Friday, June 14, 2019

FineCraft Contractors was Featured on Houzz.com

GAITHERSBURG, MD: FineCraft Contractors, Inc., (https://finecraftcontractors.com/) was recently featured in an article on Houzz.com.

Matt Clawson, a Houzz contributor, recently wrote an article about the 5 Remodels That Make Good Resale Value Sense — and 5 That Don’t.
This article featured one of FineCraft’s living room remodels as an example to show how adding or upgrading your living room space is a good investment.

The article stated: “Newly added square footage generally increases your home’s value.” FineCraft remodels living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms to add value to your home and to make it a comfortable space to be in by homeowners and guests.

The article can be seen here: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-remodels-that-make-good-resale-value-sense-and-5-that-dont-stsetivw-vs~48158905

The FIneCraft team says this regarding home remodels: “You can change up the way you live by remodeling the layout and flow of your house which helps you achieve a better flow. Get rid of some walls and open up your kitchen, invite people in by converting your dated split-level to a contemporary lifestyle. Sky’s the limit when it comes to remodeling!”

CJ’s Design Studio, a past client of FineCraft Contractors stated, “We recently completed a large remodeling project in partnership with FineCraft Contractors, Inc. The project encompassed a large, high end kitchen and two baths, including the Master Bath. George Papaheraklis and his fine crew are a pleasure to work with and have a keen action to detail. No request was too small and every team member was respectful and professional. The end product turned out exactly as we had designed it, plus George made some wonderful suggestions along the way which were executed in the overall project… George is highly professional, easy to work with and his team is dedicated to their craft.”

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., located in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1985, FineCraft has been building houses, additions, kitchens, baths and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.

Friday, June 7, 2019

Big Trees Inc. Transplanted Large Fruit Trees in Central Washington

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees Inc., (https://bigtreesupply.com/), a tree sales and transplant company, was asked to come to Central Washington and transplant a number of large fruit trees from an apple growing property, to the owner’s property a few miles down the road.

The client had called initially in February and began asking questions about what would be involved with moving ten large trees in the Yakima area. After discussing tree varieties and sizes, the limitations and logistics involved, and the long-term care for the trees after transplanting, the client decided to move forward.

The 90-foot tree spade truck can take a root ball of around seven feet in diameter and four feet deep, weighing around 8,000 pounds, with the tree’s trunk and branches adding an additional 1,000 pounds of wood weight. It tends to be best suited for moving trees in the 20 to 25-foot height range.

An estimated cost for the travel and onsite operations was agreed on, and the date was set for the crew and tree spade truck to arrive. The crew left early in the morning on the start day and arrived with plenty of daylight to make progress on the project. The crew stayed overnight and made quick work of the remaining trees the next day, allowing them to drive back to Snohomish well before closing of the shop that day. The newly transplanted trees were in the 20-foot height rand and 10 to 12-feet wide. The trees were spaced out in a field behind a property that the owner is going to be developing into their new residence.

“The 90-foot Big John tree spade truck is an impressive piece of equipment! When all of the access and tree situations line up for the truck’s needs, this machine is a very capable option for moving large trees in a successful and rapid manner,” said Nancy, owner of Big Trees.

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc., located in Snohomish, WA in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only deliver young trees, but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at https://bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

What is a Certified Arborist and Why Should You Use One?

By Nancy Penrose

Alright, so first things first. What is an arborist? Well, to put it simply, an arborist is a professional who is highly trained in the science of planting, caring for and maintaining trees.

Ok, so what about a certified arborist? A certified arborist is someone who is highly seasoned and has been certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. The only way to become ISA-certified is to pass rigorous certification exams that test one’s knowledge about the various parts of arboriculture, the study of how trees grow and respond to their environment.

Why should I use a certified arborist?

Arborists are tree-care experts. In fact, they are required to have at least 3-years of experience within the field. They also are required to stay up-to-date on the most recent arboriculture techniques.
When you use a certified arborist, you’re utilizing the experience, skills and know-how of these professionals so your trees can be properly taken care of on your property.

The trees on your property are an investment that effect the value of your property. Trees that are not taken care of properly can devalue your home and even make create safety hazards. On the flip side, if your trees are well-maintained and properly taken care of, the value of your home can increase and those around it will remain safe.

When you hire a certified arborist, you’ll feel assured that your tree professional knows how to perform any type of tree-care activity, such as pruning, removal, trimming, etc.

At Big Trees, we offer a one-year warranty and a free aftercare visit from our Board Certified Master Arborist when we install trees. Just contact us today at (866) 313-2333 to get started.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (https://bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at https://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on tree care or installation go to privacytree.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Silva Construction Offers Soft Story Retrofit Services

SAN PEDRO, CA: Silva Construction, (https://www.silvaconstruction.com) a construction company, is now offering soft story retrofit services.

A typical Soft-Story building is a building with two or more stories located over a ground level floor with large openings, such as parking garages, or a commercial store with a large glass front. Without proper retrofitting, these building may be subjected to structural failure during or after an earthquake.

The City of Los Angeles recently passed a law mandating the retrofitting of all wood-frame soft-story structures.

The first step in any soft-story retrofitting project is analyzing the building and determining the best way to strengthen the structure, out of several available options. One of Silva Construction’s experts will determine the best approach.

Dave Silva stated “Getting a soft story structure retrofitted is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. But even in other cities, this is an important step for an owner of a soft story apartment or retail building. During an earthquake these soft story structures can be very dangerous. Getting them retrofitted is the proactive approach to avoiding serious damage.”

David Clarke and Dave Silva are owners of Silva Construction, Inc., located in San Pedro, CA. The company has over 40 years of experience in remodeling construction, and serves Southern California’s South Bay area, including Westchester, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, San Pedro, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Harbor City, Lomita, Torrance, and other select areas. Their blog can be seen at https://www.silvaconstruction.com/blog3/ and their website can be seen at https://www.silvaconstruction.com. They can be reached at 310-831-6310.

Friday, May 17, 2019

A Mid Century Modern Project Open House

By Niko Papaheraklis

We are very excited to share that we are having an open house of a mid century modern project we did with Manion Architects! The open house will be on Saturday, May 18th at 2:00pm to 5:00pm in Potomac, MD.

For this project, we added a rear addition and remodeled the interior to give this growing family more space to enjoy with a lot of natural light. It is a stunning project you’ll want to see in person!

An open house is often used for prospective buyers to look at a home staged with furniture to get an idea of what it would be like to live there. This project open house is for clients who are looking for a company to help remodel their home, and is a great way to view a completed project and get an in-person feel for the type of work they do.

With that said, we’re inviting you to this project open house. There will be some food and refreshments for your enjoyment and we cannot wait to see you there! To RSVP to the open house, simply click here: http://evite.me/ga7uZU58Ec

At Finecraft Contractors, if you can imagine it, we can build it. We always keep your health and comfort in mind when designing and building. If you have a renovation idea or want to remodel sections of your home, call us at 301-330-9191 and we’ll give you a thoroughly thought out estimate.

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., Since 1985, FineCraft home remodeling contractors have been building houses, home additions, kitchen & bath remodeling and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

FineCraft Contractors Building a Row House in Washington, DC

GAITHERSBURG, MD: FineCraft Contractors, Inc., (https://finecraftcontractors.com/) is currently building a row house from the ground up in Washington DC.

Since most row houses are added onto or remodeled, FineCraft Contractors Inc. is doing something different by building it from the ground up. Jonathon Kuhn is the architect and the project will be two units with two living quarters complete with two kitchens, two master baths, two family rooms, and more.

FineCraft Contractors just finished the foundation, which consisted of installing 60 helical piers and pouring the footers and foundation slab, and the framing is currently in progress. With this project being located in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC, it is just minutes from the Capitol, off of New Jersey Ave in SE.

Lobkovich Kitchen Designs Inc., a company who collaborated with FineCraft in the past said, “We have collaborated with FineCraft on several projects and have been impressed with their integrity, client commitment, as well as the overall quality of their work. Each of these projects were medium sized renovations with very complex design details. George and his team always try hard to please the client. We look forward to working with them again on future projects!”

Savannah C., a past client of FineCraft Contractors stated, “FineCraft Contractors, Inc. is an excellent company! The staff are very professional and efficient. I was so impressed by their work. The quality and design of their projects are some of the best I’ve seen in this industry. I would gladly work with them again!”

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., located in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1985, FineCraft has been building houses, additions, kitchens, baths and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Choosing the Right Place to Plant a Tree

By Nancy Penrose

Planting a tree is a great way to conserve energy, protect your property and clear the air. Additionally, trees preserve soil, provide food and add value to your home. Choosing the right location for your tree is vital and will help keep the tree in good health. So, how do you choose a good place? We outline our tips below.

Figure out the purpose of your tree

What will the function of your tree be? Do you want more shade to keep your home cool in the summer? A large leafy tree can do the trick. Or maybe you want to add some more privacy to your home, in which case evergreens are a great choice. First decide on the purpose of your tree and then you’ll be able to determine a location.

Finding the perfect location

Once you’ve figured out the purpose of your tree, you’ll need to find the perfect location so it can function as desired. They’ll need to be planted in a spot where they won’t be interfered with or damaged by surrounding structures. Your tree size will be a large determining factor on where the tree can go. Make sure the height doesn’t obstruct any views or risk contact with power lines, and that the root system doesn’t interfere with anything underground, like water pipes, the home’s foundation, or the sidewalk.

When a tree is planted correctly in a good location and cared for properly, it can become a lifelong addition to your home. On the other hand, if the tree is not planted correctly and isn’t well cared for, costly problems can occur.

At Big Trees, we can help you pick out a tree that will best suit your needs and give our expert opinion on where it should be planted. Just contact us today at (866) 313-2333 to get started.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (https://www.bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at https://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on tree care or installation go to privacytree.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108.