Denise Smith

home & hearth
Denise Smith
The front porch has become a symbol of what is good about America. It’s as much a part of who we are as apple pie and Chevrolet. And rightly so—no other place can represent the perfect balance of public discussion and private reflection like the front porch.

Outdoor living areas ranked third in upgrades wanted most in homes, according to an April 2012 survey from Better Homes and Gardens, and the home improvement industry is responding.

Creating an outdoor space can be simple or elaborate, and the investment may be large or small. But whether it is a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, a sunroom, or a quaint gazebo or simple deck, these improvement projects bring value to the home.

While our parents may have had to make a choice between an iron table or a creaky wooden swing hung from a metal chain, today’s consumers can choose furnishings that rival any inside the home. Technological advances have provided low-cost, long-wearing resins and fabrics to the market that have unsurpassed abilities to withstand the challenges presented by constant exposure to the elements.

The introduction of resin wicker sparked a surge in the outdoor furniture market. Resin wickers are durable and virtually indestructible. Retailers from Target to high-end Georgetown boutiques have outdoor sofas and armchairs that look as beautiful inside as out. Solution-dyed acrylic fabrics, such as those sold by Sunbrella, combine intricate designs with vibrant colors and withstand years of UV exposure before they begin to fade or break down.

And no outdoor sitting area is complete without a rug. Recycled polypropylene turns milk jugs into long-lasting, mold- and stain-resistant area rugs. These outdoor rugs are inexpensive and beautiful; placing one under a sitting arrangement of furniture instantly creates the feel of a comfortable sitting room, even if that room is just a slab of concrete.

Here in Prince William County, the days may be too hot in July to enjoy an outdoor space without shade, but nights can be pleasant, especially if there is a breeze to keep the biting bugs away. And Autumn is right around the corner, whether we like it or not.

Denise Smith
Design and Sales Consultant
FA Design Build/Flooring America

Your 203(k) renovation can still meet your style standards.
This renovation was an overhaul of the entire home including, but not limited to, the plumbing, electrical, dry wall, painting, existing bathroom, kitchen, and exterior. What made this job particularly interesting was the installation of a full master bathroom within a master suite in what was originally just an attic space. The additional challenge for this 1946 South Arlington Cottage style home was that this property had been vacant for over a year and was then purchased by a 1st time homebuyer with a FHA 203(k) loan. We now had a challenging design concept for a crumbling home to create a luxury space on a significant budget.

The attic space was a 9’x 11’ open room with a window and ceiling fan. A lot of research had to go into this project to accommodate the contemporary sense of style the homeowner had and the budget we had to work within. We closed in the existing window to use the area with the full height ceiling for the shower space and installed a full bathroom with standup shower stall, vanity and toilet. My favorite design feature was the ceramic floor tile that looked like the hardwood with gray undertones you found in the rest of the home. We also maintained the integrity of the original Cottage style home by adding shutters on the exterior of the window we had closed off.

At the end our client, Rachel Dendui, had this to say, “FA Design Build helped me navigate the 203(k) Renovation process. Their designer [Jessica Cannon] provided expert advice, and drew the plans for a beautiful bathroom out of a tricky floor plan.”

FHA’s 203(k) loan for your fixer upper that you’ve either just purchased or you already own falls into one of 2 categories: Streamline or Standard. “Standard/Rehab (minimum $5,000 up to 110% of the improved appraised value) & the Streamline (work is less than $35,000…up to 110% of the improved appraised value).

Example: Purchase price is $100,000. Upgrades/Repairs/Improvements will cost $15,000. Borrowers loan amount is $115,000 (max 110% of after fix-up appraised value).”*

The good news- we handle them both. It’s often a difficult task to find a qualified Class A General Contractor with the ability AND willingness to sign on for either one. We are experienced and qualified to handle 203(k) projects and that alone can make a world of difference to you and the lender when going through the administrative processes as well as the obvious remodel. If we as your contractor do not meet the approval of your underwriter based upon the standards set out by the lender and the FHA program then we aren’t your contractor and you’re stuck up a creek without a paddle.

Thankfully that’s never happened to any of our homeowners and the 203(k) renovations were a success. Our most recent rave comes from a client’s lender who is known for his expertise in navigating the 203(k) process. Nice to know the experts approve of us too!

“Hope to refer you more business.  Great service!  Thanks, Bob” (Bob Miller, Southern Trust Mortgage) – January 19, 201

* www.203kcontractors.com

Copyright 203KContractors.com®

FHA has a loan that allows you to buy a home, fix it up, and include all the costs in one loan. Or, if you own a home that you want to re-model or repair, you can refinance what you owe and add the cost of repairs – all in one loan.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) – which is part of HUD – insures the loan, so your lender can offer you a better deal.

• Low down payments
• Low closing costs
• Easy credit qualifying

FA Design Build has a dedicated team to help you through the 203(k) remodeling process.

Contact Mylene Thomas for details.

You’re approved for your 203(k) loan and you’ve picked a contractor and you’re ready for the inspection prior to signing all the paperwork and starting construction. Then there’s mold. The big national contractor of all people has said, “No way. No how. No mold abatement or remediation here.” Well, heck, now what? You’re supposed to go to closing in a week and this was the contractor and this was the inspection and who’s going to provide a proposal and do the work and can navigate the 203(k) process with you and your lender? You are going to lose this opportunity if you don’t find a qualified Class A General Contractor.

Call me. We don’t mind getting dirty with some mold. We’re certified for that sort of thing.

If your teenager, or significant other for that fact, is anything like mine then they have a built in filter that blocks any noise coming from your mouth. I don’t have nice countertops for that exact reason. I have a dedicated space just for cutting boards. Small cutting boards, medium cutting boards, large cutting boards, cutting boards for meat with a draining system, cutting boards for vegetables with a built in colander…you get the idea. However, when my 15 year old daughter makes her lunch salad the only thing she cuts on is my kitchen island counter top. It drives me crazy.

Since my voice apparently comes out sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher I have decided to change my surroundings rather than fight the laws of a teenager’s nature. I’ve always thought I’d wait until all my kids were out of the house to do this upgrade, but by then I’ll be blogging about which hover round model is the best. Thankfully there’s Cambria. Honestly the upfront costs are pretty comparable to granite countertops. The real cost savers are in the maintenance. It can withstand the wear and tear and stains associated with my destructive family. Plus, since it’s a quartz product like granite, it mimics a lot of the same aesthetic qualities of granite. Let’s face it who has time to refinish their countertops when last week’s clean laundry has made its way back into the dirty pile…and it’s still clean. Grrrr… At least I won’t be scrubbing my countertops with a toothbrush to get the yuck out of the knife grooves inflicted on it anymore. Ahhhh….

We have a great selection of Cambria samples in our Fairfax showroom. Come check it out and while you’re there win a gift card to Palio’s Restaurant and let someone else cut up their kitchen counters!

How about Cambria kitchen countertops? It’s 93% quartz, a natural stone and with FA Design Build’s new resources they can offer more style choices that look like granite but don’t require the up keep. Maybe with all the time I’ll save not worrying about how to treat and seal granite I can buy that beautiful palm tree again and water it, too.

P.S. If my husband is reading this I would like the new kitchen in Shirebrook and the master bathroom in Praa Sands.

By Mylene Thomas

A man designed my bathroom. He didn’t realize that in order to achieve the Victoria’s Secret model bed head sexpot hair it required an arsenal of curling irons, brushes and hair products with names that sound like they belong in a romance novel. This man didn’t realize the amount of creams specified for daytime protection ONLY to fight off the signs of aging from the cleaning up after 3 children, the dog and his muddy boots. These daytime creams will do absolutely NOTHING for the insomnia, and, so, I need the night time creams to ward off the bags and wrinkles. So, I will NOT apologize for the bathroom counter covered in my beauty war zone.

If you choose to enter the battle zone then come prepared.

Remodel my bathroom with Medallion’s Simplicity Storage Solutions. Save me from the counter burns from my curling irons for each perfectly sized curl and buy the salon styling cabinet with the various shaped salon grade metal canisters.

Help me organize the many shades of pink blush designed to adapt to each season and shade of white or tan I may be and get the custom drawer inserts.

 I forever promise to cherish you and do my best to keep my girlish glow for you and for my sake, but please for the love of God give me the bathroom to do it and I promise I will not infiltrate your garage for my storage solutions.

Email Jessica and she will take the work out of it. Don’t worry; you can still take credit for it and the thank you for it afterwards.