Providing Landscaping Services in Bridgewater, Whitehouse Station, Basking Ridge, Hillsborough, Montgomery, Bernardsville, Readington, Califon, Tewkesbury, Oldwick, Clinton, Hunterdon and Somerset counties in New Jersey since 1980

Archive for March, 2006

Beauty Meets Function: Conserving Energy and Landscaping

Published by
admin
at March 31, 2006 in Home Improvement and Landscaping. 0 Comments


Energy

Trying to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer have been primary concerns and costs for average families. After Hurricane Katrina, the world found itself having to deal with higher energy costs in order to meet the aforementioned concerns. After Katrina natural gas and oil prices went on an upward spiral. What has not been popularly explored was that landscaping is capable of conserving energy in the home.

How much energy can you really save?

By effectively arranging your landscape to meet specific energy needs, you can save up to at least 30% in the cost of your cooling and heating. Trees, which are a staple in properly landscaped property, can effectively reduce 60% of sunlight even without foliage.

How does it work?

The primary consideration in landscaping in to conserve energy is to conduct heat effectively through the property, properly direct wind movement to manage the effects of direct wind blowing through the house, and maintain whatever heat or cool is in the house.

These are the three goals, and these are achieved by positioning various foliage— whether it be deciduous trees, conifer trees, evergreen plants, shrubs or bushes.

Keeping the Heat In

Shrubs and bushes that are planted close to the wall of the house create what is called a dead air barrier, and actually buffers the foundation of the house, making sure that warm air or cold – whichever is inside the house - that would usually escape through roofs or windows stays inside.

Redirecting the Sunlight

The summer sun is one of the main culprits of increasing heat inside the home. When the sun’s rays hit the home directly, 90% of this heat goes into heating the walls and foundations of the home. The best location for these trees in the yard or garden is either west or south of the house, where they can best block the sun from its peak time until the time it sets.

By putting trees very proximate to the property, you are effectively reducing temperatures inside the home. Huge shade trees in particular can reduce temperatures up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the winter, deciduous trees that shed foliage allow for sunlight to pass through the branches, providing some warmth to the home. Landscaping is an activity that should be maximized for all its functionality. After all, if beautifying a home garden or yard works to cut the utility bills it is worth consideration.

Today there are a number of bedding options available for domestic use. You can have a proper canopy bed a well as a four-poster one. Then there is the sofabed category too. But with beds come problems like common bed bugs. It is not exactly bedding for livestock or one would have ignored such pest problems.

Mulching and Landscaping Tips

Published by
admin
at March 28, 2006 in Gardening and Landscaping. 0 Comments

Are you thinking of landscaping with mulch? A neatly arranged bed of mulch does a good job of improving the appearance of the lawn. But besides its aesthetic value, it also has other benefits. Mulch serves as a protective mechanism for the root systems of the plants and at the same time it provides nutrients that make the soil richer. It also prevents soil erosion and weeds as well as retaining moisture. Here are some tips that will help you with your project.

Types of mulches

There are two kinds of mulches, organic and inorganic ones. Organic mulches are created from natural substances and help enhance the soil via decomposition.

Lawn clippings can be used when the mowing season begins. This type of mulch should be dried thoroughly before being used since it has a tendency to mat when spread thick if it is not dry. Don’t use clippings that have been sprayed with herbicide. Grass is nitrogen rich and is ideal when used as a vegetable mulch.

Sawdust is also easily obtained in most areas. It is a good idea to let it decompose after mixing it with a small amount of soil to prevent it from getting blown away when dry or matting when wet. Nitrogen in the soil may be lessened if fresh sawdust is introduced into the soil but if the sawdust is just on the upper portion of the soil, this will not be a problem.

Straw is what is left of the stem of grains that have been harvested. Because of its light weight, you may have some trouble applying it. It needs to be replaced more often since it decomposes quickly. It is a good choice for areas that have been newly seeded.

For inorganic mulches here are the choices:

Recycled rubber is usually picked as an alternative to bark or stone. Natural looking recycled rubber does not only last very long time but is also safe. Its main advantages are: it enhances the retention of water, it regulates soil temperature, prevents weed growth, and has good aesthetic values.

Plastic on the other hand, makes the soil warm and prevents air and water from penetrating or getting out of it and it does not decompose The plant’s growth is accelerated by the additional heat and moisture. Due to its solid characteristics, plastic mulches need an irrigation system.

These are some of the mulches that you can use for landscaping. Plan carefully and decide which kind of mulch to use based on the appearance and needs of your landscaping project. Go ahead and make your dream lawn a reality!

Good luck and happy landscapng!

How to Find a Good Contractor

Published by
admin
at March 2, 2006 in Home Improvement, Contractors, Homeowners, Gardening and Landscaping. 0 Comments

We know how difficult and frustrating it can be to find an experienced, qualified contractor or tradesmen/women! I am sure most of you have heard many horror storries from friends and family and most of them have probably been true! But it doesn’t have to be that way. While it’s not easy to find a competent, ethical, do-right contractor to work on your home or business, it CAN be done so read on for some practicle advice!

Real world information is very hard to find when you are starting your search. Newspapers and and magazine artlces mean well but none of them are able to provide you with real testimonials and experiences of previous customers who worked with any particular contractor.

We have put together a quick checklist for you below:

GET REFERRALS!

The best way to start is through friends and family. However, these referrals need to be qualified and checked as well. For example, your friend might have used a great contractor for her garage addition but may have no idea whether the company is also experienced in kitchen cabinets and tile replacement. You need to find out whether the referred company is also experienced in the specific job you are interesting in getting done.

Hardware stores and material manufacturers are also a good resource. But once again, make sure you check references and portfolios.

Engineers, architects and other contractors in similar industries are also an excellent resource. Once again, check all references and experience regardless of how good the referral sounds.

Spend some time and research each candidate. Check with the search engines for anything you may find. And most imprtant of all, trust your instincts.
For a good resource, try a Contractor Referral Service called QuoteCity.com which is located in Metuchen, New Jersey. This service pre-screens contractors and matches up homeowners who are interested in receiving quotes and estimates from qualified contracotrs in their area. Excellent service for those who do not have countless hours to spend on doing research and finding references, etc. There are many other contractor referral services available online. Just do a Google search.

PREPARE BUDGETS AND SPECIFICATIONS

If you are serious about finding a good contractor, it will be imprtant for you to be realistic about your budget and the work you can afford to complete.

Any professional contractor and tradesperson will appreciate the fact that you have prepared your specifications in advance and will be more responsive as a result. He/she will also be able to quickly determine if you can afford what you want, will help determine how much of what you want is possible with your budget and you’ll have the assurance that everyone you’re interviewing is pricing the same job. Many times, contractors seem unreliable or unresponsive because customers do not seem serious about the work they need done or have no idea how much things will really cost. Do your homework in advance and you will get a much better response.

CHECK REFERENCES!

We CANNOT stress enough how important this step is!! Before you give your final word and sign on the dotted line, make sure you follow these steps:

1. Make sure your contractor is INSURED for both Worker’s Compensation and General Liability. Don’t take the contractor’s word or accept a copy of an insurance binder from the contractor. The only secure way is to get the name of the contractor’s insurance carrier, look the number up in the phone book yourself, then call and ask for a Certificate of Insurance. The carrier will be happy to send you one in the mail.

2. Check the contractor’s professional associations. For example, contractors who are members of NARI (The National Association of the Remodeling Industry) are usually the type who take pride in their professional credentials.

3. Find out how long the contractor has been in business. Many small businesses go out of business in less than a year. Make sure your contractor doesn’t run out of capital on your job.

4. Call the company’s bank and find out whether their account has been handled responsibly.

5. Find out how long the contractor has been working with his crew? A long-time crew is a sign that your contractor treats his workers well and that there should be no revolving door on your project. You want to avoid the “learning curve” new employees bring to a project in progress as much as possible.

6. Find out what will be handled by the contractor’s staff and what will be subcontracted? Get names of the subcontractors and call them. Ask if the contractor pays on time? How reliable is he? Also ask for the names of suppliers and check out the contractor with them.

7. Find out how many other projects the contractor will be working on simultaneously if you choose to hire him/her. Will the contractor be able to devote the time you need to your project?

8. Ask the contractor to provide you with references of projects similar to yours and call them up.D id the job stay within budget and on schedule? Was the site kept clean? Did the contractor pay his bills? Would you work with this contractor again? Ask if you can visit to see the results of the project.

And finally, just like anything, go with your gut feeling. For more info on how to find a good contractors, come back for the second part of this article where we will discuss how to negotiate a good contract before beginning the work!

Good luck and happy building and remodeling.

OTHER INTERESTING IDEAS:

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