaces that have weathered due to the elements, mold and mildew, and worn-out finishes. And be certain to sweep away aH leaves, needles and branches ifrom your deck and remove all debris fiom between deck boards. Dirt and leaves can build up, preventing rain or oth^ moisture fiom drain ing. Proper Ventilation is crudal to avoid moisture build up — standing water is your Please see TIPS/5D Design a home gym ARTICLE RESOURCE ASSOCIATIOS Once upon a time, the term “home gym” meant a treadmill taking up valuable space in your bedroom. But times have changed, and more and more homes now boast state-of-the- art home gyms that include a variety of equip ment you might expect to find at your local fit ness center. And while people are investing in the latest exerdse machines, such as elliptical tramps and weight lifting systems, they're also devot ing more thought to the design and decorat ing of their gym space. Aft«* all, it’s easier to motivate yoursdf to head to the home gym if it’s nicely decorated, well-lit and attractive. Here are some tips for putting together a home gym that will give you a good workout and that you’ll actually use: • Cihoose an appropriate spot in your house for the workout room. Do you have a spare bedroom, or a guest room that doesn’t get much use? If that’s not an option, how about claiming a section of the family room, dai or office? And, there’s always the basement. If that’s your only choice, there are ways to make it more inviting. • Think about both your fitness goals and your workout personality If you want to bulk up, for example, you’ll want to include fiee weights in your plan. If you know that you prefer yc^a to running on a treadmill, plan your room accordingly • Buy the best equipment you can afford If the equipment malfunctions fiequently or just doesn’t give you a good woikout, you’ll get fiiistrated and stop using it. mm
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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