Among the many benefits of living on the Carolinas, we have the ability to enjoy the outdoors for the bulk of the year.  A well designed outdoor living space will compliment the way you live and entertain.  If you are considering an outdoor cooking center, screened or open air porch or an elaborate deck, it is important to consider the overall project in terms of how you live and how it can be integrated into your home and yard.

The best projects are the ones that have the most thought applied.  As a simple example, if you like open air porches, you will need to consider the use of multiple ceiling fans to help repel mosquitoes.  Most people do not realize that Mosquitoes do not like wind speed approaching their own flying speed of up to 3.6 MPH.  It is a simple consideration that can make an enormous difference in your ability to effectively use and enjoy the space.  Tell us what it is that you need and like, and we can help to craft a project the will support your comfortable lifestyle.

 The Modern kitchen is no longer just for cooking.  Considered by many to be the hub of any a home, the kitchen has transformed from utility space to a comfortable gathering room where meals are prepared.  The temptation for many is to focus exclusively on the look and feel at the expense of basic utility.  In a well thought out kitchen, there is room for both. 

The Kitchen is perhaps the most complicated and critical part of any construction project.  No other room has the demands of utility and lifestyle comfort that the kitchen requires.  Done properly with an eye toward balancing the interests of both form and function, the modern kitchen can produce a lifetime of great memories.

The home offers the luxury of a combined total of 5,500+ square feet on the first and second floors. The Basement add another 3,400. One of the truly unique aspects of this home is the way the basement has been designed. For most, a basement offers the ability to craft a perfect living space ideally suited for your own lifestyle. The challenge is to have a ready to occupy home while still offering design and finish flexibility for the basement. For this project we have found a way to offer the best of both worlds.

The first and second floors will be completely finished at closing. The basement has the infrastructure ready to finish however the Customer would like. We will work with the Customer to design the layout and amenities in the basement to your precise requirements. The final finishes for the basement should take only about 60 days to complete and can be done while the home is occupied. The purchase price includes an allowance to finish the basement with the same level of quality and attention to detail as the rest of the home.

As you may have already assumed, there are an unlimited number of benefits to having your kitchen remodeled by a professional. Perhaps, the greatest benefit of a professional kitchen remodeling job is the end result. In almost all cases, you will find that a professional remodeling job is better than one that is performed by someone without experience.  Although it may sound easy to replace the lighting in your kitchen or your kitchen countertops, you will find that it isn’t always as easy as it sounds.  Instead of taking the time to learn, a large number of homeowner automatically turn to a professional contractor.

Speaking of time, you will also find that time is another advantage to using a professional contractor to remodel your kitchen.  Since professional contractors are experienced at what they do, they will not only produce quality work, but they will also produce it in a relativity short period of time.  Since the average homeowner is unfamiliar with the ins and outs of remodeling, in general, it often takes them longer to complete any home improvement projects. While this may not necessarily be a problem, it can be if you are pressed for time or if you are on a deadline.  If you are, you may be able to benefit immensely from using the services of a professional contractor.  

Safety is another advantage to using a professional contractor to get your kitchen remodeled. Whether you are interested in remodeling your whole kitchen or just focusing on a particular part of it, such as your kitchen cabinets, you will find that it is quite dangerous to remodel your own kitchen, especially if you do not know what you are doing. Depending on the particular remodeling project in question, you may need to use sharp tools, such as box cutters and saws.  One little slip and instead of working on your kitchen, you could be spending the rest of your day in the emergency room. While professional contractors do make mistakes that can result in injury, those injuries rarely occur.

Although it may seem as if you can only benefit from using a professional contractor to remodel your kitchen, there are also disadvantages to hiring the services of one. One of those disadvantages is the cost.  Since professional contractors are good at what they do, they often charge for it.  The amount of money that you are charged will all depend on what type of remodeling you want done and the individual or company that you are looking to work with. The good news is that you may be able to develop a payment plan or arrange for financing, as long as you have a positive credit score.  

Another disadvantage to having a professional remodel your kitchen for you was also mentioned above as an advantage.  That is the end result.  Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether or not an individual or company that claims to be professional really is.  Before agreeing to work with a particular contractor, either an individual or a company, you are advised to ask for pictures of their previous work and you may also want to speak with past customers.  This will help to ensure that your professional kitchen remodeling project turns out the way that it is supposed to be, professional.  

As you can see, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages to using a professional contractor to remodel your kitchen. Perhaps, the best way to decide what you should do is keep the above mentioned points in mind and then think about your needs.  If a professional contractor can offer you what you are looking for then it may be a good idea to use one

Keep fingers well away from a power blade. Clamp small pieces of wood before cutting them, rather than holding them. It’s imperative to wear work gloves when you’re handling rough materials such as wood, glass, or metal, but take them off when using a power tool so you have complete control over it.

Never use any kind of power tool without proper protective eyewear. Unplug a power saw before changing the blade or doing any other kind of maintenance or cleaning to it.  

Learn how to properly support a board when you cut it with a power tool so it doesn’t kick back towards you during use.

Always completely shut off power or water when working with the electrical wiring or the plumbing.  One of the first questions you should ask as a new homeowner is where your shutoffs are located.

When working on a ladder, don’t lean out to either side. Keep your body weight between the sides of the ladder. It may take longer to get off the ladder and move it to reach farther, but it is well worth your time. Falls are one of the most common causes of injuries in the home.

If you’re not used to the physical element of doing construction, remodeling, or renovation work, you might easily injure yourself or strain your muscles.  You may not even notice the aches and pains until you wake up the next day.  Don’t take chances and overexert yourself when lifting heavy objects, or when repeatedly lifting lighter loads. Get a helper to do some of the work, and take plenty of breaks. Listen to your body’s signals and realize when enough is enough.  Learn to bend and lift with the knees and not your back.  

You’re going to find a great satisfaction and pride knowing that you’re able to safely and successfully accomplish repair, remodeling and renovation projects around your house as long as you’re smart, safe, and keep yourself organized, focused and on task

 Do your homework. When asked what they would have done differently, in searching for a top contractor respondents most often said they would have done more research beforehand, chosen their contractor more carefully, or bought different materials.

To avoid those regrets, get at least three bids with three or more references from each, and interview or visit references before signing. Never jump for the cheapest bid. And with any quote, read the contract carefully, especially any fine print. The two big home centers, for example, demand full payment up front unless state laws forbid it.

Keep a lid on costs. Staying within budget seemed to be a common complaint across the board. Both big home centers say they calculate some installation costs to offer preset prices and stick to them unless something happens that’s outside their control–for instance, should the contractor discover termite damage, leaking pipes, or dry rot once a wall is opened up. For other installations, such as cabinets, they require an on-site visit before giving a price–with the same provision for unexpected conditions. Nevertheless, only about 45 percent of respondents said contractors from home centers were excellent at keeping costs down vs. about 55 percent for the rest.

Expect surprises. No matter whom you hire, unavoidable surprises can still happen once even top contractors see what’s behind or beneath whatever they need to remove. So be sure your contract includes provision for a “change order” clause–an addendum that specifically details what kind of changes require your approval before they can be made. That agreement should state how the extra work would affect overall costs and the finish date.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry suggests you put 10 percent to 20 percent of total funds into a reserve fund for unanticipated costs–at the very least, for redecorating afterward. And don’t create surprise expenses. A top contractor will work with you to settle early on what you want, and stick to it.

Stay involved and available. Many readers felt they weren’t kept in the loop about the job’s progress. To keep that from happening to you, set a specific time each day to speak with your crew’s supervisor. Be sure that you have his cell-phone number and that he has yours. Inspect the day’s work every evening. Mention concerns immediately to help keep problems small and resolvable. The longer you wait, the more difficult and expensive the problem can become for even a top contractor to fix.

When renovating an old house, people often walk in and out of the do-it-yourself role. This can occur out of economic necessity or sheer determination. Tear out the kitchen floor? No problem. Lay a brick path? Why not? Tear into a load-bearing wall? Wait a minute…

There is a point when even a skilled do-it-yourselfer should step aside and let the professionals take over. Here’s how to know when you’ve reached that point.

Examine Your Skills
Start by taking a realistic look at your skills. Old houses can be tricky and often require the trained eye of a professional. Just because you’ve learned a little carpentry over the years doesn’t mean you can tackle the job of piecing together cracked old molding and making it look seamless.

The Materials
When planning a project, take an inventory of your tools and materials. Do you have a miter saw for cutting crown molding? A wet saw for cutting tile? You might need several hundred dollars worth of tools just to do one project. Consider how often you would use the tools and how quickly you could learn to use them. Are you better off hiring a contractor?

The Surprise Factor
Many home owners turn to contractors when they are in the middle of a project and find an unwelcome surprise. They start to tear down a wall and find the main plumbing stack and some old wiring. Would you know what to do with such an old house surprise?

There are many cases when doing the work yourself makes sense. You should be careful, however, of jumping into a bigger project–or one with many structural components–before understanding the details. Otherwise you might be calling a contractor from a room filled with plaster dust.

An unfinished basement is like a blank canvas to the painter.  You have the opportunity to create from scratch and fill in the missing elements in your home.  Whether it is a guest suite, home theater, wine cellar, exercise room or any other space, nothing is as accommodating as an unfinished basement.

Basements are not longer the damp, musty cellars of our grandparents’ era.  Today they are the gathering place for family and friends to relax and enjoy a host of recreational activities.  For most, space is limited and must server many competing forces.  Our thoughtful approach to helping you design projects to suit your lifestyle, will allow even the most challenging situation to enjoy efficient and comfortable use of the space.

Many people do not realize the opportunity to fit a large, comfortable bathroom into a small space.  It requires a bit more creativity and a thoughtful approach, but the results can be quite rewarding. One of the many advantages of custom remodeling is the ability to see any space and have a vision for how it can be most cost effectively utilized while meeting your individual objectives.  With our uniquely thoughtful approach and experience, we will have creative ideas to help get the most out of your space and budget.

The Mon Chateau at Stratford Hall

2056 Fitzhugh Lane
Weddington, NC 28104
$1,610,610   Now $1,349,500

Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 4/2
Approx Sq. Ft.: 8,900
Parking: 3 car garage (2+1)
Elementary: Antioch
Middle & High School: Weddington
Lot Size: .61 Acre
Master BR Location: 1st Floor

MLS #: 816991

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HOME DETAILS

With approximately 8,900 sq. ft. The Mon Chateau offers a lifetime of relaxed elegance. Uniquely situated on a private cul-de-sac lot, the back yard is perfect for a pool. The rear of the property adjoins a 17 acre nature preserve that insures privacy for decades.

The home features exquisite details including solid walnut flooring, 48″ Thermador Range, 48″ Built-in refrigerator, whole house audio, wood burning and gas fireplaces to just name a few. The details go on forever and are best appreciated in person.

The home offers the luxury of a combined total of 5,500+ square feet on the first and second floors. The Basement add another 3,400. One of the truly unique aspects of this home is the way the basement has been designed. For most, a basement offers the ability to craft a perfect living space ideally suited for your own lifestyle. The challenge is to have a ready to occupy home while still offering design and finish flexibility for the basement. For this project we have found a way to offer the best of both worlds.

The first and second floors will be completely finished at closing. The basement has the infrastructure ready to finish however the Customer would like. We will work with the Customer to design the layout and amenities in the basement to your precise requirements. The final finishes for the basement should take only about 60 days to complete and can be done while the home is occupied. The purchase price includes an allowance to finish the basement with the same level of quality and attention to detail as the rest of the home.

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