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Shedding Light on Window Styles

Window Styles for Home Remodel

Aside from the practical use of windows for letting in light and fresh air, the different styles are important considerations when buying a house or remodeling. These five common window styles can add a personal touch to your home while contributing to a better design in general.

Single and Double Hung Windows

Single vs. Double Hung Windows
These are the most common and expected windows for a house. Single hung will be more cost-affective while double hung may make up for the extra cost in their ease of use and maintenance. The single hung window opens from the bottom, but a double hung window opens from the bottom or top and allows you to clean the exterior and interior from inside your home.

Slider Windows

Slider Windows
More common in contemporary or modern homes, slider windows function similar to a sliding glass door. One side slides horizontally on top of the other. Slider windows are commonly used in shorter walls to save on vertical space while still allowing in the same amount of light as a single or double hung window.

Casement Windows

Casement Windows
Built with a hinge, casement windows swing out with a crank instead of sliding open. Casement windows are valued for their better insulation and ventilation capabilities. Similar to casement windows are awning windows which open outward from the bottom (creating an awning) and help keep the elements out, like rain.

Transom Windows

Transom Windows
Appearing above another window or door, transom windows are largely for decoration and a relatively affordable way to let in more light. They are usually shaped like a semi-circle, but can come in rectangular, square, or custom shapes to fit your space. While some may open similarly to an awning window, they typically do not open.

Picture Windows

Picture Windows
As a way to bring the outside in, picture windows offer a large, unobstructed view from your house to the outside. Typically picture windows are without breaks and the ability to open, but there are combination units that have operational windows on the sides.

The interior design of your space is greatly impacted by the amount of natural light let in. The next time you think of upgrading, make sure to keep your windows in mind.

Continue To Follow Their Journey

Be sure to stop back and see what else Mitch and Carson and the Boom Brothers team have been up to. If you’d like to contact us in the meantime, give us a call or send us an email.

Prepping for Your Home Renovation

Prepping for your Home Renovation | Boom Brothers, Madison, WI

Finally deciding to renovate your living space is an exciting time, and usually a long time coming. As contractors we work hard to stick to a schedule, keep our work sites clean, and keep the homeowner’s lives as normal as possible. If you’re considering starting the renovation you’ve been waiting for, here are some tips on what to expect:

Unexpected delays could, and usually do, pop up.
It’s a part of the job, sometimes you don’t know what you’ll find until you start to work. As contractors we try to anticipate some of these delays and cushion our timeline. More insulation to remove than expected? Not a big deal, a few more hours added. Outdated electrical found? That’s a different story. Now we need to rely on an external electrical vendor.

External vendors can be booked up as far ahead as four weeks.
Hiring an electrician for the example above could push the project back a few days to a few weeks depending on their availability, which means pushing back the rest of our work that is contingent on the electrical being done. Although it may be a nuisance for the homeowner, it is completely necessary to get problems like those fixed.

Be prepared for the interruption into your everyday lives.
Three weeks may not seem like that big of a time commitment at the beginning, but it will be less of a burden if prepared for ahead of time. Although we try to keep the job site as clean as possible and impose on the homeowners’ schedules as little as possible, the renovation is still an interruption on daily activities. Living in a construction zone can start to grind on anyone after awhile. We understand, and please believe we are doing everything in our power to get the renovation done for you on time.

Speak up if something is wrong.
Remodeling is our specialty, not reading minds. The last thing we want is to have the homeowner unsatisfied. No one wins in this situation, please say something!

When we work together we will build the necessary trust between a contractor and homeowner, leaving the end result satisfactory for both.

Continue To Follow Their Journey

Be sure to stop back and see what else Mitch and Carson and the Boom Brothers team have been up to. If you’d like to contact us in the meantime, give us a call or send us an email.

Victorian Homes: The Pros and Cons

Victorian Homes: The Pros and Cons | Boom Brothers Property Solutions, Madison, WI

We’ve all dreamed about owning a Victorian home at one time or another. Imagine exploring each room and noting the special details in the woodwork and windows. What we may not think about is the amount of work that goes into keeping those details polished and inspiring.

Have you seen Money Pit with Tom Hanks? I think every owner of a home, Victorian or otherwise, has reached this mental state at one time or another:

Don’t worry, it turns out beautiful.

Victorian homes draw our attention because their design and architectural detail are second to none. You simply do not see the time and detail put into houses being built today compared to a century ago. If you’re seriously considering a Victorian for your next home, be prepared to work hard and make the important updates to keep the home in its best possible condition.

A century ago, many of today’s products did not exist. This includes drywall, Romex wiring, pvc piping, etc. What this means is, more likely than not, the home will need to be brought up to code with today’s standards.

A common find in these older homes is knob and tube electrical, and plaster and lathe. If knob and tube electrical is found during alterations to the home it must be removed and updated with new wiring. This can add an unexpected cost to what started as a simple project.

Plaster and lathe are more based on aesthetic preference, but over time it will become brittle and most likely begin to crack.

It is important to be aware of these and other issues that can arise in Victorian homes so you don’t end up with faulty wiring and a smashed tub. These homes take a lot of love to keep them in shape, but the reward is totally worth it.

Continue To Follow Their Journey

Be sure to stop back and see what else Mitch and Carson and the Boom Brothers team have been up to. If you’d like to contact us in the meantime, give us a call or send us an email.

Wood Flooring on a Budget

Wood Flooring a Budget | Laminate, Vinyl, Engineered Hardwood

Updating the flooring in a new space can easily have the most visual impact, and is usually a top request for remodeling. The look of wood flooring, but with easier maintenance, has become a big seller and we’ve implemented the products in our own properties as well as in client’s remodels. Three of these common materials are laminate, vinyl, and engineered hardwood flooring:

Laminate Flooring
The biggest sellers of laminate flooring are lower cost, ease of installation, and low maintenance. Laminate is sold for less because it is mostly synthetic, and can be mass produced using low cost materials. It uses a click and lock assembly for installation – this means no nails, no glue, and it can float over existing sub floors. The clear coat over the top of the laminate makes it easier to care for, but is not necessarily the best for rooms with water like kitchens and bathrooms.

Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl and laminate flooring have a lot of similarities in terms of look, installation, and longevity. Laminate will still be the cheaper option, but the biggest difference between laminate flooring and vinyl flooring is the amount of water each can handle. As said above, laminate is great for general use but should not be used in rooms that may have standing water or leaks. All vinyl flooring is acceptable for wet locations, and some styles are completely waterproof. When installed correctly, the chance of any water seeping through to the subfloor is extremely rare.

Engineered Hardwood
Having the most in common with hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood is likely to be the most expensive option out of the three, but is still worth a consideration. Unlike laminate or vinyl, engineered hardwood has more longevity because the thick wood layer allows the floor to be refinished or recoated, similar to hardwood. Engineered hardwood is also the most realistic looking of the three options, and still easy to install. With engineered hardwood you have the option of gluing and nailing it down, or floating it like the others. Depending on your budget, a mid-range engineered hardwood could be at a similar price point to high-end laminate flooring.

Continue To Follow Their Journey

Be sure to stop back and see what else Mitch and Carson and the Boom Brothers team have been up to. If you’d like to contact us in the meantime, give us a call or send us an email.

Landscaping Plants You Can’t (Easily) Kill

Landscaping plants you can't easily kill | Boom Brothers Property Solutions, Madison, WI

Now that the sun is alive in the Midwest people have been out planting gardens and working on landscaping. As landlords, landscaping needs to be approached with a strategy: durability. You can’t control the people or animals that will choose to walk through the yard, and you certainly can’t trust the weather – especially in Wisconsin. Below are five suggestions of plants you can’t (easily) kill.

Hostas
Hostas could probably survive the apocalypse. They enjoy shade, can tolerate the sun, and come in a variety of colors. The flowers can vary from white to lilac and the leaves can vary in texture, color, and width. They’re popular for how big they can get and the amount of foliage they provide. If you have a family friend (thanks, Sandy!) whose hostas have provided too much foliage, they may even split some plants for you for free!

Weigela
Weigela is similar in care to a shrub. It flowers most when planted in full sun, but still fares well in lightly shaded areas. Some weigela plants at full growth may require some pruning, but hey, maybe you prefer the natural state of the plant (we don’t judge). Next to hostas they can add a nice pop of color to a larger area that is still easy to maintain and care for.

Petunias
Another plant that can cover some ground are petunias. They typically flower in pinks and purples, but can be found in yellow, apricot, red, and white as well. To get the most color out of petunias they should be planted in full sun and, unlike the other plants, they are an annual and must be planted every year.

Coneflower
Native to the Midwest, coneflowers are tough with their drought- and disease-resistant history. The plant does double-duty by flowering in the summer and providing birds food from their seeds in the fall and winter. Coneflowers should be planted in full sun and in soil that dries.

Daylilies
Daylilies have thousands of varieties to choose from and range in color from white to orange to purple. The flowers will bloom briefly, but there are several flowers on a stalk and they vary in the times they bloom. Daylilies should be planted in full sun and can be clipped once all of its buds have bloomed for the season.

Continue To Follow Their Journey

Be sure to stop back and see what else Mitch and Carson and the Boom Brothers team have been up to. If you’d like to contact us in the meantime, give us a call or send us an email.

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