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Cleaning and Polishing Granite and Stainless Steel

By Vincent Scordo on November 10, 2009 | Comments | 1 TrackBack

Back in February I wrote a short article on how to clean your kitchen and touched on hot topics such as floor washing, stainless steel polishing, and granite cleaning (I'm sure you're thinking: riveting subjects!). On the topic of cleaning granite, I suggested folks use a white vinegar/water solution to clean their granite, but I'd like to now officially retract my suggestion. After a few months of consistent use, I have started to see some very light etching take place. The etching is minor and I may have overdone the percentage of white vinegar to water ratio, thus causing a bit of etching. Moreover, I have started to use a small microfiber towel and regular dish soap to wash and sanitize my granite on a every other night basis (this is a three step process: washing, remove soap, and dry). The dish soap does a great job of cleaning the granite, so long as the granite is free of debris (i.e., no crumbs, ground coffee, etc.) before washing. The dish soap cleaning method also does not cause any etching.

What my new method does not do well, however, is polish granite. Our granite has been fairly shiny and new looking, but now that we're entering year three with our countertop I'm craving that new granite look again and rethinking the idea that you do not need specialty products to clean a kitchen well. Enter Goddard's, a 170+ year old brand that earned it's reputation on silver cleaning products. Nowadays, Goddard's produces a whole range of cleaning products, including a granite polish, stainless steal cleaner, and appliance and countertop polish.

Stainless Steel Polish and Cleaner

I recently sampled the three Goddard products mentioned above in my own kitchen (partly out of pure necessity given that our metal and stone surface were a big old mess and also because of a sample pack). My black/white granite was dull and fading fast and my stainless steel appliances were full of smudges, micro-scratches, and very dull looking overall. The first Goddard product I tried was the stainless steel cleaner. The cleaner had a watery consistency and came in a spray bottle. I sprayed my fridge and dishwasher twice and proceeded to remove the excess liquid with a microfiber clothe (I did this in two distinct stages). I was also careful to wipe with the grain of the steel. Overall, the stainless steel cleaner did not do a good job removing smudges or provide any sort of polish or shine to the metal. The product did remove some of the contaminants on the surfaces of my fridge, stove, and dishwasher, but overall I was disappointed with the product and, to be perfectly honest, the cleaner gave me the same end results as using hot water and dish soap.

I've had much better success with Signature Polish, which is recommended by Wolf / Sub Zero and acts as both a cleaner and polish. I received a sample bottle with my Wolf stove purchase and it has outperformed all of the stainless steel cleaners that I've applied to my appliances in three plus years. The Signature Polish provides a deep shine, removes small scratches, and cleans exceptionally well. Moreover, the polish/cleaner goes a long way and only a small amount of liquid is needed to clean a large area. Overall, when it comes to cleaning stainless and getting that great, smudge less shine, I think it's always best to go with a thicker, polish type, solution versus a water based product.

Granite Polish and Cleaner

I also tried Goddard's granite polish and without jumping the gun the spray solution was outstanding. I applied the polish with a paper towel and removed excess with a microfiber cloth. The solution gave my granite an exceptional shine and provided an ultra smooth feel to my countertop. In fact, my wife thought our granite felt just like the day we installed it some 3 years ago. The only two compliant I have are that the solution is a bit oily, in turn leaving some swirl marks and a bit of elbow grease is required to get the stone dry and free of any polish. The bottle also doesn't state whether the polish is food safe (i.e., whether you can place fruit, vegetables, etc. directly on the stone).

Finally, I tried the much thicker Goddard's Appliance and Countertop Polish on our granite only and compared to the granite polish it did not provide the same sort of shine and feel. The solution was also much thicker and more difficult to wipe up. There may be a better application for the appliance and counter top polish (such as a glass stove top), but it was only average on our granite countetops (the solution provided decent cleaning power, but it did not produce a superb shine). The product would be better labeled as a cleaner versus a true polish. On the positive side, Goddard's Appliance and Countertop Polish is labeled food safe and is also a certified Kosher product. (UPDATE: I tried the Appliance and Countertop Polish on black, stove top, enamel and the result was very positive. The polish did indeed provide a nice, deep, polish and cleaned the enamel quite well. The polish did require a bit of work in terms of removal (it was a little oily) and to get a true shine, but it seems the mirror like finish will last a bit. I'm curious to see how the polish holds up to spills, oil, heavy cooking, etc.)

So, yes I do recommend a good stainless steel polish and granite/stone cleaner for your home kitchen, as well as a basic cleaning kit including white vinegar (floors), Murphy's Oil (wood cabinets), Pine Oil, dish soap (granite, stove burners and top), and Soft Scrub with bleach cleanser (porcelain sink). What are you waiting for, get out there and go clean those hunks of steel and stone in your kitchen!

Kitchen Cabinet Hardware and How Great Companies Are Made

By Vincent Scordo on November 6, 2009 | Comments | 3 TrackBacks

As I stated in my guide to renovating your kitchen, splurging on good quality kitchen cabinets is usually a good idea when it comes to redesigning your home kitchen (especially if you're looking to stay in your home for long term). High quality kitchen cabinets are usually composed of solid wood cabinet faces (e.g., maple), full plywood box construction, dovetail drawers, etc. Moreover, hiring a quality craftsmen to install your cabinets is always a good idea. For example, during our kitchen renovation our cabinet installer Brian was meticulous when it came to hanging lower and upper cabinets, preparing for the install of our farmers sink, installing crown molding, and attaching our cabinet latches and pulls.

One of the small details of our kitchen renovation that I had not given much thought to was cabinet hardware. In fact, the only thought I had when it came to selecting cabinet hardware was to head down to the local hardware store and select a moderately priced set of pulls. Well, as soon as I got a hold of some the "genuine brass" pulls and latches offered at the neighborhood Ace hardware store I knew they wouldn't work in our new kitchen. The hardware store components were cheap looking, didn't function well, and were of a low quality design and construction. That's when I stumbled upon Horton Brasses via a recommendation from the GardenWeb Kitchen Forum.

Horton Brasses, a Cromwell, Connecticut based hardware company, produces more than 1,000+ pieces of cabinet and furniture pieces, from kitchen cabinet pulls to clock finials! For our kitchen cabinets, we choose to go with a traditional pantry latch and drawer pull.

We ordered latches in both polished chrome and antique brass as well as pulls in polished chrome (The pulls and latches are available in seven finished). The first thing I noticed when I received the hardware was the overall build quality of the pieces. Each item had a high quality brass finish and the latches, specifically, had a high quality mechanism. In fact, I had some concern about using pantry latches for our upper cabinets because I heard horror stories about the mechanism failing after prolonged use, but the customer service department at Horton assured me their latches were built to last. And last they have for well over 3 years now! Horton's hardware also comes with historically accurate fasteners (screws) that complete the look of the kitchen hardware.

Where Horton also shines is in the customer service department. I spoke to Amy at Horton several times via the phone/email about both replacement parts and technical issues and she was a pleasure to work with. Moreover, when one of the screw heads broke during a latch install because of tough hardwood and applying too much torque, a technician at Horton got on the phone with me and explained what drill bit to use when pre drilling, how to remove a broken screw head, and, generally, how to install the latch mechanism. The people at Horton went well beyond the typical customer service support call. What also gets me excited about Horton is how well priced their items are and, moreover, that the items are manufactured by the company in the United States. Horton isn't a big company, but it's the type of customer experience I had that makes small companies grow and earn an outstanding reputation for both product and customer service. Building a company is easy when you stick to the basics: great product, fair pricing, and outstanding customer service.

If you're looking for high quality kitchen hardware for your next kitchen renovation project check out Horton's bin pulls, pantry latches, and other fine hardware.

How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter: 5 Tips

By Vincent Scordo on October 5, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

We've had a cold and wet summer in the Northeast this year, so I'm not sure what the Fall and Winter seasons will bring us in terms of temperature, snow, wind, and rain. However, I do know that a good looking garden (including grass, shrubs, and flowers) starts as soon as everything begins to die or go dormant. Here are some basic Fall gardening tips that will make your green space look great come the first couple of warm days in the Spring:

1. If your garden includes a lawn then the early Fall time period is the best time to re-seed, fertilize, and add lime. I tend to fertilize in the early Fall and early Spring time periods and I usually use my soil sample numbers to guide the type of fertilizer I buy. A soil sample analysis will tell you how to amend your lawn's soil and whether it needs more or less potassium, nitrogen, etc. I like to test my soil every 5-8 years. It's important that you follow the instruction on your spreader when adding fertilizer and lime and amend your soil according to whatever nutrients you need to put back into the ground. Re-seeding your lawn with new grass seed is fairly simple and can be done by hand if your lawn is not too large. I re-seed any bare spots in my lawn every October.

2. Don't forget that your plants, shrubs, and bushes can also benefit from an application of fertilizer. Use a slow release fertilizer and apply the correct amount according to the bag instruction. Over fertilizing can be an issue for any plant, so it's always best to under fertilize if you're unsure.

3. October is a good time to prune shrubs and bushes and ensure that the plants will come back healthier and fuller in the Spring. Every bush or shrub has a slightly different pruning method so it's best to do a little research on how much material to cut off and where in the branch formation you should cut. October is also the best time to plant new shrubs and bushes. Visit the GardenWeb forums for specific advice on trees, shrubs, and just about any plant.

4. If you have any hardscapes in your garden such as pavers, natural stone, etc. the Fall is a good time to apply a sealer to help protect your surfaces. For example, I seal my concrete paver walkway every other year so that the pavers do not shift or come loose. I also add new play sand in between the pavers to keep water from reaching underneath the walkway (you'll want to add your sand first, with a large broom, and thereafter add your sealer to bind the sand). While not necessarily tied to your garden, resealing your asphalt driveway is also a good idea if the current surface is cracked, crumbling, or is in general disrepair. I'll be applying a blacktop sealer for the first time this Fall and I'll let you know how involved the process after the project is complete.

5. I happen to live in a town with an active Shade Tree Commission and a recognized Tree City USA program - this means our community takes maintaining and planting new trees pretty seriously. The commission prunes street trees, plants new trees in the Fall, and removes any dead or almost dead trees. The Fall is a great time to plant a new street tree! Planting a tree near your home increases property value, shades your home during the summer months, and just makes for a better quality of life. Most plant centers have crews available to plant street trees, but you can plant your own tree with a little bit muscle and a few friends on a crisp Fall weekend.

More Essential Kitchen Tools: Part II

By Vincent Scordo on September 29, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Back in October of last year I wrote about essential kitchen tools and kitchen simplicity. The article attracted a few comments from readers stating that my list was too extreme and left out some key tools and items. So, I've decided to take another look around my kitchen and update my essential kitchen tool list (sorry still no pizza stone):

1. CuisinArt Food Processor and Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer

OK, I'm going to start off by saying that both my grandmother and mother never used or owned the above tools and they both made/make fantastic food. In fact, I remember trying to convince my grandmother to let us buy her a large stand mixer so that her weekly bread making would be a little easier for her (she of course said no).

I use our CuisinArt Food Processor for making hummus, slicing onions for French Onion soup, and, when I'm lazy, pesto. Our Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer is used for pizza dough, bread, and countless cakes. Both products are very well built and should last a lifetime.

2. Krups Hot Water Kettle

Boiling water takes time, not a whole lot of time, but just enough minutes to annoy me at certain key moments (for example, waiting for boiling water in the early morning for your French Press Pot). We picked up a Krups electric kettle two years ago and it's been a terrific, time saving, device. We use our kettle for tea, coffee, pasta water, etc. Plus, it actually saves energy when you consider that the device boils water faster than our fancy Wolf, 18,000 BTU, gas stove.

3. Microplane Grater

For citrus zest and emergency cheese grater.

4. Kitchen Shears

For emergency tasks, quick herb mincing, etc.

5. Large Grater

For the best way to grate most soft cheeses.

6. Serrated Bread Knife

The best knife to cut fresh bread.

7. Locking Tongs

Tongs are essential and most are made in an inferior manner. Buy two , well made, products (one with metal pincers and one with rubber) - All-Clad makes a pricey, but well built, all metal version.

8. Vegetable Peeler

Pepin used a paring knife, for everyone else get a vegetable peeler.

9. Instant Read Thermometer

You'll throw this out after becoming a competent cook, but you should have one in your kitchen for the early years.

10. Peppermill

You'll use this every day and there' a big difference with freshly ground pepper (same difference with freshly ground coffee). I own a French made, Prefex, that's compact and very functional.

11. Salad spinner

If you eat tons of greens then you need to dry most of them before cooking or consuming, the salad spinner is a revolutionary product and you should have one.

12. Colanders

You should have about three of these for draining pasta, cleaning vegetables, etc.

13. Toaster Oven

This will cause some debate, but I could not live without our small toaster oven. I used out tiny DeLonghi toaster oven to broil thin white flesh fish and salmon, heat up pizza, toast bread, etc. The device cooks food in no time and unlike a microwave it perfectly toasts and browns food for tremendous flavor. The device also does not use as much energy as our larger Wolf or Cadco ovens.

Home Maintenance: 5 Areas Not To Ignore

By Vincent Scordo on September 15, 2009 | Comments | 2 TrackBacks

Interest rates are low these days and there's a ton of housing stock available, so, in my view, it's a great time to buy a home. The financing part is a bit trickier these days with banks scrutinizing loan applications, but if you have a good down payment (at least 20 percent), a great credit score, ready to work at maintaining your home, and understand that a home is, first, a place to live and, secondly, possibly an investment go out and buy a home!

With the above said, there are areas in a home that are consistently neglected by homeowners. Neglecting a home repair can cost you big bucks in the long term and is just plain dumb/lazy (would you ever not feed your dog or provide fresh water for your cat?). In turn, I've put together a top five list of areas of your home NOT to ignore! Let's start with the often ignored, but highly functional, gutter:

1. Gutters
When we purchased our home I asked the owner when was the last time she had her gutters cleaned. The ex-homeowner replied by saying, "oh, I don't know, but it's not important." If you live in a leafy neighborhood you should get your gutters cleaned twice a year (I like cleaning mine in November and May). Allowing leaf build up and sediment to accumulate in your gutters can lean to interior and exterior water damage which can costs thousands of dollars to repair. Clean your gutters yourself or hire a crew if your gutters can't be reached safely.

2. Furnace

There are many types of furnaces used to heat homes in the US, including forced hot air, steam, and hot water. And most furnaces are either fueled by natural gas or oil. The typical furnace can last between 15-25 depending on the system and your tolerance for efficiency. I've seen steam boilers with tons of sediment build up, hot water furnaces with rotting pipes, and tons of leaking radiators. This isn't good for one of the major systems of your home. In fact, I think most homeowner see their heating and cooling systems as pieces of machinery that run themselves without the need maintenance. Hot water furnaces should be checked and cleaned by a capable homeowner or a licensed plumber at the beginning of each heating season. Steam furnaces require a bit more upkeep, but the maintenance routine is the same: clean pilot and burner area, keep the area around your furnace clean, check damper running into chimney, lubricate moving parts, (if steam) flush water in system to get rid of sediment in radiators and furnace. See my guide to winterizing your home!

3. Yard

Walk by any home and the first thing you notice is the front yard and this happens well before you notice architecture style, the pretty red door, and the Lexus sitting in the driveway. If you're a homeowner your front yard is your first shot to make impression, be it good or bad. An unkempt lawn, big dirt patches, and overgrown hedges and trees all make for poor maintenance and upkeep and, in relation to other home improvement / maintenance projects, maintaining a green lawn and pruning your boxwood is cheap and easy. Also, failure to maintain your exterior landscape can also lead to drainage problems and possible basement leaks as your yard can develop issues with slope and water seepage. See my tips on how to maintain a great looking lawn!

4. Sidewalk

If you're lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that has sidewalks then you've bought yourself a lifetime membership to a great health club. Walking around your neighborhood is great exercise and gets you interacting with the neighbors. Unfortunately, concrete sidewalks will need some upkeep, especially if you're block or neighborhood is lined with street trees. Large trees cause concrete sidewalks to lift and crack over time and, in many cases, the only way to repair an uplifted sidewalk is to pour a new section of sidewalk. Many towns also have ordinances requiring homeowners to maintain their sidewalk, so sidewalk upkeep is a given. Don't you just love homeownership!

5. Kitchen

They say the kitchen is the new heart of the modern home and prospective home buyers look to, among other things, the size and condition of the kitchen when considering the purchase of a home. When we looked at homes for purchase a couple of years back, we fell into the same category as above and we were mostly horrified at the condition of most conditions. Many of the kitchens we walked through had faulty appliances, cracked flooring, leaking faucets, poor lighting, and, generally, inadequate space and functional layout. I'm not advocating homeowners build lavish kitchen with a Viking stove, soapstone countertops, and exotic wood cabinets, but I'm a big fan of keeping a kitchen up to date and renovating a kitchen once it's past its functional prime. Plus, there's usually a decent ROI on a newly renovated kitchen. See my guide to renovating your kitchen!

Tips and Benefits of Replacing Old Wood Windows

By Vincent Scordo on September 4, 2009 | Comment | 0 TrackBacks

In an earlier post from December of 2008 I was contemplating replacing most of the original double hung windows in our early twentieth century foursquare / center hall colonial. Like most decisions involving personal finance I like to make a pros and cons list. And, at the time, I started with the cons of our old double hung windows:

- Windows are NOT efficient (they let tons of air through the bottom and upper sashes and also along the side of the unit) and are single pane (versus two and three pane for modern windows)

- Windows do not have gas filled panes which help with efficiency.

- Windows are difficult to clean.

- Storm windows are hard to operate and don't provide much functional performance

- Windows are not secure (the sash lock is original)

- Windows let in street noise

- Windows do not have a UV coating

My pros list was very short, but it included:

- Current windows do operate well

- Current windows fit with style and architecture of home

Ultimately, we decided to replace most of our old double hung windows with quality wood replacement windows. We opted for a brand from Anderson called Eagle. We considered quite a few windows brands included, Marvin and Anderson Woodwright. We choose Eagle for the following reasons:

- Great value given construction and standard options (all custom sizing)

- Great U-Factor rating (the lower the better) which equaled or beat Marvin and Woodwright

- Good Solar heat gain coefficient and visible transmittance (these are essentially how much light and sun make it through the window)

- Eagle offered standard Low E / Argon filled glass at no additional charge

- Eagle offered free priming on the interior wood material (so it's much easier to paint)

- Eagle offered a multitude of exterior aluminum cladding colors to match our house (we even had the option of mixing up to three different colors) at no additional charge

- Eagle offered a full screen at no additional charge

- Eagle offered plastic film on the glass to make painting/staining easier at no additional charge

We've been living with the new windows for a few months now and have been impressed with ease of use and how much noise the windows keep out. We've yet to go through a winter with the new windows and we, of course, will be interested to see how well they perform in terms of keeping out cold and wind (we'll look at our heating bill closely). From a summer season perspective, they have done well at keeping out UV rays and the strong heat here on the East Coast.

We personally painted and stained all of our windows to match the existing window trim and that did take quite a long period of time (it took me 4 weeks). The windows that were stained required some sanding, pre-conditioner stain, three coats of stain, and a single coat of polyurethane. The primed windows required two coats of paint.

On the installation itself, we hired a local company that removed our old windows, installed the new windows, insulated, and mounted exterior frame expanders (essentially aluminum strips that conceal the gap caused by the outer window opening frame and window itself <even with custom windows you'll get a small gap on replacements>).

When looking to hire a company to install windows make sure to keep the following tips in mind:

1. Ask to see examples of install jobs (note how tightly the windows appear in their opening, was the old trim damaged, what does the exterior window install look like, do the windows open and lock securely, was the crew neat, etc.)

2. Ask about warranty on work and not just the product

3. Ask who is responsible for damage to interior and exterior of home, just in case there is an issue

4. Ask if the cost of removing old windows (and storm windows) is included in the estimate.

5. Never get just one quote and don't assume lowest bid is the best

6. Ask to speak with the person who will do the actual install (see if they will be on-site during the whole project and actually working on the windows)

7. Never pay full amount before job is complete

8. Get everything in writing and have contractor sign off.

9. Don't let your contractor remove old windows unless they plan to install the new windows in the opening (they shouldn't board up openings)

From an ROI perspective we'll need to wait a bit to recover our costs, but our new windows are functional, efficient, easy to clean, and make our home feel and look great. I think they are worth every penny!

The Only 6 Tips You Need to Have a Great Looking Lawn

By Vincent Scordo on August 19, 2009 | Comments | 2 TrackBacks

Photo: Our front yard used to be covered in ivy, we dug it up and seeded a lawn.

Many homeowners are intimated with the prospect of taking care of their own lawn. They fear cutting, fertilizing, and watering their lawn and year after year are disappointed with the way their lawn looks. In turn, many homeowners hire a landscaper with no formal training and who charges an arm and a leg to take care of what most people see first when they come to your home (would you let anyone pick your clothes and dress you?).

So, I'm here to tell you to fire your landscaper (that's right call him tonight) and read the following 6 lawn maintenance tips. If your lawn doesn't looks great after a year, I'll come over and give you a lawn care tutorial (provided you don't live in sub Saharan Africa).

1. Keep your grass tall or mow high. You know how your local golf course keeps their lawn (kind of like a green crew cut), well that will kill your lawn at home. Keeping your lawn between 2-3 inches will allow it to retain moisture, fend off disease/blight, and give the appearance of a lush and healthy lawn. Get to know the height settings of your lawn mower and use those setting to control grass height (especially during the late summer months).

2. Test your soil. Contact your local cooperative extension at your local college or university and they'll mail you a soil testing kit. A soil test will tell you how to fertilize come the Spring and Fall. Don't just run to the local Home Depot and guess which number fertilizer you need, let a soil test tell you how to amend your soil (including lime).

3. Don't water at night or in the afternoon. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning, so that 1. your lawn has an opportunity to absorb the water and 2. it doesn't develop any blight due to watering too late in the evening. If your lawn is large water in stages and let the water soak in for 30-45 minutes. You should only be watering once a week, even in extreme weather.

4. Don't hire a landscaper. Taking care of your lawn, once you have the right equipment and know-how, is super easy and also provides an immediate pride of ownership type feeling that can motivate you to take on other projects at home. Plus, you're saving money by cutting your own lawn and are getting exercise.

5. Detach and aerate your lawn in the Spring (once per year). If you don't complete these two tasks you'll have a compacted, hard, lawn surface that won't allow for water and nutrients to get down into the soil (and detaching gets rid of any dead grass come the end of winter). I detach with a rake (it's tough work), but I recommend renting an aerator from the local home center.

6. Get the right equipment. With any project, it's difficult to do a job well unless you have the right equipment. In turn, make sure you purchase a quality mulching mower and sharpen the blade regularly (personally, I don't mulch because it tend to suphicate my lawn, but other folks I know have had success with mulching). You'll also need a quality rake, fertilizer spreader, edger, and lawn shears. I love power tools, but I don't own a string trimmer and the 5 year old electric blower gets minimal use because I prefer sweeping/raking (given the exercise).

Finally, and this isn't really a tip but rather a fact, grass will NOT grow where there is shade. And no matter how desperately you want grass you really do need lots of sunshine for a lawn to flourish. If you have areas where the sun only shines for 2-3 hours a day, you may want to consider other grand covers like ivy, pachysandra, etc.

Photo: You need to spend time on your lawn (no way around that), so you might as well enjoy it!

8 Neat Home Renovation Tips

By Vincent Scordo on August 11, 2009 | Comments | 3 TrackBacks

Do you spend hours talking to your significant other about possibly moving an interior wall to free up more space for your kitchen or what the old butler's pantry may look like if your restored the original walnut trim? If so, you may be itching to renovate a portion of your home. And if you live in an older home (build before 1950 or so) then you may need to renovate out of necessity.

I've spent many hours with my super handy father renovating and maintaining our early 20th century foursquare center hall colonial and I've come up with some easy tips to keep in mind before you tackle your next big project:

1. Don't Hire Who You Don't Know (well, either directly or indirectly via a referral). Never, under any circumstance, hire someone to work on your house if you haven't used them before, received several referrals from close friends, or seen a few examples of their work.

2. Do It Your Self Only If You or Your Help Can Do It Better and More Efficiently. My father is very good with his hands and has helped me take on multiple home renovations (I'd argue that the quality of his work is better than most contractors). However, a typical project does end up taking longer than if I hired a so-called Pro to complete the job. Also, you'll need all the necessary tools (here's part II of my tools list) to do it your self (keep this mind)

3. If You Plan On Staying in Your Home Long Term, Then Buy Good Quality Material. An example of this would be kitchen cabinets; cheap cabinets often come with flimsy bracing, poor drawer construction, and a non durable exterior finish. Spend more on material and it will, in general, last longer.

4. Be logical About What You Renovate. Start with the kitchen, bath, exterior landscaping (front yard), windows, heating/cooling, roof, etc. and avoid bedrooms, basement, attic, garage, etc. in the short term.

5. Avoid Trends in Design and Go For A Classic Look (or match the rest of your home). Even if you're attracted to Modern design, for example, go for a neutral or classic look when selecting material and style for your next renovation. If you need to unexpectantly sell your home you'll be glad you didn't paint your walls brown and invest in sheep skin blinds.

6. Think Green Where It Makes Sense. Do you live in a cold climate, for example? If so, it may make sense to spend a little extra for high quality, super insulated, wood windows when looking to replace your 90 year old, single pane, double hung windows. Thinking about solar panels for your rooftop? You may want to think again, considering cost and long terms ROI.

7. Establish a Budget. I know some folks who go into renovations with an open ended budget; this is bad news considering that even well planned renovations usually go over on budget. Track every expense and try to leave a little extra cash for unexpected re-wiring or runs to the hardware store.

8. If You Use a General Contractor Be Prepared to Pay More (lots more). Did you know that most General Contractors don't actually do any work, but rather line up the workers you will need for your kitchen renovation, for example. You can be your own general contractor if you take the time to find and research workers and then manage their work.

5 Important Do It Yourself Tips

By Vincent Scordo on February 5, 2009 | Comments | 2 TrackBacks

I'm a big fan of doing it yourself. However, I will always hire a pro when:

1. The project is important. For example, I would never aim to re-wire my electrical system, run a new gas line, or put in a new roof because I lack the appropriate skill set. And even if I was able to learn the skill in record time, I would not want to use my house as an experiment to test my skills.

-or-

2. The time needed to complete the project exceeds the time I have or want to spend. For example, if you're currently renovating your bathroom, but have another full bath in the house, then it does not makes sense to hire a pro (given you have all the skills needed) even if the job will take longer via doing it yourself. Conversely, if you're deciding on whether to renovate your kitchen via do it yourself, but have never hung cabinets before, for example, it may make sense to hire a pro (because it may take you 6 months to put up your cabinets and in turn be without a fully functioning kitchen).

With the above said, there are many do if yourself projects that most people can handle which will save both time and money:

1. Landscaping. Everyone can mow their own lawn and shovel their driveway and sidewalk. There is no logical reason to pay someone to complete mindless tasks (if you do this, you're just lazy).

2. Cleaning. Cleaning your house is not rocket science, it just takes a few hours each week to wash your floors, dust, clean your bathrooms, vacuum, etc. Hiring a cleaner is another colossal waste of money and, in my view, is, again, lazy.

3. General household, and vehicle, maintenance. This list include painting, washing windows, patching your driveway, putting in a new outlet, replacing a light fixture, replacing your car's oil and filter, and fixing basic/general things. I read somewhere recently that the average number of home repair items a man or woman can address has actually declined over the last 30 years (that is to say, no one is doing their own home repairs anymore). If you are going to do many of the items above, I would suggest you have access to the following tools/equipment.Further, Popular Mechanics magazine cites 100 skills every man/woman should know.

4. Cooking. Don't go out to eat (keep in mind that outside major cities in the US, most restaurants are mediocre at best), instead buy high quality ingredients and experiment at home. After a full year of cooking, you'll have mastered many dishes and also have lost of few pounds from not eating out. Look around Scordo.com, there are plenty of recipes, including advice on how to shop for food. If you're into wine, you can either make you own or read though my guide to wine!

5. Ditch the financial planner. If you're paying someone to manage your money you're most likely a bit disengaged from your finances. Instead, spend a year educating yourself and invest in low cost index funds (say, Vanguard) and bonds (and make sure to build up an emergency cash fund of between 6-9 months and max out your 401K contribution).

Back to Basics: Classic Drink Recipes for the Recession

By Vincent Scordo on January 26, 2009 | Comment | 0 TrackBacks

60 Minutes ran a segment on Sunday night on DHL (formerly Airborne Express) and how they will be shutting down their entire US hub in Wilmington, Ohio. The job cuts in Wilmington alone will result in the lose of 10,000 area jobs. Moreover, NPR ran a similar story on Microsoft, Pfizer, Home Dept, Caterpillar all announcing job cuts (totaling some 67,000 jobs in a single day!).

Needless to say, the US is suffering through a very difficult time period (and in my humble opinion, it will, indeed, get worse). The current national jobless rate is at just over 7% (7.2% to be exact), consumer confidence is low, and consumer and business spending has crawled to a stop.

For many of us in our late twenties / early thirties, we've never seen a downturn in the national economy like we're experiencing today, yet many of my Gen X/Y peers seem to be handeling the situation well. Personally, I've turned to enjoying our home and the simple pleasures of being with my family and friends. I've been spending more weekends at home planning simple meals, watching old movies, reading forgotten books, and finishing projects in the basement. I've also learned to mix a few new drinks, which in moderation does help one forget about the high unemployment rates (and how low the thermostat is set to save a few bucks)!! So, here are a few drink recipes to try on a cold, and recession filled, night:

The Simple Daiquiri

- 2 ounces of white rum

- Juice of 2 limes

- 1 tablespoon of confectionary sugar

Combine the ingredients above in a stainless steel mixer with plenty of fresh ice. Give the mixture a good shake and pour into a traditional tumber glass. I love the tartness from the lime juice and mellow alcohol from the rum.

Red Martini Sweet Vermouth, Bombay Saphire Gin, and Soda

- 2 ounces of red, Martini, sweet vermouth

- 1.5 ounces of Bombay Sapphire Gin

- 2-3 ounces of club soda.

Combine the ingredients in a tumbler and add a handful of ice. This drink is nice before dinner and you could substitute the red vermouth with Campari for a classic Negroni.

Classic Gin Martini

- 2 ounces of Tanqueray Gin

- 1 ounce of dry, Martini, vermouth

- 2-3 green olives

Combine the ingredients (minus the olives) in a stainless steel mixer with plenty of fresh ice. Give the mixture a good shake and strain into a martini glass. Add the olives (preferably on a toothpick so you enjoy them while you drink). You can add less vermouth if you prefer your martinis dry. You can of course substitute Gin with vodka, but Gin is entirely more appropriate and the classic ingredient.

The above ingredient proportions are hardly exact, so please experiment with the appropriate amounts that suit your palette. Cheers!

A Practical Tool Guide for First Time Homeowners Part 1

By Vincent Scordo on October 2, 2008 | Comments | 2 TrackBacks

There's nothing like the feeling of owning your own home, provided that your ownership experience came without a complicated adjustable rate mortgage and with a nice sizeable down payment to off-set your monthly payments. With that said, what does the first time homeowner truly need to run his or her own property/house? And by run I mean basic maintenance and upkeep tasks (I see too many of my close friends paying other people to do stuff they should be capable of handling themselves, provided the end product is done with skill).

Let's start with some basic equipment that can help with general maintenance; in my view, it's best to live in your new home for 1-2 years before making any major changes (unless of course you have an extreme circumstance):

Basic Step Ladder (Werner 8 Foot Fiberglass from Lowes) for reaching lower levels of your exterior (for cleaning windows for example or touching up a loose cedar shake).
Alumni Extension (Werner 24 Foot from Lowes) Ladder for getting to higher spots. Extension ladders are nice for cleaning gutters and getting on your roof, if needed.
Wet/Dry Vacuum for cleaning up saw dust or any messy project (can also pick up water in an emergency but I've never used the vacuum for this purpose)
Basic tool kit: hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, wrench, tape (electric, masking, duck), 2-3 high quality flashlights, hack saw, wood saw, chisel, scraper, utility knife, industrial staple gun.
Basic electrical tools: 18V cordless drill, circular saw (Rigid is good value/performance brand), reciprocating saw (My Milwaukee is a beast and I use it more often then I thought!), random orbital sander (Ryobi - another little beast that is a go to tool), and 2-3 extension cords.
Basic lawn and garden tools: rake (metal and plastic), shovel (spade and flat head), hand prunes, extension hand saw/pruner (for cutting low branches), high quality push broom, pick ax, wheelbarrow.
Good quality Mulching Lawn Mower which if properly maintained (spark plug, oil, sharpening, filter, etc.) can last a good 15-20 years.
5-10 gallon pressurized hand sprayer for applying stains, lawn care chemicals, etc..

Finally, if you're lucky enough to have a high quality hardware store located in town (not just a Home Depot or Lowes), get to know the owner and you'll be surprised how much you can learn from him/her, plus they will always get you what you need without a long wait or an attitude (even if it's a little more expensive then the big box stores).

Note: The views expressed herein are solely my own and should not be attributed to my employer in any way. This site is not maintained utilizing my employer's resources or on company time.

How to Repair Deck Steps and Railings

By Vincent Scordo on June 17, 2008 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

I've always been a fan of This Old House and my fondness for the show even pre-dates the purchase of "our old house!" Recently, our deck needed some repair (railing, step, and gate work) and we consulted a local carpenter who bid on our project and came in a bit high on the estimate. So in turn I think I'll be handeling most of the deck repair work myself!

I was inspired by this recent This Old House segment.

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