School has started, fall is on the way, and that means just one thing – A fully packed schedule with one thing after another for the next 4 months. For those people who have never owned a home, it may surprise you to know that spring isn’t the only season that goes hand-in-hand with “cleaning”.
Every “homemaker” knows that fall cleaning is just as important as spring cleaning, maybe even more so. The holidays are fast approaching and we’ll all have guests (planned and surprises), new gifts to give new homes, and schedules that will not allow for a moment of spare time until after the new year.
Another thing that non-homeowners may not know is that fall and spring cleaning aren’t strictly about “cleaning”. There are literally dozens of little home maintenance things that have to be done during these times of year. From weather stripping to battery changes, a home requires a lot of attention and if it doesn’t get it, the cost can be quite high.
Below you’ll find a short list of tips for preparing your home this fall for the winter months. Kick back with a cup of coffee (or tea if you prefer), put your feet up and read through them. Relax while you can and enjoy the peace and quiet. My sane self will see you again in January!
Have your heating systems inspected by a qualified service professional, including lubrication and cleaning, replacing filters, a check of belts and thermostats, and having vents cleared of obstructions, as necessary.
Caulking and new weather stripping around windows and other openings can stop the cold air invasion dead in its tracks. You’ll be warmer and the lower utility bills will give you warm fuzzies!
If you use portable electric heater do a full check now to be sure everything is in working order. It is most likely that you’ve had it packed away for the sunny, warm summer and you don’t want to find out on the first cold night of the year that it doesn’t work!
I know you’ve heard it a thousand times, but I’m going to say it again. Change out the smoke alarm batteries! Now’s the time to just go through and change all of them, even if they seem to be fine. This is not a place to save a few pennies. It’s one of those better safe than sorry times!
If you don’t have them, install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm near bedrooms and on each floor of your home. Know the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If you do have them – just like the smoke alarms, change the batteries!
Have your fireplace chimney and flue inspected and cleaned if needed before you build the first cozy fire of the season.
Check window and door locks. We often take for granted that locks we checked at the beginning of summer are still working. Most of us are a/c fiends and haven’t had a window open all summer. Check now to be sure they are all operating properly.
Check around the vents, skylights and chimneys for any roof leaks.
Last but not least, plan extra time for each of these tasks. Then, when you find a bit of free time on your hands, relax and enjoy the quiet of your house before the holiday crazies start!
Have something to add to the checklist? Post it in the comments below. We’re always happy to read your input and ideas!
It’s finally here! That fantastic time of year when our children return to school! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my children and I love spending time with them. However, as the years go by, I’ve found that one of the greatest joys in life is the beginning of the school year. As Edgar W. Howe said, “If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers.”
It’s not pure selfishness on my part (mostly, but not all). My children are also genuinely happy about this time of year. They’ve missed their friends, are anxious to share summer experiences with everyone, and there’s always the excitement of new teachers, new classrooms, new friends, etc.
For me, the school year means being able to organize my life again. I can make uninterrupted phone calls, have meetings, and take care of things around our home without children under foot. It is the perfect time for me to begin planning any home projects that need to be done whether they are do-it-yourself things or larger jobs that will require professionals to come in. I don’t have to worry about interrupted naptimes, refereeing a fight, or children knocking over ladders. I can plan and schedule things and get them done faster and much more easily.
It’s also the perfect time of year for these projects because it ensures that I can get them completed before the rapidly approaching holidays. While it may only be August, with our busy schedules over the next few months the holidays will sneak up on me. They always do. By planning now I can make sure that all of the things I want to have done in my home will be ready before the visits by family and friends begin.
Whether a new Kitchen, an updated bathroom or smaller changes such as built-in cabinetry, a fresh coat of paint, or new flooring – now is the perfect time to get started on your home projects. Just think of how much easier it will be now that the kids are in school!
Now here’s a little treat for the parents out there who, like me, are excited about the start of the school year. Don’t feel bad. We’re obviously not alone. It’s an oldie, but a goodie
As many of you know, Brad and I were out of town from May 13th through the 21st for the Remodeling Big50 Awards and Leadership Conference in Alexandria, VA. We had an absolutely wonderful time and learned more from the experience than we ever expected!
Though we were unable to attend the networking meeting on the 13th, we were able to attend several of the fantastic Conference seminars lead by Featured Speakers Rich Armstrong, Kristin Binford, Bill Collier, Craig Durosko, Bob Gallagher, Marty Gould, George Hedley, Jeff Tobe, Mark VanDeWege, and Liz Wilder. These courses provided us with a fresh look at the Remodeling markets around the country as well as an introspective look at what we are doing right and wrong within our company.
We found areas in which we are very strong and also identified those which need some work and have committed ourselves to focusing on those over the next few months. We have definitely come up with some “Big” ideas which will be implemented in our marketing and customer service later this year. You will be seeing some of these changes coming up, so be on the lookout!
Brad and I also wanted to thank each and every one of our clients, trade partners and colleagues for your support over the past 20 years. While we work hard to earn our reputation, it is the trust and respect we truly strive for. Thanks to all of you we have had a wonderful year and can’t even begin to tell you how much we appreciate you!
Yay! Spring is finally here! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the flowers are budding…and my house is a mess!
I’m not sure what it is, but something about the winter months turns my home into a packrat heaven. It’s as if we are unable to throw anything away during this time. Of course, the accumulation of holiday gifts, cards, school papers, outgrown clothing and more are the real issue.
My solution? Garage Sale Time!!! Tomorrow morning I will be happily sitting in the sunshine in my driveway and getting rid of a ton of clutter that I don’t need, while making a bit of money to boot. Even the kids are getting involved and will each have their own “store” of toys that they have chosen to sell. And, whatever is left will go immediately into the van for drop-off at a local charity.
Once that is all out of the way I’ll be able to tackle the rest of the spring cleaning with less dread. We’ll spend the rest of the weekend cleaning out gutters and spouts, touching up some paint, cleaning dead plants and weeds out of the flower beds, changing out the air filter and smoke alarm batteries, and touching up window caulking. Next, we will make a list of larger items that need to be handled by the professionals such as scheduling the annual A/C maintenance, replacing any torn or damaged screens, power-washing the exterior of the house and other small repairs throughout the house.
Here are a few tips courtesy of www.organizedhome.com that can help put some spring into your spring cleaning:
Schedule a family garage clean-out. Create efficient storage for sporting goods, camping equipment, recreational vehicles, and garden tools. Reward the team with dinner at a pizza parlor.
Inspect, clean and repair outdoor furniture.
Tour house exterior and grounds. Make a list of any needed seasonal maintenance.
Inspect the roof for winter damage: leaks, missing or broken shingles or tiles. Arrange for any needed repairs early; roofing contractors can be hard to find during summer’s construction season.
Use a sunny Saturday to scrape, prime and paint peeling spots on trim or woodwork. You’ll protect wood against Summer’s heat and moisture–and prevent a more difficult paint job come fall.
Clear away any remaining dead foliage and weeds from beds and lawn.
Changing seasons, changing clothes. Hold a family wardrobe check as you bring out warm-weather clothing. Sort winter clothing for discards and donations before you store.
Hold a garage sale! Declutter house and garage to turn trash into cash. Build your yard sale savvy here.
Wash windows inside and out.
Move furniture and vacuum beneath it.
Arrange for a spring inspection of cooling systems. Don’t wait for the first hot day!
If you find that you have some projects that need a professional’s touch give us a call at 714-558-1094. Happy spring!
We just wanted to take a moment to tell all of you who voted for our blog in the “Best Construction Blog” competition THANK YOU! The voting for the competition lasted for two months and we finished in third place. This is even more amazing to us when we consider that we were unaware of the competition until two weeks before it ended. We rallied the troops and you, our loyal friends and readers came through for us as always. Below is an excerpt from the Construction Marketing Ideas Blog which hosted the competition:
“The Best Construction Blog and Forum contest has concluded and the voting results are in, but what do they mean?
Obviously, results from what essentially is a “get out the votes” competition provide a different perspective than we would discover from an independent judging panel. They suggest, for example, that Bobby Darnell (http://www.buildingnewbusiness.com) in Atlanta has mastered the art of online viral relationships and networking, while Michael Stone (http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog) has the most enthusiastic and loyal followers, certainly judging by the positive comments associated with his votes. Burgin Construction Inc. in California (http://www.burginconstructioninc.com/blog) , meanwhile, has proven that a local construction business can be a contender in an international competition.”Click for More
Once again, thank you for your support not only in this competition but in our business in general. The true mark of a great company is not the company itself, but its customers and colleagues. And, we truly have the best of both!
Earlier this week Cambria Natural Quartz Surfaces and Benjamin Moore Paints announced a new partnership:
“Cambria and Benjamin Moore have joined forces to offer pre-selected countertop and paint color combinations to help you achieve a designer look in your home or business. Chosen by trained color professionals, these suggestions can add confidence and ease to your color selection process.”
This arrangement makes it easy for customers to choose colors which will accentuate one another beautifully. The user friendly coordination tool on the Cambria website is a simple way to find exactly the right combination of colors which were chosen by trained color professionals.
Please leave your comments and feed back once you’ve tried the new tool. We’d love to know what you think about it!
We’d like to extend our congratulations to Designer Cindy Smetana. Her design on the Harmeyer project won Best Kitchen Design - Gold Award in the November, 2009 special issue of Orange Coast Home Magazine! To see the special November issue click on the magazine cover below. If you’d like to see more photos of the Harmeyer project click on the image from the article on the right.
We are so honored to have been a part of this project and are extremely proud of Cindy for all of her hard work on it. Congratulations Cindy!
Wow! It’s almost here! 2010 is just around the corner and, tonight, we will usher in a new decade. It has been quite a roller coaster ride this past year for us and for many of you as well, I’m sure. We’ve seen so many changes in the world from politics to technology and some major changes have taken place in the construction industry.
Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be touching on some of those changes and talk about what we expect remodeling and design trends will be. We’re looking forward to working with you all in 2010 and wish you a very safe and Happy New Year. See you in 2010!
With the holiday season in full swing we thought it would be nice to take this time to recognize one of our more recent additions to the Burgin Construction Family. Though he’s been a member of the family for well over a year now, he’s recently begun taking a more active interest in the company. He’s jumped into his new position with all 4 feet and seems to love his job. While we normally don’t advocate laying down on the job, it’s a process that seems to work well for him. Here is our new Production Manager, Tiger:
As you can see, he’s very much into his work. We’re pretty sure he’s working on some type of osmosis experimentation as he’s always so absorbed in his work he seems to be in a trance. And, while he’s not much of a talker, he definitely keeps everyone on their toes. Have a look at the photo below to check out Tiger hard at work on a “top secret” project we’re going to be starting after the new year. But shhhh, don’t tell anyone!
Like most everyone else, we are looking back over the past year and thinking about what we are thankful for. And, while we are always thankful for our customers, employees and trade partners, that is more true this year than in any other. The economic issues that country and our state have faced have cost so many a great deal. Thanks to YOU, we are still here after 20 years and we want each of you to know that you are greatly appreciated!
Here are the things that some of the Burgin Construction team members are thankful for this year:
“I am thankful for my family and friends. In a year that has been filled with struggles they have all been there for me more than I could have ever expected.” ~Rhonda
“This year I am most thankful for our employees and trade partners. They have all pulled together to make our company look great and to provide our clients with the very best in service and quality.” ~Brad
“I’m thankful for my wife and our new baby boy. It’s been an eventful year and I’ve learned that family is the most important thing.” ~Eddy
“I am thankful for the many opportunities both personally and professionally that have come my way this year. I am truly blessed to have the network of friends and colleagues that I do, many of them through Burgin Construction.” ~Shannon
“I’m most thankful this year for my friends and family who are always there for me.” ~Tom
Another thing that non-homeowners may not know is that fall and spring cleaning aren’t strictly about “cleaning”. There are literally dozens of little home maintenance things that have to be done during these times of year. From weather stripping to battery changes, a home requires a lot of attention and if it doesn’t get it, the cost can be quite high.
