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A master plan that incorporates everything from long-range projects to nitty-gritty details will help you design the backyard of your dreams.

By Gretchen Roberts

The front yard may be the showpiece of your landscape, but the backyard is all your own, a sanctuary for relaxation, entertaining and play. If your backyard could use a facelift, don’t make the mistake of slapping a patio down here and a garden border there as time and budget allow. Instead, consider the space holistically, from how you want to use the yard to how much time you want to spend working in it. We talked to Susan Cohan, a landscape designer in Chatham, New Jersey, and Natalie Ermann Russell, author of The New Backyard Idea Book, for tips to building a backyard makeover master plan.

1. Dream. Ask yourself some basic questions. What do you want out of the yard — a playground for kids, a cozy retreat, and an entertaining patio? What materials do you like — brick pavers, water, sustainable plants? “Dream a little, then see what you can afford and have time to maintain,” Cohan advises. Eventually, you’ll want to get real. Be honest about your level of involvement. “A yard that requires little work and resources is the Holy Grail,” Russell says. “Think about how to simplify the plans to make this happen for you.”

2. Take stock of the property. Do a walk-around and consider what you like and don’t like about the space. Make a list of what’s salvageable (the 100-year-old oak tree) and what’s not (a sagging, rotten deck), as well as how permanent storage (shed, garage, etc.) is positioned and whether it needs to be moved or camouflaged. Don’t forget to factor in geographical considerations, Cohan says. “If you adore roses but live in an area with a lot of deer, they’ll get eaten. Either plant something else or plan a fence.”

3. Know the rules. Your city or homeowner’s association may have specific regulations, like maximum fence height or projects that require permits. “Know what’s allowed before you begin work, because if you break the rules and get caught, not only will you have to take down your project, but there will be fines involved,” Cohan says.

4. Make a plan, on paper. A plan provides a birds-eye view of your overall project, which can then be implemented logically in steps. Designers often draw bubbles to represent generic spaces like a patio, playground, garage and pool, then link the bubbles together with pathways, lawn areas and gardens.

Look at the relationships between spaces, then draw them to scale. Each individual space should flow into the next, moving people from the front yard to back, from a primary patio to a secondary patio. “Entryways, pathways and exits all play a role in drawing people into the next space,” Russell says. “You can create the impression of separate spaces by simply changing the floor material or pattern, or by elevating one portion slightly above the other to establish distinct “rooms” without disrupting the flow.”

Having trouble? Consider hiring a professional, at least for the planning portion. “A designer can open your eyes to brilliant options you may not think of yourself,” Russell says.

5. Check the plan from inside. Outdoor spaces should bring pleasure every day, even when you’re inside. “When designed right, your backyard becomes artwork in the windows,” says Russell.

Cohan starts with the kitchen window, since homeowners spend more time looking out that window than any other, then assesses traffic patterns from the kitchen or mudroom. “Make sure your plan allows you to move people in and out, to get the garbage out, everything you need for daily living,” she says.

6. Fine-tune each area. Zoom into each “room” in your plan to fix any shortcomings and implement your small-scale dreams. If the patio area is near an unsightly view, draw in a fence or green privacy screen. If the swing set will face the afternoon sun, turn it sideways. Does the garden area need a little oomph? Consider adding an arbor for an entryway. This is where you focus on wish-list details as well. If you want a low-maintenance yard with a small environmental impact, plan low-water plants in the garden area and think about swapping out some grassy areas for native grass or pebbles.

7. Back up and use your wide lens. Now look at your yard in context, both in relation to the house and to itself, Russell advises. “The flowers, hardscape and even lawn become the wallpaper of your outdoor room,” she says. “Choose furniture with the overall color palate in mind.”

8. Execute in logical stages. The best thing about a comprehensive plan? You don’t need to do it all at once. Work on one area at a time, but make sure you’re always thinking ahead. For example, if you’re redoing the patio and eventually want to do an outdoor kitchen, don’t wait to install the gas hookup, since it’s more cost-effective to do when the ground is already dug up. “You simply have to have a plan,” Cohan says. “You’ll save yourself heartache, time and money, and you’ll have a beautiful yard when it’s all finished.”

Countertop materials:  pros & cons…

Plastic Laminate, Ceramic Tile, Stone, Solid Surface, Butcher Block, Stainless Steel, Concrete – these are popular choices to select from when considering countertop replacement for your home.  Each has its pros and cons which will help you in your decision when you consider how you use the space.

Plastic Laminate

Laminate is the most widely used countertop material in home improvement.  It is inexpensive and low-maintenance. It resists grease and stains, and comes in a vast array of colors and patterns. It also can come prefabricated with its own seamless backsplash.

Laminate has its drawbacks, however. Since it is made in layers (hence the name “laminate”) the dark under layer (usually pressed wood) may be visible. The top is susceptible to damage from sharp knives and hot pans, and it easily melts.  Once damaged, it cannot be easily repaired.

• Installation Tips: To keep laminate looking new longer, reserve for less used areas of the kitchen. Locate seams at corners to avoid wear and tear.

Ceramic Tile

Beautiful and durable, ceramic tile is the experienced do-it-yourselfer’s dream come true. This is where you can celebrate your creative side. You can make that counter anything you want. How about a mural? Or how about using your children’s drawings as patterns? Or simply go with your favorite colors broken up and mixed? It can be as simple or as complex as the artist in you desires.

Ceramic tile is heat, scratch, and stain resistant. Damaged tiles can be easily replaced.

Grout can stain or collect food particles giving way to bacterial infestation.  Cleaning tile with abrasives can ruin a high-gloss finish.

• Installation Tips: To cut cost, use solid-colored tiles and create your own patterns. Use epoxy and acrylic grouts, which are more stain resistant. Remove stains from regular grout with ordinary household bleach.

Stone 

Marble is not for everybody. Marble must be frequently sealed with mineral oil (which is not particularly food friendly, since it is made from petroleum).  It is softer than granite and it scratches and stains. This is an inherent characteristic of the material and should not be considered if you are adverse to an aged, worn look.

Soapstone is a soft, non-porous, natural stone. Despite its softness, it’s very resilient. It is always a dark stone, very nearly black and it always has a honed surface.  Cook’s love it because it’s an excellent heat insulator.

Quartz composites are a newer and growing countertop material. Composites are made from stone aggregate and polymers that are compressed under high pressure. The result is a practically non-porous material and just as strong as most natural stones. Since it’s a manufactured product, it has consistent colors and patterns.

Granite is impervious to cuts, scrapes, burns and stains when properly sealed. Its beauty is undeniable, and a perfect choice for the serious cook.  Pie crusts, pastries, and homemade chocolate love these surfaces.

Stones are expensive, heavy, and brittle, so they must come in thick slabs. Marble and granite require regular resealing, and are expensive to repair.

• Buyers Tip: You may be able to find suitable pieces at an antique salvage yard.

Solid Surface

A solid surface countertop is a step up from plastic laminate. It comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns which are uniform throughout.  Solid-surface products are made from mineral powder blended with acrylic and sometimes polyester binders.  Solid surface countertops remain the only material that can be seamed invisibly.

Since the color is integral through the entire counter, scratches and blemishes can easily be buffed out.  It is strong and self-supporting, so it requires no underlayment. Solid surface material is non-porous and resists both mildew and stains.

Solid surface can scratch and be cut easily by sharp knives. Hot pans set down will leave a permanent discoloration.

Butcher Block

True butcher block uses end-grain hard-wood for counters; however many counters come in a lesser grade. You will want to make certain that you have a true hardwood. 

The warm natural appearance of hardwood is an attractive choice.  It is ideal for cutting and chopping, and it is easy to repair. Surface scratches can easily be sanded out.

Butcher block must be sealed or frequently treated with mineral oil; however protective surface sealers are not always food safe.  It must be cleaned immediately after food preparation or moisture exposure. If it becomes contaminated with meat juices or dirty vegetables, it must be disinfected, then resealed.  Butcher block scorches and dents easily.

Buyer’s Tip: Many cooks use olive oil to season the wood after each use; however this can also darken the wood.

Stainless Steel

This tough surface is very popular with the high-tech crowd.  It is the counter of choice in many upscale restaurants.

Stainless steel is tough and impervious to stains and hot pans. It gives your kitchen a contemporary look.

Stainless steel shows nicks, dents, and it scratches easily. It should never be cleaned with scouring powders, and steel wool should never be used to clean it.  It needs a solid, firm underlayment to ward off serious denting.  While beautiful, stainless steel is very cold to the touch.

Concrete

Concrete is a growing category in the countertop market.  When fabricated by the hands of a skilled craftsman, there is practically no shape, color or finish it can’t transform into.  Because all concrete counters are one-of-a-kind, adding different colored glass or stone to the mix during fabrication can add interest and color you’d like integrated into your design.

Terrazzo, a form of concrete is made from a concrete base with decorative aggregates added to the mix. After the mix cures, it’s polished to a high sheen with a grinding wheel. The polishing is what makes terrazzo.

Any unsealed, natural state of concrete will stain because concrete is porous. In order for concrete to be used as a countertop material, it must be sealed. The most important factor to understand when choosing concrete is to know the type of sealer used. There are a variety of concrete countertop sealers on the market, many of which can create a nearly impermeable surface that is highly tolerant and resistant to staining.

Overall, concrete is a durable, tolerant material, but again with regard to heat resistance, the issue lies with the sealer that is used by the fabricator.  Cutting or chopping directly on your concrete countertop can damage the sealer causing a breech in the sealers ability to resist staining.

As energy prices continue to rise many homeowners are seeking new and efficient means to improve their homes.  Cooling and heating costs are the primary concern of most homeowners when it comes to upgrading their windows.  Another concern is maintenance, and more and more people are eliminating the need for exterior painting by wrapping the exterior wood trim with vinyl or aluminum.

When deciding on new windows the first decision to make is the material you want them made of.  The choices available for your home are fiberglass, vinyl or wood.  If you choose wood, again, you may want the exterior of the unit clad in either vinyl or aluminum to alleviate future maintenance such as painting and caulking.

After you’ve decided on the frame material, you need to consider the glass.  This encompasses the number of panes, either double or triple, whether you want the glass coated, and if so with what, if you want gas inserted between the panes such as argon or krypton, and what type of spacer you want.

Single-pane glass has very little insulating value (approximately R-1).  It provides only a thin barrier to the outside and can account for considerable heat loss and gain.

Double-pane and triple-pane glass greatly improves a window’s energy efficiency because multiple layers of glass increase the window’s ability to resist heat flow.

Clear glass is the primary material available for window panes, however, in recent years the market for glazing–or cutting and fitting window panes into frames–has changed significantly. Now several types of special glazings are available that can help control heat loss and condensation.

Low emittance (low-e) glass has a special surface coating to reduce heat transfer back through the window. These coatings reflect from 40% to 70% of the heat that is normally transmitted through clear glass, while allowing the full amount of light to pass through.

Heat-absorbing glass contains special tints that allow it to absorb as much as 45% of the incoming solar energy, reducing heat gain. Some of the absorbed heat, however, passes through the window by conduction and re-radiation.

Reflective glass is coated with a reflective film and is useful in controlling solar heat gain during the summer. It also reduces the passage of light all year long, and, like heat-absorbing glass, it reduces solar transmittance.

Finally, ensure that your replacement windows are properly installed.  Quality installation is critical for an airtight fit and a continuous water barrier to prevent drafts, water damage and condensation. The complexity of the installation depends on whether you are considering complete window replacement or just inserting new glass or sash kits within the existing frame. Make sure to follow manufacturers’ recommendations on whether the installation requires a trained professional or whether do-it-yourself is an option.  Each manufacturer has detailed installation requirements and specifications for their products.

A friendly reminder to those who replaced windows last year…

Homeowners can claim a tax credit for home energy efficiency upgrades made in 2011, including energy-efficient windows, doors and skylights.

Qualifying criteria includes:

?Improvements installed in 2011

?10% of purchase price (not including installation cost)

?Maximum credit: $200 for windows and skylights, $500 for doors (overall credit limit for qualified energy-efficiency improvements: $500)

?Meet ENERGY STAR criteria for your climate zone

To be eligible, components must have been installed by December 31, 2011, as the tax credit has not been extended into 2012. Windows, doors and skylights installed in 2011 qualify if they meet the ENERGY STAR criteria for your climate zone.

The tax credit is 10% of the purchase price of the installed windows, doors and skylights (excluding installation cost) up to a maximum of $500, of which up to $200 can be claimed for windows and skylights. If you have already claimed a tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements since 2006, it counts against the $500 limit. If, for example, you claimed a $300 credit for your 2007 taxes, you can only claim $200 for 2011.

The IRS form for requesting the home improvements tax credit is IRS Form 5695, which you will need to file with your taxes. Homeowners should keep any manufacturer certification statements with their records but are not required to submit them with their tax return.

¨       High Energy Bills

¨       Mold, Mildew or Musty Odors

¨       Damp Basement

¨       Cold Floors in Winter

¨       Drafty Rooms

¨       Excessive dust

¨       Condensation on windows

¨       Ice Dams

¨       Peeling Paint

¨       Hot or Cold Rooms

¨       Dry Indoor Air

These are common household problems your Mega-pro addresses year around.  Having your home assessed for these types of problems and correcting them will make your home more comfortable, and improve its energy efficiency — saving you money on utility bills while helping to protect the environment at the same time!

High Energy Bills – High utility bills in summer and winter can often be traced to air leaks in your home i.e., inefficient windows, inefficient or incorrectly installed heating and cooling equipment, or poorly sealed or insulated ductwork.

Mold, Mildew or Musty Odors – Water leaks or high humidity can lead to mold and mildew. This can cause wood rot, structural damage, peeling paint, and a variety of health problems. Often, high humidity in homes with central air conditioners can be traced to improperly sized or installed air conditioners.

Damp Basement – Damp basements are commonly caused by moisture migrating through the foundation. As moisture evaporates, it increases indoor humidity and can promote the growth of mold — resulting in odors and potential health risks.

Cold Floors in Winter – Some types of floor finishes (such as wood, stone, tile, or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet. However, insufficient insulation or air infiltration can also cause cold floors.

Drafty Rooms – Cold air coming into or going out of your house, especially through leaks hidden in the attic and basement, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable.

Excessive Dust

Increased dust could be a sign that it is time to change your air filter or that your ductwork is not well sealed.

Condensation on Windows or Skylights – Inefficient windows, skylights or improperly set thermostat/humidistats can cause excessive, indoor moisture levels.  This can potentially lead to further, more extensive damage to drywall, trim, etc.

Ice Dams – Warm air inside your home will penetrate into the attic and warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice to melt and refreeze as it runs off your roof — forming icicles and ice dams.

Peeling Paint – Peeling or cracking paint on your home’s exterior may be a sign of a humidity problem or improper paint application.

Hot or Cold Rooms – Significant differences in temperature from one room to another can be caused by inadequate insulation in walls and attic, air leaks, poor duct performance, and improperly installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Dry Indoor Air in Winter – Air leaks in your home allow warm, humid air to escape and draw-in drier, cold air.

If you’re looking for recommendations to improve the energy efficiency in your home, call Mega today to request an insulation expert come to your home, assess where the energy problems are, and recommend solutions that will not only improve the comfort of your home, but save you money on your monthly utility bills.

So what is the first step? Take down your holiday decorations. Check to make sure all the lights are working, replace any burned out bulbs and make certain the holiday season has not caused wires to fray. This January weekend is the best time to make sure your lights will be in good working order next season. Plus if any damage is found, you can replace them while they are still on deep discount!

Looking for a tip on storing all the strands of lights?  Cut some cardboard into 12” X 9” pieces and wrap the lights around it to keep them neat and ready for next year. 

You may want to wrap up these homemade reels with some newspaper or tissue paper to cushion the lights while they are in the boxes to keep them from getting broken.

Finally, you can also write on the cardboard if you wish, reminding yourself where in the house that strand of lights is located, if you have several strands of various lengths that go different places, to keep yourself from getting confused the next year when you pull everything out again.

Fix Unsightly Wall or Ceiling Cracks

With the colder weather upon us now you probably have been spending your time indoors.  Have you noticed a few cracks? If you see cracks where your walls meet the ceiling, don’t worry. While unsightly, they pose no structural risk. These cracks are just from the normal expansion and contraction of your house where two pieces of drywall meet. You might notice cracks in either ceiling or wall seams. This cracking can happen anywhere pieces of drywall meet and is normally caused by the joint compound over the seam drying out. (Having the right humidity in your home with help.)  Not sure how to fix these cracks?  Call MEGA @ 847-658-8989.

Typically your homes outside electrical system is connected to the inside panel GFCI circuit breaker. This creates an instant ground fault circuit interruption and prevents any fires, shocks or worse. Check each breaker both on the outlet and at the panel by pressing the test button and then reset. Replace any GFCI’s that don’t work. Have a professional electrician check if you’re not sure

Use a digital camera
Take a camera with you wherever you go and take pictures of fixtures, space and colors you find attractive.

Visit your friends
Friends and family are a great resource to use when working on a project like a remodel.  Perhaps you can visit them and ask to take a look at their kitchen or bathroom.  They might even have suggestions as to what they would do different if they had the chance. 

While visiting their space take pictures or notes of what you like or even what you don’t like. 

Buy some magazines
Pick up a few magazines on home improvement and bathroom & kitchen remodeling. You will get great ideas from the articles and photographs

Visit showrooms

Although your new space will eventually be specific to you, visiting showrooms might bring out some additional ideas.

Always pick up as many brochures as you can find when touring the showrooms. Circle the items that you are interested in and make sure you write down prices and thoughts that you have at the time.  This will help with your budget and selection down the line.

Use the Internet
The internet is a great tool to get remodeling ideas. 

Make a list

What are you looking for?  One sink or two, pedestal or vanity, wood or ceramic flooring, shower or tub, shower curtain or shower doors, granite or laminate? 

Last but not least, call MEGA 847-658-8989.  We are here to help from the initial design to the final clean up!

If the smell is coming from the drain, often hair build-up can harbor bacteria that will produce a foul odor. There are enzymes that can be poured into the drain, but removing the build-up of any hair would be quicker. Another possible cause for the smell is if the traps in the shower and sink could be dry. If there is a ventilation problem in the plumbing system, the traps could be siphoned dry by flushing a toilet. This would allow sewer gasses to reenter the living space. If neither of these two options resolve your problem, a plumbing contractor would be your next call.