Pursuing a better way to build

Some great information on efficiency, green building and indoor air quality

2011-03-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

I did some looking around the other day and found some pages with a wealth of information about topics of interest to me and my company. I thought they were so informative that I should post the links and give you an opportunity to have a look for yourself. Many of these articles deal directly with new log home construction, but the principles can be easily utilized in other types of construction and remodeling projects.

http://loghomes.org/todays-log-homes-go-green-81/

This is a great article about the inherent green characteristics of log homes.

http://loghomes.org/8-simple-ways-to-save-energy-80/

This article talks about "How to 'Green' Your Log Home" and discusses the following eight examples of how to make any new construction project more efficient and sustainable.

1) Position for Passive Solar

2) Opt for Energy Star Rated Products

3) Make Your Kitchen Efficient

4) Smart Lighting

5) Explore Heat Pump Systems

6) On Demand Hot Water

7) Improve Indoor Air Quality

8) Install Ceiling Fans

http://www.logbuilding.org/downloads.html On this page you will find much technical information, some hard-to-find information, and LOT of practical stuff.

http://loghomes.org/log-home-myths-104/ Myth Busters: What's True and False About Log Homes?

http://loghomes.org/how-to-add-value-to-your-dream-home-for-less-87/ 8 Strategies for Reducing Costs in Construction

http://loghomes.org/log-cabin-design-97/ How To Create A Cozy Log Cabin : 11 Ways To Make the Most of Your Square Footage While Saving Money

http://www.logassociation.org/resources/reprint_thermal.pdf Thermal Properties of Log Homes By Dalibor Houdek, Ph.D., Forintek Canada Corp.

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix your Home

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/iaqhouse.html Take the "Care for Your Air" Virtual Tour. Get a quick glimpse of some of the most important ways to protect the air in your home by touring the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) House. Room-by-room, you'll learn about the key pollutants and how to address them.

Spend your money once; cost versus value!

2011-02-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

When homeowners are considering a home improvement or construction project, one of the primary concerns people have is "how much is this project going to cost"? In this economy people are going the extra mile to save a buck or two! For example, my wife and I have made an extra effort to turn back our thermostats this winter, especially in the rooms of the house where we seldom spend any time. Being frugal and making shrewd spending choices are two financial philosophies that everyone should follow in any economy. But when it comes to building or remodeling projects around the home, it's tempting to try to stretch the dollar a little too far.

The temptation to do the job for as little money as possible is very strong when the amount of financial resources currently available for the job are very limited. But not investing resources in the right places the first time can sometimes lead to having to spend more time and money down the road to fix what went wrong with how things were done the first time around. For example, one of the most common home improvement projects now days is building a deck to increase outdoor living space for relaxation and entertaining. A new deck can increase a home's value and a family's enjoyment of the outdoors. With dozens of choices for materials and customizable options, there are many things to consider when designing the deck that will meet the needs and budget of the homeowner. Most of the time people want to get the biggest deck for the smallest price. So let's look at some common choices elements involved in the process of designing and building a deck.

- Licensing, Permits and Inspections. When hiring a contractor to complete a project that will cost more than $600 within the state of Michigan, state law requires that contractor to be properly licensed in the particular area for which he provides goods and services for hire. It may be tempting to hire a person who says "I don't have a license so I can do the same job cheaper. Don't bother getting permits, you don't really need them anyway!" Stop right there. As a homeowner that should be a huge red flag! First, if an accident happens while this guy is working on your house, you could be held liable and made to pay for all the expenses involved with rectifying the situation whether you are at fault or not. Also, if the "contractor" isn't licensed chances are you didn't sign any kind of legally binding contract between him and you to ensure that you have some options if he doesn't complete the job, if something goes wrong or if he just takes your money and runs. Licensed professionals are subject to verifiable standards of competence, professionalism and legal obligation which provide assurances to their customers that the goods and services they have been hired to provide will meet certain professional, performance and safety standards. By working with licensed contractors within the permitting system, homeowners can be assured that the work the contractor is performing will be reviewed and verified by a third party, that their work meets safety and performance standards and if something goes wrong, customers aren't left twisting in the wind.

- Footing depth. Decks are usually built from platforms constructed of lumber that are attached to posts that sit on or are partially submerged in the ground. In Michigan's climate, local building codes require that each submerged post be buried at least 42 inches into the ground with a proper cement footing underneath. To save money and time, sometimes posts are only partially submerged into the ground. The problem comes when the ground beneath that post begins to heave during the freeze and thaw of the winter and spring months in Michigan's climate. Because the post wasn't submerged to a depth where frost would not affect it, nature's forces push the post up and out of the ground wreaking havoc on the rest of the deck's structure, often rendering the deck unsafe and unusable and costing more money to fix. In this case saving a few bucks up front doesn't provide lasting value to the owner when they have to spend more money later to fix the problem!

- Minimum framing versus more strength. Decks are on of the most common places where injuries, accidents and fatalities occur around the home due to structural failure from poor construction, low quality materials and inadequate maintenance. While immediate cost of the investment is a primary concern during the deck design and installation process, the lifetime performance of the deck is not often considered, specifically how strong the structure will be over time and if above average weight loads are applied. So a few years down the road after a homeowner has built a deck and nature's forces have been working on the structure and materials, the owner decides to throw a cookout for their family and friends. While the deck was designed to hold up to the weight of three or four people initially, after a few years and with over a dozen people standing on it, the structure fails, the deck collapses and multiple injuries are inflicted on those standing on, around or under the deck. Initially investing a few extra dollars to beef up the structure and framing of the deck may cost more in the short term, but the amount of money, time and turmoil it will save over the long term more than justifies the investment. Safety over the lifetime of any project, home or structure must be of primary importance no matter what size the budget!

We could go on and on looking at comparisons. But the point that I am trying to make is that the value of any project is gleaned over the lifetime of the project. Any measure of immediate cost savings for a project must be considered along with the intermediate and long term costs that will be incurred from not investing a little more money in the soundness, safety and durability of the project from the beginning. Poor quality, low cost work comes with a smaller price tag up front. But it often equates to a poor value for the home owner, which costs more money over the long term in any economy!

Do you have what it takes to partner with us?

2011-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

No one is perfect. No group, company, organization or industry is perfect because of the latent imperfections of the people from which the entity is comprised. Now days the housing industry in Michigan is taking it's lumps from all sides, just like our counterparts across the USA. Being a builder or contractor these days is an uphill battle. Some on the coat tails of the industry are making a living by giving honest, knowledgeable, trustworthy, skilled, experienced and professional builders, contractors, remodelers and tradespeople a bad name. Some guys only care about taking people's money and leaving their customers to deal with the mess. I'm here to say that not everyone in the housing industry operates this way. There are still some professionals out there that are pursuing a better way and delivering a tremendous experience and a superior product to their customers!

I founded Marshall Contracting LLC with the conviction that there are homeowners throughout Michigan with building, renovation and installation projects who are looking to hire a trustworthy, talented and professional construction company that will partner with them and build it strong, build it safe and build it to last a lifetime! As a licensed and insured builder/general contractor, I believe that excellence, safety and longevity serve as the foundation on which I a striving to build my company. These foundational qualities serve as the common ground on which I build relationships with my employees, colleagues, suppliers and trade allies. Together as a team with common goals and values, we complete each project and serve every customer with a commitment to provide the best quality products and services that will meet their needs and exceed their expectations.

If you share this same conviction, I would like to hear from you. I am looking to partner with other professionals in Michigan's housing industry, especially those that serve the Thumb area; architects, structural engineers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, excavation contractors, landscape architects and installers, roofing contractors, painters, masons and any other professionals who would like to be part of a network of committed, trustworthy, honest, dedicated professionals that serve the needs of Michigan homeowners. If you fit this description, I'd like to hear from you.

I'm also looking to partner with homeowners who need the services of our kind of company. If you have a project in mind that requires an exceptional company to complete it, I'd like the opportunity to find out more about what you have in mind. Maybe you know a friend or family member who needs some help with a renovation or construction project around their home or property. Please tell them about this blog and give them the opportunity to decide if they would like to contact us about their project.
We've got to work together to turn things around in the thumb, in this state and in this country. I can't promise perfection, but I can promise to build it strong, build it safe and build it to last a lifetime!

"Going green" makes cents!

2011-02-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

It seems like everywhere you turn now, someone is talking about "going green". This simple two word statement has risen to prominence in American vocabulary over the last few years. And by all accounts it looks like it won't be going away any time soon.

There are so many ways to go green and so many areas of everyday life that people can make small changes in to green up their lives. From driving more fuel efficient vehicles to buying more locally grown produce to using naturally occurring fertilizer in gardens and flower beds, there are so many things that people can do to conserve more and use less, which are two of the most basic principles of being green.

The housing industry has been at the forefront of the green movement because the home is where most Americans spend or consume a large amount of their time, money and resources. Home energy use is a primary area that has received a great deal of attention. Large amounts of money, energy and natural resources are expended every day across the Thumb area and across the country as people shower, eat, cook and live in their homes.

Heating and cooling homes takes energy and money. To heat or cool the air in the home to the desired temperature takes resources and costs money. Quite often this is one of the primary areas in which homeowners can make some small improvements that can lead to some large savings over time. The more air that leaks out of the home, the more the home's heating or cooling systems have to operate to maintain the desired temperature in the home using more resources and costing the homeowners more money! And no matter how old the home is there are usually a few places where air from the inside of the home can escape to the outside. So one of the cheapest yet most effective ways for homeowners to reduce their energy bills is to seal the air leaks in their home.

As consumers have increased demand for solutions to home energy use and efficiency, housing professionals, architects, designers, builders, remodelers and contractors have responded by designing, building and remodeling homes to perform more efficiently and consume less energy, which in turn saves the homeowners considerable amounts of money in lower bills over the amount of time spent in the more efficient home. And whether you are considering remodeling an existing home or building a new home, now is a great time to incorporate energy efficiency into the goals for your home building or remodeling project. Making shrewd choices in the planning process of your current or next project can save you money over the life of the lifetime of the home while saving resources for future generations.

If you're looking for more information on home energy efficiency, have a look at the following websites;
www.energystar.gov, www.usgbc.org (US Green Building Council), www.consumersenergy.com/eeprograms (for Consumers Energy customers), www.yourenergysavings.com (for Detroit Edison customers), www.michigansaves.org, www.michigan.gov/energyoffice,
http://energytaxincentives.org/, http://resnet.us, www.efficiencyfirst.org

Time to ask the audience!

2011-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

If you haven't answered my poll question yet, please take a moment to do so now and come back after you're done.
Alright then, I've been in business long enough to know that most customers don't make a decision about which companies or individuals they will do business with based on one factor alone. Most people take any number of facts into account while considering where and with which company to spend their money. So I would like to give you the opportunity to give your feedback about how you would go about hiring a company to do a home improvement or building project for you. In your comments, please answer some of the following questions. Where would you begin searching for companies to hire? Would you ask family and friends for references? What qualities are you looking for in a salesperson? Would you choose a company who offers financing options over a company that only accepts cash or checks? What other reasons would make you choose one company over another? I want to hear from you, so please let me know how you would answer these questions!

If you want a job done right...

2011-01-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

I am a licensed residential builder and a general contractor. I approach every project with the goal of delivering a first rate product that will be safe, durable, aesthetically pleasing, efficient and satisfying for the customer for years to come. As a builder I have the experience, knowledge and tools to perform many tasks involved in residential construction and remodeling projects, from framing to finish work. Many times, though, home renovation or new construction projects will require a skill or a trade that I do not possess or am not licensed to practice.

By Michigan law, any home improvement or construction project that is hired to be completed for a cost of $600.00 or more must be completed by a licensed professional builder, contractor or tradesman. Much if not most of the time, projects in this price range will require more than one trade specialty to complete the job correctly in a manner that meets or exceeds Michigan residential code as well as homeowner and occupant safety standards. So as a licensed builder I have limitations personally and professionally in the range of services that I can professionally and legally provide. To put it bluntly, I can't do everything, let alone do it well!

As a general contractor when my projects require work that I am NOT licensed to do, I bring in another professional, like a licensed plumber, a licensed electrician, a licensed HVAC contractor or a licensed masonry contractor to ply his trade and contribute his superior skills and wealth of experience toward the goal of producing a terrific product for the customer. I will not do a job, large or small, that I do not have the knowledge, resources, insurance coverage and legal jurisdiction to undertake. But I will find and bring in the right people that can do the job to the high standards that my customers expect and deserve.

If you want a job done right, bring in the right people to do it. Cheap work comes at a cheap price, but a quality job that is done right is worth the investment in hiring licensed, knowledgeable professionals to do it. That's how I run my business because that is what I believe.