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.

When it comes to heights for bath, kitchen, utility countertops or dining surfaces, the heights should be based on the needs of the homeowner. The main purpose for remodeling or building custom home is not just to have a new pretty kitchen, bath or utility room, but to also to make the living experience more enjoyable and comfortable.

Kitchen countertops

Kitchen counters serve as more than places to store appliances. You prepare food, wash dishes and perform other duties at the counter and its height makes a big difference in your ergonomic comfort. Standard heights have been adopted for the different countertop surfaces in the kitchen but your personal preferences and needs may make alternative measurements preferable.

Standard Countertop Height

The standard countertop height in a kitchen is 36 inches high. Cabinetry and appliances are designed to fit this height and average-sized people will find this a comfortable work height. This specific measurement is not exact; tile or stone countertops may add ½ to one inch to the height, while Formica or other materials come closer to the ideal height.

As baby boomer aging has become more real, Kaufman Homes has become more aware of what should be done to make a custom home a place to age comfortably. Whether your goal is to build a custom home or remodel an existing home, we can enable you to live out the rest of your years without having to seek suitable accommodations.  We also know that even if you are young now you will get older, you develop physical problems which may limit mobility or friends and family may come to your home and have mobility issues.

Single story homes have always been easier to age in place, but at least if you have a two story make sure there is a master bedroom on the main floor.  Consider a home without steps, no sunken living areas; tri-levels are an issue, keep driveways to a minimum of grade for ease of driving up and ease of walking not to mention ice.

Don’t be moved by age. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), older homeowners overwhelmingly prefer to age-in-place, meaning to live at home safely, independently and comfortably.

When Kaufman Homes was developingThe Villas at Illahe Hills an issue that we had to overcome was the sound of trains that were present behind the homes. Whenbuilding a custom home or remodeling your house choosing the right windows and insulation can not only dampen sound but also increase energy efficiency. You have to take into consideration the site and the surroundings. Just like when you selected the land that you were going to build your custom home, selecting windows or even types of windows in various areas of the house is very important.

Back to the Villas, we took this process very seriously. After much research, talking to sound consultants, window manufacturers and insulation providers, we came up with two very successful solutions. Item # 3 on the list below cut down window noise tremendously. That along with doing blown in blanket insulation instead of traditional batt insulation, almost completely eliminated those two noises. Current homeowners at the Villas” will attest to this.

I know many of you want to do some updating of your home but are afraid you will have to spend a lot of money! Many of these items can be done by you if you have the time and are handy with tools, paint brush and etc. Some items are beyond the scope of what many of us can do so we must rely on professionals. A good way to work with costs is to set a plan of action and prioritize your list to do the most needed things first and on down the list as you can afford. Understand that you still may have to live in the house as you are doing these things, so do not let the process drag out to long and disrupt your daily lives to much. Time factor may be a reason to have a company like Kaufman Homes who can do the job in phases and always does the job as quickly as possible with a minimum of living disruption.

Door knobs and hinges, cabinet knobs, plumbing faucets and hanging light fixtures.

10-15 years gold finishes were the trend with gold faucets, gold cabinet knobs and gold door knobs. While gold is nice, when new it proved to be trendy and was not as durable as other finishes. The new trends which seemed to be more durable and timeless are chrome, nickel, brushed nickel or bronze.