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Winter 1997 Remodeling Tips | |
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Coastal Builders in "Top 500" for the Second Year in a Row Our Customers Write... Burt Wolf: Relections on Kitchens and Culture The Laundry Center: A Pleasant Place for a Necessary Task Floor Coverings: Versatile Vinyl Coastal Builders in "Top 500" for the Second Year in a Row Coastal Builders has been named as one of the “Top 500” remodeling companies in the USA for the second year in a row by “Qualified Remodeler” (a magazine for professional remodeling contractors). We are proud to have achieved a rank of 412, up from number 425 last year. We at Coastal wish to thank all of our loyal customers for their continued faith in our ability to add quality, value, and beauty to their homes. Many of our customers have come back to us over the years for a second, third, or even fourth project. There can be no better demonstration than that of their satisfaction with our work. To ensure that you will want to come back to us after your first project, we have all pledged ourselves to a high level of professionalism and quality craftsmanship. We know that your satisfaction spells repeat business and referrals, which are the lifeblood of our business. Instead of us writing about one of our projects for this issue, we decided to let one of our customers tell you about their experiences with us. I hope you enjoy their comments, and I hope you will give us a call when you are ready to remodel your home. |
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Our Customers Write... “Dear Mr. John Watts , I am writing this letter on behalf of my husband and myself to express our thanks for a job well done on our addition. We have been enjoying our new family room over the holidays, especially the fireplace. Everyone that has visited with us was very complimentary. We wanted to commend Coastal on the entire construction process from start to finish. Although we all have heard nightmare stories about remodeling jobs, we found ours to be the opposite. As each phase progressed we looked forward to the next. The addition was completed before we knew it and without any complications. We credit much of our satisfaction with the job to Lee Grubb . His professional conduct was exemplary. Every day we were impressed with the care and skill he employed as he worked. He was more than conscientious in his job. We could not have been more pleased with his work. He was knowledgeable and always willing to explain or answer any question we had about the project. We were confident in his superior workmanship and were glad to have him on our project. In his usual polite manner he assured us that all the Lead Carpenters at Coastal were excellent, but we think we were lucky to have him doing our work. He always went above and beyond the call while working here. For example, every afternoon when he finished, he made sure he cleaned up and made order as best he could. This was greatly appreciated. He was meticulous about creating as little mess as possible. We never had to worry about whether our house would be left unsecured as he was always careful about keeping the doors locked and letting us know when he was coming or going. Another example of his going the extra mile was during his lunch break one day in September there was a torrential downpour; I was outside trying to control the run-off of dirt from the excavation work and spread plastic sheets over a large area in our yard. The rain and mud were winning when Lee came to the rescue. I certainly couldn’t have handled that alone and I really appreciated his help. Overall, Lee is a tremendous asset to your company and we couldn’t have been happier with his efforts and the efforts of all of your crew. Thanks again.” Sincerely, |
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Burt Wolf: Relections on Kitchens and Culture Burt Wolf is a professional journalist. His program “Gatherings and Celebrations” is shown regularly on public television. In a recent interview, we asked him about his ideas on the mealtime experience. A. Yes, almost all of our meals are gatherings--and many are celebrations. Sunday dinner is a good example. A. This does happen, and that’s okay under certain circumstances. But, if you totally lose the structure of gathering, something important is lost. The gathering around food is an essential part of socialization; and if you give that up, you lose the sense of community. A. At the end of World War II, we knocked down the wall between the kitchen and dining room. With that, we suddenly exposed the people who were cooking in the kitchen. This altered the attitude about those people and the space they worked in. In the 20s and 30s the kitchen had been organized primarily with function in mind. The housewife or a servant had to prepare the food in obscurity as efficiently as possible. With the post-war changes, the kitchen had to become more fashionable. Color-coordinated equipment and fashion design have become very important because the kitchen is a public area and more people are involved in the cooking process. In recent years, however, there has been a swing back to the earlier emphasis on functionality. A. Yes, I have just been in Hong Kong and also in Milan. I’m working on a series called “Simple Origins.” For this series I will be going to 26 different cities, looking at something unique in each of them, and investigating the origins. For example, I took a look at fashion in Milan. Then I looked into how Milan became the center of fashion. Turning to Hong Kong, I found it interesting that within the context of this city the “Kung Fu” movie originated. So I am looking into the factors which have brought about this phenomenon. Of course, in each of these cities I will also be taking a look at the food. You can learn a lot about a culture from the way it eats.” |
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The Laundry Center: A Pleasant Place for a Necessary Task Just as kitchens were kept out of sight in the 30s, the laundry center of today is often behind closed doors. It is seen as a functional space--hidden from view by an attractive exterior. Unlike the kitchen, it probably won’t ever achieve the status where guests are invited to help with the laundry, simply to enjoy the room. But good design can make it not only an easy place to work, but also a pleasant one. A laundry center should adequately provide for the following four different activities: A planned collection system for soiled clothes will save many steps. The laundry center may be located at a family entrance to the house where dirty clothes can be shed before dirt is tracked into the rest of the house. In multiple story homes a chute between floors is very convenient. Make sure adequate room is provided for sorting the laundry into piles. A laundry sink with a high faucet near the washing machine is helpful for the extra pre-wash scrubbing. Also provide plenty of closet space for your detergents, softeners, etc. In addition to the automatic dryer, a line located where it won’t decapitate you and where wet items can drip without causing damage will be much appreciated. Large surfaces for folding, close to the dryer, are essential. Equally important are closets or bars for the hanging clothes. |
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Floor Coverings: Versatile Vinyl Although “dependable” and “easy to care for” have always been common descriptives for vinyl flooring, the terms “beautiful” and “versatile” are being used more frequently to describe this man-made floor covering. Especially when combined with vinyl’s relative low cost, these qualities account for the fact that most homes have vinyl flooring in some part of the house. Recently manufacturing advances have been changing earlier perceptions of vinyl flooring as “cheap.” Seams which split apart and turn up and surfaces which stain and easily mold or mildew are problems of the past if you buy a quality product and have it installed properly. Vinyl is now a durable flooring which is also comfortable to walk on. Despite its durability, vinyl flooring (as with any flooring!) can be damaged through misuse. Following these few precautions will help keep the flooring looking great: · Protect against indentations and furniture damage by making sure furniture legs have large surface, non-staining floor protectors. · Place mats at outside entrances to prevent dirt, grit and soil from being tracked onto your floor. · Wipe up spills promptly with a damp cloth or mop. Choices are great, but having to make a decision without any guidelines can be difficult. Here are four items to consider when you are in the process of selecting flooring for a particular room: 1. you’re working with. Does it get a lot of natural light or is it a dark room? Lighter-toned flooring can “open” a space and make it appear larger than it is. 2. It can be frustrating trying to match a color exactly when decorating, and the result can be boring. Aim to coordinate. 3. There is a diverse selection of designs and colors in vinyl flooring which coordinate with other home furnishings to create the decor you have in mind--from classic to traditional and from colonial to contemporary. 4. room dimensions before you make your purchasing decision. This will provide the retailer/remodeler with basic information which may affect your selection. It will also allow the retailer/remodeler to estimate the yardage required. |
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