Kaufman Homes is in the final stages of this extensive remodel in Laurel Springs.  Our schedule indicates we will be done close to the middle of March which means we will have done phases two, three and four in two and one half months (read about phase one here).  I am pleased with the time frame, considering this remodel was an extensive project including all of the main living floor area ;  kitchen, dining, living, utility and down ½ bath as well as a completely new master bath cabinet, counter, sinks and new faucets.  The ability to move the family’s entire kitchen function to the basement mechanical room as well as have available a large family room off of the temporary kitchen providing  reasonable accommodations.  This family was a joy to work with as they allowed us the privilege of coming into their home, disrupting their normal lifestyle and being appreciative of the work my company and our workers were doing.

Moving right along in the process

In the proper and deliberate progression of any remodel or construction project, proper and logical order makes the job go smoother, faster as well as provides for better interaction for the family still living in the home.  Our full time, highly skilled job manager has done a great job of coordinating the different trade contractors as well as doing much of the work himself.  His goal is to always work with the customer to keep them informed of all stages of the project and to be considerate of the family’s daily function.

We have finally installed the last of the kitchen and family room cabinets and put the finishing wood touches to the cabinets and ceiling areas in each room with 3 ½” crown molding with all cherry crown in the kitchen and painted crown in all the non-cabinet ceiling areas in the family room.

Mark your calendars! The 15th annual Yard, Garden and Home Improvement Show comes to the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem the weekend of March 16th. Presented by the Home Builders Association of Marion and Polk Counties, this “most colorful show of the year” offers a plethora of ideas to update and improve your home.

Featuring the latest in gardening and design trends and the best services for your home, this expo has it all for your unique needs. Kaufman Homes has so many ideas and services to share with you, we’ve booked two booths. Look for us at booths 130 and 131.

In the progression of things we now were ready to remove the old support beam for the original small opening and put in a larger and longer beam to carry the larger opening and its roof load. To remove the old beam we had to support the ceiling/floor joist carrying the upper floor and the main roof load by building temporary support walls on each side of the beam. To get the old beam out we had to jack up both temporary walls to take off the roof load pressure so we could remove the old beam and then install the longer new beam.  It was unbelievable how much more open the home felt with this larger opening from the kitchen to the family room.

On January 2, 2012 we resumed the remodel job in Laurel Springs.  The holidays were over and the kids were back in school.  Phase two entails a complete remodel of the kitchen, creating a larger opening between the family room and the kitchen, exchanging the swinging door into the utility room with a space saving pocket door, adding hardwood floor to the dining and living room, and removing wallpaper in the dining, living room and entry.

As in any remodel, Kaufman Homes schedules the job for maximum time efficiency and always considers the Customers disrupted lifestyle.  Our highly skilled workers have the ability to do almost any job in a remodel except electrical plumbing and heating and they are very good at being polite and considerate of the Customer.  It is always our priority to finish the remodel as quick as possible to get the family’s life back to normal.  Kaufman Homes knows that if we take to long to do a remodel we quickly wear out our welcome.

In 2011, Kaufman Homes began working with a customer in Laurel Springs to determine what would be the best way to satisfy their changing housing needs and desires.  They discussed with us about selling their current home and building new but when they considered the deflated amount their home would probably sell for, in this economy and when we explained how the cost of new construction continues to rise due to increasing material costs, new government regulations and added energy code requirements. It has become increasingly more difficult to finance a new home as pre-construction appraisals, of proposed new homes, are evaluated  with sales of comparable,  depressed value, existing homes, thus the amount they will loan is less than most people will need to build the new home.

This helped the client make the decision to begin the remodeling and redecorating process also allowing them to stay in the neighborhood they have always loved. The client expressed the desire to create a more open home plan, to modify a heating system that is inadequate, change a family room wood burning fireplace to a more convenient gas burning fireplace with a raised hearth, to modify and update the master and guest baths, add a covered deck with an outside gas fireplace, add more hardwood floor on the main floor, completely re-do the kitchen and paint all of the inside and outside of the home.

Indoor air pollutants have increased over the past few decades for variety of reasons. Contributing to indoor air quality issues in homes are construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates to save energy, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and increased use of chemical products such as pesticides, housekeeping supplies, and personal care products. The four basic factors affecting indoor air quality (IAQ) are indoor air pollutant sources; the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system; pollutant pathways; and occupants.

Moisture and Biologicals:

Moisture problems in homes can result in the growth or amplification of biological and microbial organisms like mold, mildew, dust mites and pet dander. Exposure to these organisms can increase the risk of allergic illness, trigger asthma, cause respiratory infections, or have other health effects. Common sources of moisture include high indoor humidity, plumbing leaks, and water leaks. Poorly maintained heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems can also contribute to moisture problems. To remedy the problem, the source of excess moisture must be found and fixed, and contaminated materials must be removed and discarded if they cannot be thoroughly cleaned.

In Salem, as well as most parts of Western Oregon, our weather is usually mild enough to allow certain remodeling projects and custom homes throughout the Fall and Winter without serious problems. In past years, Kaufman homes have begun many various size new homes, remodels and additions in October and November without significant problems. Ideally, if you can get the shell of the structure up and “dried-in” before mid-October, the remaining exterior work can dodge the storms, and the interior work can proceed unimpeded. If the roof must be removed, it is often easier to protect the house from snow than from Spring rains, since snow can be removed before melting.

When you start a Remodel or Custom Home is CRITICAL

Timing, however, is crucial. If a surprise storm brings a foot of wet snow or a week of sub-zero temperatures just after the basement or crawl space is excavated, you may incur costly delays or remedies in order to form and pour the foundation. On the other hand, the same storm an hour after the foundation is poured may be nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Kaufman Homes receives a lot of inquiries saying they would like to consider building a new home or remodel an existing home, and how much would that cost? Most people are in the fact finding stage when we get this call as they have been assessing their needs like: “we need more space”, “our current home is outdated” or “It would be nice to have”.

Fact finding questions we ask:

1. How did you find out about Kaufman Homes?
2. Have you sold your existing home in this area?
3. Do you have a home to sell and how much do you think it is worth? Have you contacted a realtor for an appraisal? Is this same realtor able and willing to help you evaluate your situation?
4. Have you been out looking at homes and have you found any you like? If so what would need to be done to this home to meet your needs and expectations?
5. Do you own a lot to build on?
6. Do you like the current area you live in and does the home meet most of your needs?
7. Have you thought about remodeling your existing home to meet your needs i.e.: re-decorating, rearranging portions of the home and or adding on. How would you pay for you re-do, equity loan, refinancing or personal cash?
8. Have you been to a bank and qualified for a new home loan, remodel of existing or purchasing and remodeling an existing home? Be sure and find out their terms and requirements? A trusted banker can also give you good financial advice considering what you want or would like to do. Bankers are now very cautious and conservative and will not let you do something you cannot afford or is not good for the long term.

Misconceptions About Cost and Economy

Because of this economy I sense there are misconceptions about new building costs being related to or near in line with the cost of buying an existing home. Prices of existing homes have substantially decreased in relation to the abundance of homes for sale and the amount of people able to qualify for purchase. It is a buyer’s market for those who can qualify for a loan, ones who have sold their home or don’t need to sell their home and have substantial money to put down or will pay all cash. Even those who would desire a new home find banks doing appraisals that are substantially less than what it costs to build the desired new home.