Remodeling and Child Safety

Keeping children out of harm’s way during a home remodel is challenging. By nature, children are inquisitive and prone to poking around in new environments. During renovations, this can be very dangerous.

Speak with your contractor if you have children who will be in the home during the remodel. Request that extra safety precautions are put into place, and make sure that your contractor is comfortable working in a home with children. Ask him or her if they have experience remodeling homes where child safety and kid friendliness are requirements.

If you’re doing a kitchen or bath remodel – updating a room that the children use frequently – be diligent about setting up an alternate space where the family can function. If your child is accustomed to retrieving his or her own juice from the kitchen fridge, set up a mini fridge instead and show your child the difference. If you’ll be using a guest bathroom while the main is remodeled, be sure to transfer all your child’s toys and bath time accessories. A little bit of diligence and pre-planning goes a long way toward keeping children safe during remodeling.

Think about air and waste when renovating. This is [Read more...]

Home Gyms: Things to Consider

After the holidays, many people make a New Year’s resolution to get in shape, resume a healthy diet and shed those seasonal pounds. But is a gym membership in your budget? Or, do you already have an exercise room in your home that you’re hoping to reinvigorate and return to good use? Either way, home gyms can be a great way to save money while staying healthy.

Sticking to a workout plan can be challenging, so give yourself a leg up by providing yourself with a space that’s enjoyable to exercise in, efficient and well modeled.

Flooring

When choosing flooring for a room, you should always think about the type and amount of traffic it will endure. In gyms, foot traffic is heavy and harsh – lots of pounding, jumping and running around. In home exercise rooms, you’ll also want supportive and easy-to-clean flooring. Consider rubber or interlocking foam tiles.

Ventilation

Gyms can be smelly places. When you exercise, sweat and [Read more...]

Dining Room Design Ideas

Many modern homes don’t feature a traditional dining room. It’s common to have integrated kitchens and eating spaces, breakfast nooks and bar stools at the counter. Regardless of what area you designate as your home’s “dining room,” here are some decorating and design ideas for thought.

Think about lighting

Eating spaces in the home need appropriate lighting – you need to be able to see what you’re consuming. Consider using a dimmer switch in case you want to achieve romantic lighting or a certain level of ambience in the future. And, be sure to pick fixtures that are easy to clean. Having a cobweb-filled, dusty light fixture hanging directly above your plate is unappealing.

Create flow and consider function

For holidays, big meals and other large gatherings, you will be shuffling back and forth between the eating area and the kitchen – frequently with dishes in hand. Make sure that the flow between the two rooms is comfortable and spacious. It sounds simple, but be sure the space can adequately accommodate the table and chairs. You don’t want dinner guests to fill squeezed against a wall or confined by being so near the person next to them. [Read more...]

This Fall, Keep Your Outdoor Living Areas Warm

outdoor living space fireplaceIn Atlanta, we have the luxury of a largely temperate climate. We can use our porches, decks and patios nearly all year long. But as cool weather approaches, many people may be thinking about retiring their outdoor living spaces for the coming seasons, wishing instead to remain cozy and warm indoors.

Well, what if you could have both? The crisp, outdoor air of fall combined with radiant, manufactured heat to keep you warm. You can. There are several outdoor heating options that not only serve to keep you and your guests toasty while enjoying your outdoor living areas, but also add style and design to your space.
The Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association encourages you to extend the season by taking advantage of any number of the outdoor heating appliances available to homeowners today.

Outdoor fireplaces and stoves

Outdoor fireplaces are both functional and beautiful. An experienced Atlanta contractor can install and customize an outdoor fireplace that meshes with the design of your yard and patio. Surround a fireplace with built-in seating, and you’ll create a warm and relaxing area where everyone will want to commune during the chilly days and nights.

Like fireplaces, outdoor stoves – typically built within [Read more...]

Top 5 Fall Remodeling Projects

atlanta fall remodeling projects

When planning remodeling projects, it’s always a good idea to consider the season. Adding a deck in spring means you can enjoy your outdoor living spaces during the warmer months, while replacing the roof in the winter protects your home from colder, more inclement weather.

Fall is no different. There are several remodeling projects ideal for this season – some small and less expensive, others large and likely to alter your entire space.

Top 5 Fall Remodeling Projects

  1. Think about remodeling projects that will help keep your house warm as fall and winter arrive. On a grand scale, you may want to replace those old, drafty windows or install heated floors in the bathrooms. On a smaller, more budget-friendly scale, you may think about having new installation put in the attic or installing fresh weather stripping around your doors.
  2. Improve the spaces you’ll use most. If you plan on taking long, hot baths this fall, consider revamping your bathroom. Go big and have an oversized tub built in, or scale back on your fall remodeling with fresh light fixtures and new, clean, energy-efficient faucets.
  3. Don’t think that cooler weather means you can’t use your outdoor spaces. Call a [Read more...]

Sandy Springs Commercial Builder

I first used Glazer Design & Construction to help expand my medical office back in 2000. Since then, Randy and his crew have built from scratch 3 other medical offices that I have opened in the Metro Atlanta area. Randy is trustworthy, honest, and does what he says he is going to do. Because the process of remodeling or building is so stressful, there is nothing better than to know that your money and sanity are going to be ok from beginning to end. Randy makes you feel comfortable and always does a fantastic job. The best testimonial that I can give, is whenever I need construction services, I don’t even get other quotes from other contractors. I ONLY use Glazer Design & Construction because I know the job will be done right with little to no stress. I have recommended his services to over 15 of my friends and not one person has complained about his professionalism and craftsmanship.

Dr. Howard Golden, Sandy Springs

Virginia Highlands Home Addition

We cannot say enough good things about our working relationship with Glazer Design & Construction. Putting a second story addition on our home as well as renovating our kitchen and bathrooms was an extremely huge project, but Glazer Design & Construction made it a satisfying experience. They demonstrated excellent customer service including doing exactly what they said they would do. The follow up, the weekly status meetings, the care, the concern, and the time they took to listen to what we wanted was beyond anything that we had ever experienced from a construction company before. They kept us informed of the progress and considered our busy schedules and worked around them. We are thrilled with our new home and even gained a new friend from the experience.

Kevin Cronin & Steve Smith, Virginia Highlands

Midtown Atlanta Home Remodel

Before selecting a contractor to remodel 75% of my home, I read books, talked with other homeowners and interviewed 6 potential contractors. I’m so glad that I hired Randy to do the work. He was very professional, fair, knowledgeable, accessible, and accountable-as well as fun to work with. Being an artist, I wanted to be very involved in the process and use a few creative an unusual solutions. Randy was so accommodating and helpful with the custom work. Most contractors want things done only one way so that they don’t have any surprises. Randy knows how to handle surprises, knowing construction always has surprises. Glazer Design and Construction comes highly recommended from this homeowner living in his dream house!

Martin Dawe, Midtown

Buckhead Commercial Renovation

I have used Glazer Design and Construction for both my entire office build out in Buckhead as well as 2 renovations to my home. I was extremely impressed by Randy’s professionalism, attention to detail, creativity, and follow up skills. Randy showed up to meetings on time and completed both projects earlier than expected. Randy is trustworthy, honest, and upfront about all expectations. I always recommend Glazer Design & Construction to anyone who is ever thinking about building or remodeling because I know they will do an impressive job.

Todd France, Buckhead

Is Atlanta Home Remodeling on the Rise?

Do improving real estate markets and increases in home remodeling go hand in hand? A recent article by Carla Hill, writer and editor for Realty Times, suggests so. Hill suggests that the stall in spending during recent economic downturns led to less lending, and less lending led to fewer home improvements.

Hill says that the home remodeling business is at its highest point in four years, according to the National Association of Home Builders. David Crowe, NAHB Chief Economist, says, “Home remodeling continues to slowly increase and continued growth through the year is expected…The fact that some indicators are breaking 50 means re-modelers are seeing improving activity in their markets. While credit scarcity and economic uncertainty continue to weigh down remodeling, signs of increasing consumer interest are promising.”

For the Atlanta remodeling industry, this is good news, but homeowners may face some challenges when it comes to renovating their homes. Most people rely on loans for large home improvements, and lenders are still wary to dole out the dollars. Also, many people loss equity in their homes during the recession, so home equity lines of credit are no longer options when considering funding for home remodels. Uncertainty about the real estate [Read more...]