2 1/2 inches of concrete on floor, 1 1/2 on the walls

2 1/2 inches of concrete on floor, 1 1/2 on the walls



Visit: TrinityHomeRenovations.com

More demo

More demo



Visit: TrinityHomeRenovations.com

Bathroom demo day..#sledgehammersateawesome #toomichconcrete #willbebeautiful

Bathroom demo day..#sledgehammersateawesome #toomichconcrete #willbebeautiful



Visit: TrinityHomeRenovations.com

How Energy Efficient is Your Home?

Yep. It's winter in Upstate New York, and we've all seen that reflected in our monthly energy bills. After all the grumbling and the letter from the energy company offering us the option to pay the larger-than-life bill in installments, how do you know where to start?

Well, wonder no longer. We've put together some things to consider to help you to mitigate those sky-high energy bills.

Lights and Appliances

• Paint walls and ceilings light colors that reflect light rather than absorb, reducing the need for extra lighting


• Keep light bulbs and shades dust-free - dust absorbs light


• Consider replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), or light emitting diodes (LEDs)


• With incandescent lighting, use one high-wattage bulb rather than several low-wattage ones


• Turn off unused lights, stereos, televisions, computers, etc

Heating and Cooling Systems

• As a general rule, set the thermostat at 65°F to 70°F during the winter, and 58°F when away from home


• Install programmable thermostats to help you make those temperature changes automatically


• Have  your heating and cooling systems inspected annually by a certified HVAC professional. Inefficient heating and cooling systems can increase your consumption of energy.


• Hire a specialist to inspect your chimney and flues


• Insulate ducts and pipes that run through unheated areas


• Warm air rises, so use registers to direct warm air flow across the floor

The Kitchen

• Inspect the seals on your refrigerator, freezer, and oven doors to ensure that they fit tightly. Replace the seals if they don't.


• Replace outdated appliances with energy efficient rated appliances.


• When necessary, preheat your oven for no more than 10 minutes


• Check all your range burners. If your natural gas stove burns with a yellow rather than blue flame, something may be clogging it. Call a service technician to inspect and service it.

The Water Heater

• Remove sediment from the bottom of your water heater from time to time. Follow your manufacturers instructions to drain the dirty water until it's clear to keep your water heater efficient.


• Insulating your water heater could reduce your energy use by 5 - 8%. Check your owners manual for specific instructions.


• Set the temperature low (about 120°F) and use warm instead of hot water for dishes and clothes.


• If you still have an oil-fired water heater, be sure to have a qualified professional inspect it every year.

The Attic

• Insulate your attic! If you heat with natural gas or oil, at least 6 inches of R-19 should be sufficient while those with electric heat should have at least 12 inches of R-36 type insulation.


• Insulate and weather strip your attic access door.


• Be sure that your attic has proper moisture barriers and is vented properly to reduce condensation and interfere with the performance of insulation

The Basement

• Seal all cracks in masonry walls


• Insulate basement walls


• Insulate the floor joists above unheated areas


• Insulate crawl spaces under heated areas

If you want to get an idea how energy efficient you home is and get more of these tips, check out this printable quiz/checklist from RG&E: http://ow.ly/J5d0v

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com

Monochromatic Colors: 2015 Color of the Year

 

Guilford Green (HC-116), 2015 Color of the Year

It's that time of year again! Our friends at Benjamin Moore have released the 2015 color trend guide, and have announced their chosen color of the year.

After a quick flip through the guide, it's no question that monochromatic color schemes are "in," this year. They suggest trying warm, cool, dark and light layers of the same hue to create a concept that gracefully flows from room to room. So of their 3,500 colors, which did they pick?

Benjamin Moore announced that Guilford Green (HC-116) is the color that ties it all together, this year. We couldn't agree more!

"We chose Guilford Green as our 2015 Colour of the Year because it can be the hero or the highlight in any room, enhancing the architectural identity of a space," says Ellen O'Neill, Creative Director at Benjamin Moore. "Guilford Green is the perfect thread to connect nature, spaces and interiors with colour schemes that signify fresh energy and growth."

The 2015 color trend guide also contains a curated palette of 23 colors of green, blue, blush, and berry colors to transform any space into your new favorite space. So grab your paint brushes and rollers, let's get to it!

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com

Budgeting a Bathroom Renovation

So now that we’re approaching the middle of Upstate New York’s wonderful winter season, you’re probably ready for a change in scenery, since you’ve been “stuck” inside for weeks. A lot of homeowners opt for indoor renovation projects in the winter, and we see an increase in the amount of quote requests for bathroom projects. So for this month, let’s talk bathrooms!

Crunch the Numbers

According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2014 Cost vs. Value report, a mid-range bathroom remodel might run you somewhere in the neighborhood of 15.8 thousand dollars. Before you lose your mind over that figure, consider that your investment will vary greatly depending on how you define “mid-range,” the size of your space, and numerous other factors. In the end, the amount you spend may actually be much less. A good place to start is with an honest evaluation of your finances. Come up with a number that you are feasibly able to spend on the project. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has a budgeting worksheet to make this step a breeze.

Let’s next consider how long you plan on staying in your home. This can give you a better idea of how valuable this project should be to you. If you plan on staying for less than five years, consider your project an improvement on investment, and consider how you can best improve the value of your home and improve its ability to sell. If you’re planning on staying more than five years, it’s acceptable to consider the comfort of you and your family over the ability of your home to sell.

Substitutions and Omissions

When you budget for a bathroom project, it’s important to remember to include labor costs. As a general rule, a third of your budget will be put towards labor.

Should you find that your budget needs a trim, start with the extras (a towel warmer, steam shower, etc.). From there, consider some other investment options, such as having an old tub re-glazed versus buying a brand new one. If you’re planning on changing the layout of the room, the plumbing is a big cost than might be able to be omitted by keeping the layout the same.

Leave Yourself Leeway

When you open up the walls and floors of any home, surprises tend to pop up. Plan for these little surprises by leaving some cushion in your budget to accomodate. Last minute changes are also a source for budget-busting costs, so try to finalize your plans before project start, and keep mid-project revisions to a minimum if at all possible.

On top of your labor costs, set aside 10 percent to cover the cushion. If you don’t use it, you’ll have ample funds to buy the little luxuries (towel warmers, fluffy towels, a nice massaging shower head, etc.).

Keeping On Budget

Once you’ve finalized your project, keep a spreadsheet to track actual expenses against what’s been budgeted. When you can visualize the impact on your project’s bottom line, you’re less likely to go over.

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com

Avoiding Holiday Decorating Disasters

Holiday lights and displays are inherent to the holiday season, and bring holiday cheer to all who pass. But a lot of homeowners aren’t fully aware of the risks that holiday lights and decorations pose, resulting in many never performing safety checks on lights and ornaments. In fact, for the fifth consecutive year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) anticipates an excess of 12,000 emergency room visits for falls, cuts, shocks and burns related to holiday decorating.

Some of the more common injuries (such as electrical shocks or burns) result from an excess of lights strung end-to-end, low-wattage ornaments burning high-wattage bulbs, or overloaded extension cords. This safety list can help you and your friends/family avoid a holiday decorating disaster this year:

Ladders

Heed the warning labels on ladders. Following the manufacturers instructions on use will greatly lower your chance of accidental falls, or entanglement in high-current electrical wires.

Trees and Decorations

Buying a live tree? Be sure it’s fresh! We realize that not everyone has time to go cut down a tree themselves, so we want to make sure that you check that your tree is fresh. If it’s green, it’s needles are hard to pull from the branches, and the needles do not break when bent between your fingers, you likely have a fresh tree. Dry needles are more flammable than well hydrated ones!

Place trees away from heat sources. Fireplaces, vents, and radiators not only cause a fire risk when in close proximity to trees (live and artificial), but they can impede the heat distribution to the room or house. Keep in mind that warmer rooms will cause the tree to absorb water faster, so check the water levels in live tree bases daily!

Using an artificial tree? Look for the “Fire Resistant” label! While this doesn’t guarantee that the tree won’t catch fire, it indicates that it’s more resistant to combustion.

Have small children? Avoid small, sharp, heavy, or breakable decorations. Keep decorations that have small or removable parts out of reach, and avoid decorations that resemble food or candy that may entice children into putting it into their mouths.

Candles

Keep burning candles in sight. Extinguish candles when you leave the room or house. Do a double check before going to bed to ensure that you didn’t accidentally overlook one.

Burn candles only on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Make sure that they’re out of reach of pets and children, and on surfaces that won’t cause the candle to fall if bumped. Make sure that there are no adjacent drapes, decorations, or furniture that could easily catch on fire.

Lights

Use lights that have been tested. Use only lights that have been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). On lights for sale in stores, UL’s red holographic label indicates that it meets the strict safety requirements for indoor/outdoor use. UL’s green holographic label indicates that the product is approved for indoor use only.

Check each set of lights. Look at both new and old lights for broken bulbs, cracked sockets, loose connections, or frayed/bare/broken wires. Throw out damaged light strings, and don’t use electric lights on metallic trees.

Check outdoor lights for labels. Be sure that the lights you plan to use outdoors have labels citing approval for outdoor use. When in doubt, or no label exists, don’t use it outdoors. When creating your outdoor display, plug the lights into a ground-fault circut interrupter (GFCI)-protected outlet only!

Fireplaces

Use “fire salts” with extreme care. Fire salts are used to produce colored flames when using a wood-burning fireplace. These salts contain metals that can induce gastrointestinal irritation and subsequent vomiting if swallowed. Ensure that these substances stay out of reach of children and pets!

Don’t burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. Wrapping paper is highly flammable, and can cause a flash fire, igniting any flammable material around the fireplace or causing severe burns to those in close proximity.

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com