There are more and more energy-efficient products coming out, making these types of events that much more interesting.

As we have for the past three years, we will hold a random drawing and will be giving away an iPad. You can drop by our booth to enter the drawing or if you want to enter immediately, go to our Facebook page and hit the “Like” button at the top. All members of our page are automatically entered to win.

One year we gave an iPad away and even snuck up on the winner. Could you be next?

• What: 21st Annual Clark Public Utilities Home & Garden Idea Fair
• When: Friday, April 27, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, April 29:,10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Where: Clark County Event Center, located at 17402 NE Delfel Road in Ridgefield, Washington | Map
• How Much: Admission is Free, Parking is $6

For many of us, walking down our own street can provide a feast of holiday lights and decorations. You might even have that one neighbor whose seen-from-space display makes up for all the others. If you’re doing it yourself we already gave you our top 3 reasons to use LED Christmas lights. But if you’re in the mood for something less ambitious, you’ll be able to find it pretty close by.

Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.
- from Christmas Vacation

Of course, many options are available in Portland, Oregon. Our family has already visited Zoolights, one of my annual favorites. The displays of animal-themed lights at the Oregon Zoo are a delight. Just be sure to take a blanket or wear a long coat if you’re planning to ride the train – those metal seats are cold!

One of the many really cool lighted displays at Oregon Zoo's Zoolights.

Also in Portland, the Grotto’s Festival of Lights runs almost the entire month of December and features musical performances from local choral groups.

The lights on Peacock Lane, a neighborhood display that has been twinkling annually since the 1920s, will begin on December 15.

If you live in Vancouver, Washington and are looking for something a little closer to home, you’ll not be disappointed. On Thanksgiving weekend, Vancouver held their annual tree lighting ceremony in Esther Short Park. If you missed it, you can watch the video on YouTube. The twinkling lights in downtown are free for everyone’s enjoyment as you stroll through the park.

For the third year in a row, the Magical Lights on 63rd St. will be shining and raising money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. This more than 40,000 light display is computer controlled with musical accompaniment that gawkers can listen to from the comfort of their car radios. Check the website for dates, times, radio station, and details on how to make a donation.

It wouldn’t be Christmas in the Pacific Northwest without some lights on the river. The Christmas Ships Parades are comprised of a fleet of 50-60 ships decorated with whimsical holiday lights. The fleets are divided between the Columbia River and the Willamette River with nightly sailings between December 8 and December 20. At their website, you can find photo galleries from previous years’ parades, route locations, and how to make a donation.

Are we missing anywhere

I’m sure we don’t have all the locales and it would be great to have a list of those streets with ambitious neighbors who put on a show. Is there a secret light display in your neighborhood? If so, leave a comment below or on our Facebook page and tell us about it and we’ll add it to the list.

Good weather

According to the Weather Channel’s website, we’re due for at least another week of cold, dry weather in the Portland metropolitan area. That makes it the perfect time to get out and enjoy some of the sights and sounds of the season. So wrap up in your coat and scarf, grab a cup of cocoa, and head outside for some nighttime holiday fun.

Save energy: Just read the packages and you’ll see that LED lights use less energy than traditional holiday lights – about 90% less. When you multiply the number of strings of lights you use by the number of hours each day and the number of days, you see that the energy savings really add up.

The US Department of Energy estimates that if every household switched to using LED holiday lights, the country would save approximately $410 million in electricity costs. Want to figure out what cost savings goes along with your energy savings? Plug your info into this holiday light cost calculator.

Save time: Are your old strings of lights in a tangle, again? Grab that ball of old, energy-inefficient lights and trade them in for new LED lights. Some stores provide trade-in discounts (Home Depot is one) when you make the switch. Or you can recycle your old lights at the Holiday LEDs site,  and they’ll email you a coupon for $25 off your next purchase.

Look great: Now that LEDs are becoming the norm, they are available in more and more styles to meet the need of every holiday decorator. Whether you like colored or white, round or flame-style bulbs, regular strings or icicle style, you’ll be able to find the look you love in LEDs.

And while I’m a big fan of strings of LED holiday lights, I’m an even bigger fan of the new LED bulbs for inside the house. With our long, dark winter days here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re using more lights for more hours during the day and night. Switching just a few of your most-used bulbs to LEDs can save energy and money. We did a story on the cost savings of LED bulbs more than a year ago and I can assure you that prices have gone down. While the bulbs can be expensive, they last up to 25 times as long and use only a fraction of the energy as a regular light bulb. No matter how you look at it, LEDs are a bright idea.

The house was originally built in the 1920s, and the basement had been added about 40 years later. Back then, homes weren’t build as waterproof as they are today, so for the past 20-25 years water has seeped into the basement. The homeowner has taken care of the problem on the inside, but it didn’t stop the seepage from the exterior. So we’re going to address the problem from the outside to stop the water from penetrating the basement wall. By opening up the outside of the house and addressing the issue from the outside, we’ll make sure this leaky basement is taken care of the right way and that the homeowner will never see this problem again.

Examining the problems

The basement wall had been leaking for some time and was covered in mold and mildew.

Inside the basement, water intrusion along the entire concrete wall has left stains and a perfect environment for mold and mildew. You can see the water seepage especially in the corners where you see the cold joint, a joint that occurs as result of pouring a foundation at two separate times. This happened at this house when the basement was added years after the original house was built. Water proofing on the outside of the house will eliminate the water seepage at the cold joint.

When we inspected the outside of the house, we noticed that the window frame had rotted from constant exposure to water. The wood frame of the window abutted the concrete and had dry rot.

In this basement, the concrete has absorbed a lot of the water and much of it wicked up into the window frame causing dry rot. So we replaced the frame with pressure treated wood, replaced the window, and placed a block outside to keep the water from running down to the window.

Digging the hole

Outside, we dug a deep, narrow hole, about six or seven feet deep to access the wall. As with any project where you dig, it is important to call the utilities and have the area pipes marked. In our work zone, a gas pipe runs right through the area. We used machinery driven by professionals to dig the bulk of the hole and then dug out the area around the gas pipe by hand for maximum safety. Then we could begin addressing the water issue.

Keeping water out of the basement

A drain, drain rock, waterproof board, and a tar-like waterproofing sealant on the wall all contribute to making this one basement that should be leak free for years. See the video for how we got to this point.

The easiest way to resolve the issue of the wet basement is to keep the water away from the house in the first place. A downspout situated near the window and basement was feeding the problem. First we directed that water away from the house. Second, we installed a vapor barrier on the outside of the basement wall. In this case we used a tar-based material to keep the water from coming through. Next we added a drain board to deflect the water away from the wall. When water does hit it, the water will drain down where we want it to go.

Finally, we added drain rock, a drain pipe, and pump to remove the water from the house. Any water that comes down into the area will run down the wall and be pumped away from the house.

What you can expect to pay to fix a leaky basement

When you consider tackling a basement waterproofing project, expect to pay anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 for waterproofing, excavation, and materials. It may seem like a lot of money for a repair that you really won’t see on a day-to-day basis. However, the cost to not resolve an issue with a leaky basement could be much greater. If water keeps entering the basement, it will lead to foundation repair that will cost substantially more to repair. Breathing in the mold and mildew that has built up on the walls inside your home can lead to health consequences.

It is best to try to get leaky basement projects done in the dry season, but if necessary you can accomplish the waterproofing you need in the rainy season. With the cooperation of Mother Nature, the team at Fazzolari Custom Homes and Renovations was able to complete this project in about two and a half days. Check out the video for more details and start-to-finish photos.

2011 Portland Fall Home and Garden Show Details

Dates and Location:
Sept. 29-Oct.2, 2011
Portland Expo Center | Map
2060 N. Marine Drive
Portland, OR 97217

Show Hours:
Thursday: 11am – 8pm
Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 8pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

Admission: $10 for adults, with children under age 12 free.

$2 Discount Coupon

Download our $2 Coupon off the Portland Fall Home and Garden Show 2011 and get $2 off regular admission for Thursday and Friday.

And be sure to look for us!

The decision to build a home or do a remodel project in your home is a big one. There is a lot of expense involved, and a lot of time and effort on your part. Don’t let a bad paint job ruin the final product.

High priced construction is devalued by poor paint jobs. A kitchen and dining remodel, for instance, will cost tens of thousands of dollars. You will be selecting new cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, flooring and appliances, each of which has their own hefty price tag. Painting of the walls and trim will also need to be done, but the cost of this compared to some of the other items may seem small.

Unfortunately I see it all the time – people think painting is painting, and every paint job is the same. So what do they do? They choose the lowest price. Why not – it’s like buying gas, right? Wrong! Let’s face it, to do it right it takes time, and time costs money. The good news, if you pay to have it done right, you will not have to paint again for a long, long, time!

Interiors

A poor masking job on some nice crown molding isn't doing this homeowner any favors.

On interior painting work my experience is that prep work is the main driver of costs. Filling nail holes, sanding them, priming and doing this a second time is often critical to getting that finish look we demand. Unfortunately that low bidder is not usually prepared to do this. Make sure you know exactly what prep work is being done, and what the final finish to look like. Get it in writing.

As for sheen, on the interior I prefer flat on the ceilings and a velvet or eggshell on the wall. If you are doing a remodel and there are patches in the ceiling don’t consider anything but flat. Flat paint will hide irregularities in the surface, whereas the shinier the surface the more light that will be reflected … and consequently the more irregularities that will be visible. I have had people tell me how they can match the color sheen exactly or that their drywall person can make any ceiling repair match – but I have never actually met the person that can make this happen. Save yourself the trouble, flat paint for ceilings.

Exteriors

On the exterior the application is the main driver of cost. Prep work is important, but the primer and finish coat and how they are applied is the main difference that I see in cost. Are you getting one coat of paint or two? Is it only being sprayed on or is it being back brushed or rolled as well. We always apply two coats of paint and back brush the first. While it takes us about 30% longer to paint the home than the “spray and pray” applications, the paint job lasts at least two to three times as long as the typical spray application. And it looks better immediately.

Back brushing and rolling is especially critical when applying paint to real wood with knots or rough surfaces. Spraying alone just doesn’t work. It does not fill the voids in the surface that brushing and rolling will. And doing this right ultimately leads to a longer life span of the paint job and the home it is protecting. Also, what type of paint is being used and what is the paint guarantee. Get it all in writing!

The sheen for exterior should be satin or velvet for the body, because it adds a nice glow and semi-gloss for the trim to provide some contrast.

Additions

One of the true tests of a successful addition to a home is that it looks like it is part of the original structure. Everything inside and out should flow seamlessly from the old into the new. If the exterior painting is not done right, the addition will stand out like a sore thumb to anyone driving by. In some cases a professional painter will be able to match the existing paint to maintain the continuity. But what I find most often true is that if it has been there a few years it will be necessary to repaint the entire house in order to avoid a mismatch in color tone.

Color Selection

For both the interior and the exterior painting of a remodel, color selection is going to be very important. It is very common to choose new color schemes when doing a remodel. Color trends change with time and most homeowners want to update their paint colors along with the other finishes. Painting stores usually have displays and sample boards with some of the latest color combinations. Trust a paint professionals or decorator to give you guidance in this area or read our story on how to choose a home paint color you will love.

There are plenty of ways to save money on your construction project, but cutting corners in the wrong place such as the painting can end up costing you more if it has to re-done.

If you’d like some help with painting or color selections for your interior remodel, let let us know at Fazzolari Custom Homes. Or, if you are painting the exterior of your home, consult the painting professionals at our new company, Salmon Creek Painting, in Vancover WA, and we’ll be happy to make an appointment to assist you. We offer a five year warranty on all our exterior painting, but that is easy to do with the correct application.

Drive Around and Ask About Paint Colors

We picked the color of our house by driving around until we found something we liked.

Avoid poor color selections by getting professional advice or by my favorite method, finding a home that you like the colors on and knocking on the door. Most people are happy to share their color with you. It just confirms their selection – and who doesn’t like to know that others like their home.

When Shae and I were building a colonial style home in Vancouver, WA, we drove around the Grant High and Washington Park areas of Portland, OR. Not only was it fun looking at all the old classic homes, but we also found a lot of color options that we really liked. And yes we found our paint color as well – but I did it the hard way since no one was home…I stood on the front porch and took out my paint color fan deck and went through it as fast as I could to match the color. Luckily I escaped, color in hand, before the police arrived!

Double-check the Paint Color

Now – I will warn you. Don’t assume when someone tells you the color of their home that they are correct. Especially if they are a builder(me) or painter that has painted hundreds of homes! All those homes and all those colors get confusing after a while. I once had someone knock on our door and ask me the color of our house. I gave them the color name and they walked away happy to have the color they looked so hard to find. But as I basked in the glory and pride of knowing that at least one person liked the color I had selected, I realized I had given them the interior paint color of the home and not the exterior color. They were of course gone before I realized this. Let’s just hope they checked the color before they bought their paint. I can only imagine what they think of me now! Okay – I digress. But be sure to check that color before you buy it.

Test the Color

A few years back we were building a home for a client that was in Japan while the house was being built. They had picked a nice light blue color that they thought looked great on the color chip. I called in the order and my guys picked up the product. I then left to review other jobs for the day – only to come back six hours later to find the nicest “Smurf Blue” colored house we had ever painted. A couple of international phone calls and e-mails later and everyone agreed – the color had to change. So I started thinking – wait – we painted a home a few years back in a beautiful light blue. Off I went to a past clients home, took a few pictures and e-mailed them, and within one hour we had our new color – and a full size home to confirm it.

But be careful again – get the color wrong and you will hear about it. The following morning before we applied the new blue we had already received two notes complaining about the color and how we would cause all the home values in the area to fall. Come to think of it, it was 2007. Maybe we started the housing crisis with that “Smurf Blue”!

All of this could have been avoided if we tested the color on a wall of the home first. Lesson learned!

Sheen: Matt, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-gloss, or Gloss?

My advice regarding the sheen – on the outside of your home never use a flat finish! It will look dull. I prefer a satin or velvet on the body of the exterior and a semi-gloss on the trim.

Oil or Latex?

You should also consider a professionals advice on whether to use an oil or latex paint, since some of this will depend on what was used originally. Cut out a piece of the existing paint and bring it to the paint store. And if you are not sure, buy a quart of the new product and test how well it adheres to the existing paint.

If you are painting the exterior of your home, consult Fazzolari Custom Homes and Renovations or the painting professionals at our new company, Salmon Creek Painting, in Vancover WA, and we’ll be happy to make an appointment to assist you. We offer a five year warranty on all our exterior painting, which is easy to do with the correct application.

Cement fiber is a durable albeit expensive option.

There are usually four main criteria that drive the siding selection process for homeowners: appearance, cost, maintenance and durability. So let’s take a quick side-by-side look at these criteria:

Vinyl

If cost is your primary consideration, then vinyl siding is definitely your best option. Not only is it inexpensive for the initial installation, there is no ongoing maintenance to pay for. Down sides? Though the appearance can look similar to other lap siding options from a distance, with a closeup look it will be obvious that the product is not true wood siding.

Vinyl siding is manufactured by many different companies and even one manufacturer can sell a variety of different grades. The authenticity of the look and the colorfastness of the siding will vary between manufacturers and grades of quality.

The other concern you might have with vinyl siding is the ability to match your siding in the event that you choose to do an addition to your home or need to repair an area that has been damaged.

Cedar Lap

Cedar lap siding has been a longtime favorite in the Portland-Vancouver area. Stone and brick accents combined with cedar siding make the perfect rustic exterior when set against the beautiful backdrops provided by the scenery of the Pacific Northwest.

Of the three options listed, it does require the most ongoing maintenance. Stain needs to reapplied every 3 to 6 years to keep it protected from the weather elements that it is exposed to in our area. Homeowners who chose this option generally have appearance as their number one priority.

Fiber Cement

One of the aspects of this choice that isn’t listed in the chart above is its high sustainability rating. Being made from a high percentage of recycled material and having a very long life has earned a higher thumbs up from environmental certifiers.

The product can be purchased primed and ready to paint, or completely prefinished. The fact that it is primed on all sides creates a strong seal against the high moisture content that we find in the air year-round in the Pacific Northwest.

The Final Decision

When deciding between these three siding options, determining your priorities will be your first step. If appearance is top priority, then cedar or fiber content may be your choice. These two will also increase the value of your home more than the vinyl. If low maintenance is your greatest priority, then vinyl or prefinished fiber cement will be your best options. All three will adequately protect your home when installed properly by professionals.

As always, if you are looking into residing your current home or are looking to build a custom home, we invite you to contact Fazzolari Custom Homes and Renovations for a free consultation.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still some beautiful and unique granite finishes, but since it has become a more common feature in homes, homeowners who want to make a more unique statement are looking at and choosing other options. Quartz has risen quickly in popularity the last few years. So let’s compare granite, quartz and concrete countertops. (We took a look at how soapstone countertops compare to quartz and granite last year.)

Granite

The natural variations in the colors and design of granite make it a very attractive choice that always demonstrates individuality. No two pieces of granite are alike. Since granite is a natural stone product, it’s porous, which means it needs to be maintained regularly . It is recommended that granite be sealed on a regular schedule to keep it protected. However, many people quickly forget those recommendations. I have it in my home and have not maintained it according to the “recommended rules”. In spite of the ‘abuse’, my granite still looks great and has stood up to the wear and tear of normal family living.

Quartz
Quartz countertops, on the other hand, are created from natural quartz crystals that are glued using a resin and then formed into appropriate shapes and slabs. Although quartz does not have the amount heat resistance that granite does, it is extremely durable and easy to maintain. Designers also like the fact that you can choose a color for your quartz countertop and know what you are getting, which is not the case with granite.

Concrete

Not all concrete has to be gray. This concrete is embedded with recycled glass.

If ‘original’ and ‘unique’ are two of your favorite words, then a concrete countertop might be your choice for a kitchen, bath or bar area. It can be created in standard sizes, shapes and colors, but its ability to be shaped into any form, colored to most any color and decorated with textured edges and embedded objects makes it a favorite with contemporary designers.

Concrete countertop finishes can range from earthy to sleek and modern, and anything in between. Understated matt earth tones blend in perfectly in a rustic Northwest mountain home, while a high-gloss contemporary design fits perfect in an upscale Portland condo. Both are equally achievable with concrete countertops.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the three different countertop materials.

* Remember, this is just my opinion.

Making the choice.
Any one of these three options can be a great choice for a countertop. The price ranges are similar, and they each have their own positive and negative properties. Granite and concrete countertops will require more maintenance than the quartz, but all three are extremely durable. Concrete will always be the clear winner in versatility of shape and design, but the natural beauty of granite has stood the test of time, and will certainly remain a favorite for years to come.

If you live in the Portland or Vancouver, WA areas and you’d like to try out a concrete countertop in your next kitchen renovation, contact us for a free consultation.

Stucco is a great look for some homes but take some precautions and use the right materials when you paint it.

We’ve combined our experience with that of Tony Domine, a coatings consultant at Miller Paint, to give you some tips that can keep you out of trouble when you’re painting brick or stucco.

1. Clean - Any dirt or loose debris should be brushed from the surface. Use a wire brush on any areas of loose masonry to make sure the surface is free from loose masonry debris. Also, we recommend you clean the area with Krud Kutter, which not only removes stubborn stains and grime, but it contains an anti-microbial agent that will help keep mildew from bubbling up the the surface.
2. Dry - With the rainy weather we experience in the Pacific Northwest, this cannot be stressed enough. Bricks and stucco are masonry materials, which means that they are porous. They do not totally shed the water off their surfaces. Check the moisture level of the brick or stucco with a moisture meter. It should be less than 12%.
3. Patch and fill - Cracks, voids and holes need to be filled prior to painting. Don’t expect a layer or two of paint to fill these areas and keep moisture out. If the holes or cracks are smaller that 1/16 of an inch then caulk. If they are larger you should use some like Rapid Coat All Purpose Joint Compound. On brick, feel free to redo mortar if needed.
4. Priming - You might be tempted by products that claim to both prime and paint at the same time. Don’t do it! These products are garbage and will wear off quickly. Instead, get a good primer sealer, like Miller Paint’s Kril, that is 100% acrylic. Make sure it’s flat.
5. Painting - First, don’t use oil based paint for painting over masonry surfaces such as stucco and brick. You will want to use a very high-quality flat 100% acrylic paint. We recommend Miller’s Acri-Lite or Kril products. If you’ve got an especially difficult surface with a lot of stress fractures and cracks, such as those on older homes, you can use specialty paints, called elastomeric paints, that can expand and contract as much as 300%. However, you will also pay a premium price for both the product and the installation, since the paint is generally too thick to spray through the average, professional grade paint sprayer.
6. Application - Spray on the paint and primer then back brush it to achieving the most even coating of paint on these surfaces. Back-brushing pushes the paint and primer into the surface (small holes, mortar joints, etc.) and gives an even finish.

If you like to talk to someone about painting over the stucco or brick on your home, we have established a new painting company in Vancouver WA called Salmon Creek Painting. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and provide you with a free estimate if you don’t want to do it yourself.