by Andy Piper on November 22, 2011
Home owners are beginning to use urban wood sources to remodel or to create additions to their homes.
Photo by Chris Amos
A Washington Post article has featured two Ann Arbor homes that have incorporated local timber into the design. John Scudder and Regan Knapp have turned their garage into a guest bedroom and office. Complete with windows and full height ceilings, the entire space has been refurbished using lumber cut from two pines in their back yard.
Eric and Sally Pauls have also remodeled using local lumber. Their one of a kind 1920s kitchen required custom pieces, the kind not found in a hardware store. Hiring a local contractor and using urban lumber the couple spent roughly the same as if they had order the pieces made from a large distributor.
Most people probably wont consider this kind of remodeling material as an option, but it does exist. The problem is that very few contractors advertise the service and you simply have to look out for it. The wood is also more difficult to cut down, clean and process than most regular lumber is.
Homeowners seem to mostly use the wood due to a sentimental attachment to the tree after it has died. You planted the tree when a child was born, when you moved in, you climbed on and played on it. Now it’s the counter and cupboard, the rail on the stairs or the floor in the guest room. Δ John Fenton
by Andy Piper on November 13, 2011
Part one of a continuing series this winter on home safety.
The cold has officially begun in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area and tens of thousands of residents will begin heating their homes with fire places and space heaters.
Space Heaters are a potential fire starter in the home.
Space heaters. These little devices are coming out in homes all over Michigan this winter. As an excellent secondary source of heat many residents will purchase one or already have one away in the closet. Now that the windows are clouded with frost in the morning hours the space heater will make its debut.
Great as they are, the appliance can cause serious damage to you or your home if miss handled or neglected. These problems can be easily avoided by remembering a few simple safety tips.
Always keep your space heater in an open area, especially away from loose fabrics like curtains. Make sure you are familiar with the operation manual and know what each setting and feature does. Inspect the cord. Does it have frays or any other kind of damage? Do not use the unit with an extension cord as this can bypass some of the built in safety features. Most importantly, if you have children, watch them around the space heater. Its surfaces can burn badly and though most have features to turn off when tipped the hazard of fire still exists.
The inspiration for this article, and a series on home safety, comes from Underwriters Laboratories.
ΔJohn Fenton, writes for Piperpartners Ann Arbor real estate
