Understanding your attic space options and limitations is essential to maximizing its living space. The most important factor in designing attic space is determining the exact dimensions of the existing interior space and being able to calculate the finish dimensions after floor buildup and ceiling build down. As you look at your attic space and dream of its potential, there are a few things to consider:

Ø Windows. Skylights can bring in much needed light without the expense of dormers, or pop-out windows.

Ø Exit. Incorporating egress, or an emergency exit, is highly recommended for the space, even if you don’t plan to use the attic as a bedroom. Any time spent in the attic space without egress is “borrowed time.”

Ø Rafters. Spending the time and money to even out the surface of the interior rafters is a must. Roofs are built to be even on the top of the rafters, not bottom. Hips and valleys make the bottom side very uneven. Increasing the rafter depth or building down the rafters decreases headroom and floor space, but it ensures a clean ceiling line and all the odd angles in an attic space. It’s expensive but necessary. If not done, it can result in improper attic ventilation and insulation, drywall and tape problems, and a very poor finished look.

Ø HVAC. HVAC systems must be extended or, better yet, zoned for an attic space. They will be much warmer in the summer and winter than any thermostatically controlled floor below it.

Ø Stairs. The space taken away from the floor below the attic to build a proper staircase to the attic must be considered.  If an area above the home’s existing staircase can be utilized, that is the least invasive and may remove only a closet from that floor. In some instances, however, it means an entire bedroom is taken away.

Ø Walls. From a design perspective, knowing where to stop the slope of the roof and come down with walls is quite the challenge. Closets are a good point to make this transition. But with the continuing slope of the roof, it’s important to know just how “low you can go.”  Traffic patterns and furniture placement is extremely important otherwise those valleys can be head bumpers.

Ø Floor Support. Support for the attic floor must be calculated correctly for the live-load requirement. Most ceiling joists are 2 x 6, but they are only carrying the plaster or drywall finish. Once an area becomes living space, the load calculations change completely. If the load is not supported, the ceilings below the attic will show wear and tear. Plaster will crack, and drywall will start with nail pops and eventually tape joints will crack.

Ø Collar Ties. Collar ties, or the wood that horizontally connects opposite roof rafters, are another challenge. They are typically set at two-thirds the distance from the ceiling to stiffen the roof structure. They may not be located at ceiling height, and it’s assumed they could be moved up. This two-thirds distance is the maximum height a collar tie can be placed. Above that height, the roof structure is marginalized. The only proper way around this dilemma is a heavier ridge beam to support the roof load or engineered midpoint walls that will take the place of the collar tie.

Without careful planning, both contractor and homeowner can be caught off-guard and unhappy with the results.

Tom Attic Remodeling, remodeling remodeling in st. louis

Last week, my son Bill and I attended a one day course called “Business Management for Building Professionals” at the St. Louis Home Builders Association.  It is a required course for all those seeking to become Certified Green Professionals.  Being a Certified Graduate Remodelor exempted me from having to take the course but Bill needed it for his Green designation.  I took it for the continuing education credits and because I thought I just might learn something.  The Certified Green Professional course followed the next two consecutive days.  I’m proud to say that Bill is the second CGP at Riggs Construction & Design.

There were about 25 people in attendance and only 4 considered themselves remodeling contractors.  Others were home builders, educators, real estate associates and a group from Laclede Gas.  About half were from out of town because St. Louis was as close as they could find the course.  When I took the CGP course a couple of years ago, there were about 75 people in the class and only two were from St. Louis!  Some traveled as far as Montana and Washington State to take the course.

Needless to say, I was very surprised not to see more remodeling contractors attending this course!  Green construction is not a trend or the “hot” topic that will fade with time.  It is here to stay and long overdue.  It seems that our area builders and remodelers are way behind the curve when it comes to understanding how important green building has become.  Our consumer is certainly aware of its importance because we get asked all the time about how they can incorporate green into their projects.  Although the courses are expensive and times are tough, it seems to me that becoming a CPG is an investment in the future of any construction company.

Tom Green Remodeling, remodeling Green Remodeling, remodeling in st. louis

Water pressure in some parts of Kirkwood and other older towns can be very frustrating for those trying to bathe, water their lawn or even wash their car!  In fact, some dishwashers and washing machines will not function properly due to low water pressure.  This can be a combination of many things other than just the older water mains that can’t stand any more pressure without bursting.  St. Louis water is considered “hard” water with more minerals in it than “softer” water often found in the southern states.  Those minerals build up over time throughout the pipes in your home including the main line coming into the house and the water meter itself.  Typically called calcium deposits, it’s much like the clogged arteries of someone with plaque buildup due to too much cholesterol in their system.  Those deposits eventually constrict a typically sized one-half inch water line to as small as one-eighth of an inch.  This can affect your entire plumbing system starting at the tap into the Water Department’s main line and running all the way to the faucets and hose bibs in your home.
 
Another cause for low pressure is the elevation of your home compared to the water tower connected to your main.  I live on Way Avenue in Kirkwood which is one of the highest elevations in the area.  Combined with the high elevation, very old water mains and very old homes with galvanized pipes full of deposits, when some of my neighbors try and water their lawn, they have to move it six times to cover an 80’x 50’ front lawn!  Unfortunately, I’ve replaced all the galvanized pipes (including those pipes in the walls, not just the basement) with new ½-inch copper, increased my water main to 1 ¼-inch and replaced the meter, and it hasn’t helped my pressure much at all.  It makes me wonder if our local fire department has enough pressure to effectively fight a house fire on my street and others like it.

Prior to replacing all my pipes, I installed a well pump and pressure tank that greatly improved the water pressure in my home.  It worked great for showers and short bursts of water pressure.  In fact my neighbors said they could tell when I was running water because their pressure would drop due to the well pump sucking the water from the main line in the street!  The system was rather noisy and with the 40 gallon pressure tank, it wasn’t long before our pressure would drop off to a greatly reduced level.  While trying to water the lawn, the pump would run in vain trying to catch up with the pressure gauge in the tank.  Although the first few minutes of watering was very impressive, with the sprinkler arching from one end of the lawn to the other, it wasn’t long before the sprinkler would barely work back and forth due to the low pressure even with the pump working its hardest to draw water from the main and filling up the pressure tank.

There is one thing that I do at least twice yearly and more if needed.  Most of the faucets in your home have an aerator that can be unscrewed right at the spout either with your hand or with a pair of pliers while protecting the finish of your faucet with a rag.  Once you’ve taken the aerator off be careful to see how the interior parts are aligned so you can put them back in the same order.  Some of those little parts will be clogged with the mineral deposits and can severely restrict water flow.  Rinse them off (being careful not to drop them into the sink), put the aerator back together and screw it back on to the faucet.  For the shower heads and faucets without easily accessed aerators, you can remove the entire head and soak it in Lime Away or CLR (Calcium, Lime and Rust) being careful to follow the instructions so as not to damage the finish.  You might be amazed at how much better your water pressure will be at those points.

Tom Life In General, remodeling

My two oldest children are co-owners of Riggs Construction & Design.  Amie and Bill just came back from our bi-annual meeting of the Remodelers Advantage networking group.  There are about 200 companies broken up into10 or 12 members in each group.  Riggs has been a member since 1996 and now, instead of me attending the meetings, Bill and Amie go.  It’s always a great learning experience for them as it has been for me.  Each group has members from all over the country (none from the same city) so there is a diverse and experienced brain trust willing to reveal all and help all to become better business owners and better, happier people as well.  One of the great advantages is that my children hear from the best and brightest remodeling contractors in the country that the Riggs Construction & Design business model and culture is the right way to do things.

When they first started attending the meetings with me, both Amie and Bill were considered the “kids.”  Although they were treated with respect, they weren’t allowed to come without me.  Now, after attending for 5 or 6 years they are both considered peers and equals.  Their advice and opinion are valued and they can hold their own when discussing any area of the business whether it is marketing, financials, production, leadership or sales.

Now the group has asked me to stay away and give Bill and Amie the chance to grow without their father “getting in the way”!  What a compliment to both of them.  Who would have thought that they would grow into such competent business owners so quickly?  My original motive was for them to hear from other remodeling company owners the same stuff I was telling them. Advice is never as powerful coming from a parent as it is coming from someone considered an “expert” in their field even if the parent is considered an expert by those experts.  Now the “kids” are the ones being listened to.  Go figure!

Tom Life In General, remodeling

It’s been a long, tough year for the construction industry.  Well, come to think of it, it’s been a long, tough year for every industry and every household!  All the pundits say it will be another year before the economy stabilizes and most say it will take a long time to bring our 401Ks and investments back to where they were.  It’s depressing isn’t it?  Well believe it or not, there is some good news out there.

That good news is there are some signs of improvement.  In a completely unscientific study I’ve been collecting some data to prove that St. Louis is beginning to make the turn toward a healthier attitude about spending.  I’ll start with my wife’s observations and actions.  Sally used to be a real estate broker so she always notices the “for sale” signs in people’s front yards.  She also notices when they are sold and she stated just the other day that a number of homes that were sitting on the market forever have been sold recently.  Also, the amount of time between a house going on the market and being sold has reduced considerably in the last few months.

My wife is also a shopper and I say that with the utmost pride.  She can find a sale like my dog can find a bone.  Sally prides herself in buying $200.00 worth of stuff for $25.00 and she does it all the time!  But over the last year her joy of shopping had dwindled to practically zero and it was depressing to see her come home with nothing to show for her hard work.  Oh, the deals were out there but she just couldn’t bring herself to spend any money because “things” were so tight.

I’m happy to report that she is bringing home some great deals recently!  Her joy for shopping is starting to come back and our household is again well clothed and well fed!

That’s proof positive that things are looking up…

Tom Life In General, remodeling

Many people don’t want to be in an historic district or even have their home become a historic structure because they fear having restrictions levied on what they can and cannot do to their own property.  To live in a home that was built over fifty years ago or has a connection with someone of historical importance (George Washington slept here), or was designed by a famous architect, or is significant to a period of time, starts the qualifyication process for a home of historical significance.  It is acceptable that the structure has changed or been updated as long as the architectural integrity is in tact and any changes (not too many) can be distinguished from its original design.

The importance is in what type of historical registry your home is in.  If it’s a local historic registry, your community most likely has an appointed commission that is a group of citizens with some expertise in these types of homes.  Their job is to review any alterations to the outside of the home that can be seen from the streetscape.  The goal is simply to make sure those changes conform in scope, size and scale to the integrity of the home.  They are there more as an advisory committee to help guide the homeowner in keeping with the architectural significance of their property.

Having been a Landmarks Commissioner in Kirkwood for the past four years I would say that 90% of the time, those who come before us for review are glad they did.  With two architects, a remodelor, a realtor, two homeowners who live in registered homes and professional in historical registration, the advice we can generate has been very helpful.  The 10% who weren’t so pleased either were unhappy with the additional time it took to get a permit to build something or wanted to do something to their home that would have detracted or erased its historical value.  If an individual is truly unhappy, they can always bring up their argument with the City Council, so there is an appeals process that works.

A National Historic Registry is a completely different set of circumstances.  The same basic qualifiers apply although there is a much more intense review of the structure and the application process is long and arduous.  Once approved, you can invest money in restoring your home and receive some very significant tax credits based on your investment.  The trick is that all the work you have done must meet the federal guidelines for historical restoration and that takes some research and application effort.  You have to maintain both the exterior and interior architecture and although updating is encouraged it has to fit within those guidelines.  It’s not easy, but well worth the effort both in the pride you’ll have in you home and the money you can save through those tax credits.

To learn more go to: http://dnr.mo.gov/shpoTaxCrdts.htm
That’s the official site of the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office which is authorized to carry out the responsibilities of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Tom Historic Renovation, remodeling historic homes, historic renovations, kirkwood remodeling

It’s old news now, but in 2007-08 the firestorm over infill housing was at its peak and had the city of Kirkwood divided on how to handle its citizens’ concerns.  Those who didn’t want any new development in Kirkwood were in favor of ordinances so strict, no one could build anything.  Those against it wanted to “leave well enough alone”.  The City Council appointed Council Member Tim Griffin as the liaison between the most ardent supporters of a new ordinance and the builders and developers.

I am a lifetime citizen of Kirkwood and a remodeling contractor - so Riggs Construction & Design understood both sides clearly.  I’ve been (and remain today) a member of the Landmarks Commission, and always show my love of the historic homes in Kirkwood through my business and personal deeds.  So I gained the trust of  supporters.  Riggs’ Construction’s 50 year history of remodeling here gained me the trust and understanding of the construction community working in the city.  So, put that whole picture together, and I became the chosen candidate to assist Mr. Griffin in mediating the debates between the two sides.

Three meetings were held in Riggs Construction’s conference room where those for and those against, had the opportunity to voice their opinion and work toward a compromise.  During those meetings, Mr. Griffin and I were able to find some common ground between both sides and an outline of the new ordinance was created and presented to the City Council.  The recommendations made by Tim Griffin to the City Council were accepted as read and the new ordinances were made law.

Since then, the economy has tanked and new home construction has reached all time lows in production and sales.  Yet, if you drive around Kirkwood, you can still see new homes popping up and remodeling projects are present all over town.  Filling out floor area ratio and total lot coverage forms took a little head scratching and it was a little tough at first figuring out just how big a house or how much addition you could build.  Some citizens have been confused and disappointed that they couldn’t build what they wanted because of the new ordinances.  But surprisingly, there has been very little outcry from them or the developers that fought so hard to keep the status quo.  The infill housing currently being built does fit better into the neighborhoods and the “McMansions” that were overwhelming the lot and the houses around them are no longer an issue.  Is everyone happy?  Probably not; but it seems the citizens and developers are both accepting of the new regulations and by in large, they have not created any undue hardship for either side.

Tom Historic Renovation, Life In General, remodeling Historic Renovation, kirkwood remodeling

Having a remodeling company that has been based in Kirkwood for 50 years, we have participated in many historic renovations.  We have also done dozens of projects in other communities such as Webster Groves, University City, Soulard and downtown St. Louis.  In fact, Riggs Construction & Design won a Chrysalis Award for the best historic renovation in the nation on a home on South 9th Street in the City of St. Louis.

There is a secret to historic renovation that I learned by serving on the Landmarks Commission in Kirkwood.  First, you are restoring the home, not remaking it.  And second, any additions to the home must be built in such a way that the original structure is still recognizable.

During an historic renovation, demolition of existing moldings, architectural details and other parts and pieces must be carefully monitored and documented.  Digital photography has helped tremendously in this endeavor. From a green perspective, it is best to reuse those pieces if possible.  If they are water or termite damaged - or just plain worn out - a little footwork to the local antique shops or recycled building material shops is the next best solution.  If you can’t find what you are looking for at these places or the internet, there are many millwork shops that specialize in wood moldings and the better ones will already have the special knives it takes to make them.  There are specialty shops that can make anything you may need and in certain instances, you will find that some of the more common items will be in stock or readily available.

Restoring a home to its original architectural glory is a labor intensive project and is not suited for many remodeling companies.  It is not just the materials that need to be duplicated but the care and respect that was originally put into the home by the old world craftsmen as well.  Pride in workmanship and genuine respect for the work of years past really do show up in the final product.

It is true that we build a much better home than 100 years ago because of the structural and mechanical engineering that has improved dramatically.  The products are better, more energy efficient and do more for the homeowner than ever before.  We have improved indoor air quality and are finally beginning to lower our carbon footprint.  But in same respect, the care and quality of the building trades has lessened due to the pressure of labor costs and speed of production.  Patience is a lost virtue in the construction industry and it’s driven by the consumer wanting it sooner rather than later.

In restoring an historic home, we as Remodelers have to produce a product and be competitive in doing so.  But we must also find it within ourselves to be the patient, confident, old world craftsman that did things the right way, knowing that it may take a little longer, but it will last a lot longer.

Tom Historic Renovation, remodeling Historic Renovation, kirkwood, remodeling, st. louis, university city, webster groves

My next door neighbors tore down their home on December 31, 2005 with the intention of building a new one starting spring of 2006.  It’s now April 2009 and they’re still not in!  The hole from the old house was there until March of ’07 and construction has been going on ever since.  Not a good way to make friends and influence people.  In fact, our neighbor across the street may never talk to them again.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a remodeling project or a new home, proper planning is the first step toward making sure your job goes smoothly and quickly and that will make your neighbors happy.

Here are some more tips I can give you to keep them happy during your project.
•    Let them know what you are up to before the trucks pull up!
•    Share the time line with them so they have an idea what to expect and when.
•    Make sure they have the contact information of your contractor so in the event there is a problem, they can call and get it resolved quickly.  It may not necessarily be the phone number on his sign, but the cell phone number of your project manager.
•    Keep your project site clean and orderly!  There is nothing worse than having your neighbors picking up wind blown trash from your construction site or driving by each morning and evening to a messy, disorganized site.
•    Have your contractor make sure every trade parks on the same side of the street.  Trying to squeeze your car in between two pickups with side mount mirrors can be a real aggravation.
•    Never have deliveries made prior to 7:00 AM.  The sound of the backup alarm on a delivery truck is not very pleasant at 6:00 in the morning.
•    Make sure your contractor follows all OSHA safety rules so that when you invite your neighbors over to get a sneak preview during construction, no one gets hurt.  (You will invite them over, won’t you?  Everyone is curious!)
•    Make sure the Port-a-potty get cleaned weekly.

Of course, if you hire the right contractor, he/she will make sure all of these systems and etiquette rules are in place; so you don’t have to…

Tom Life In General, remodeling

Green building practices are not completely new.  Many of the techniques to acquire a LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) certification for your home have been plain old “good building practices” since long before LEED came along.

When I was a kid working for my father, one of my jobs was to grout between the foundation and the 2 X 4 plate that the entire house rested on.  It served two purposes; one was to prevent cold air and bugs from getting into the basement and the other was to help transfer weight evenly from the plate to the foundation.  I remember my dad making me do one house over again because I just shoved a little grout between the two and didn’t try and fill it in properly.  He explained (not very nicely as I recall) that there was a purpose to my job and if I didn’t do it right, the house wouldn’t be built according to his “good building practices”.

Then someone came up with the idea that a ¾” strip of fiberglass insulation between the foundation and plate would keep the cold air out.  Now, it is a 1/8” piece of foam!  LEED is bringing back many of those building practices that have been lost and adding many new ones.  That’s a good thing

Tom Green Remodeling, remodeling