25. May 2009 by admin.

Before hiring A Deck Builder / Contractor in Massachusetts or Rhode Island — Read this!

Choosing your deck contractor in this economy can be a daunting task to say the least. As of late, you hear horror stories on the 6 o’clock news of unlicensed contractors burning homeowners over and over again - especially in these times. We’ve all heard the term “If it’s too good to be true” than guess what? It’s not a good bargain! Hiring a licensed & insured contractor insures you’ll have a properly built deck, and worry free. However, hiring a unlicensed contractor can carry some heavy fines on the homeowner. We suggest you go through our list of recommended questions to ask your contractor.

1. How many years has your company been in business? If the contractor doesn’t have at least three years experience building decks he may not be able to perform the job to a professional level. Your contractor may lack the skills to keep the business afloat. What will your warranty be worth if your deck contractor goes out of business? You should feel comfortable with the integrity of the company and not just the sales person or carpenter.

2. Do they have a business license? If your contractor doesn’t have a business license, then they haven’t completed the appropriate paperwork to obtain one. These are companies that you may not want to do business with for liability reasons. A business license is important because it validates the legitimacy of the business.

3. Do they have proper insurance? Proper insurance includes general liability and workman’s compensation insurance. This is very important for your protection as a homeowner. If the contractor does not hold these insurances, you may be liable for property damage and worker injury on your property. Some areas of the country do not require contractors to carry workman’s compensation insurance. In most cases its because a company has too few employees and can provide a waiver of homeowner-liability instead. Ask to have a certificate sent to you by the insurance company or call the listed agent on the certificate to see if the contractors insurance is paid up to date. 

4. Do they have references? You should ask for a list of at least 3 people that the contractor has worked for. You should ask their past customers a few questions such as: When did they work for you? Would you hire them again? Did they respect your property? Were they persistent with a daily schedule? Was the quality of work good? Could I see the work performed?

5. Do I get a written quote? This means a solid figure that the contractor will commit to in the contract to finishing the work, not an estimate. You would like a detailed quote on the specified work. If the contractor isn’t willing to put in the time as a professional up front by providing a detailed quote, then they may not be professional with your project. The quote should contain the following details at a minimum:

Construction details: Grade of materials, size of materials, type or species of materials, joist and beam spans, connectors (screws, nails, bolts), foundation sizes, specified construction for railings, benches and stairs.

Payment schedule: No deck contractor should ask for more than half the amount of the project up front before starting the job. Most ask for a deposit when the work is first started. You should pay your contractor within 24-48 hours of the contract completion. These are not large corporations, and many contractors can go out of business if too many of their customers withhold payment. The success of their business depends on a positive cash flow.

A drawing of the project: You should get at least a two dimensional drawing of the proposed deck to scale. You’ll want to make sure they are on the same page as you with what you are wanting to have built. You definitely don’t want any surprises at the end of the project.

Parking & Deliveries: It will be important to determine where the contractors will park and where the material deliveries will be placed. You may not want a truck to drop the lumber package on a new driveway. If the lumber will be set on your lawn, you should know that if a lumber package sits on a lawn for more than 4-5 days the grass will start to die. You’ll also need to determine which side of the house you want the contractors to carry the materials around to the project. Also important is to let the contractor know if they can park or drive on the lawn if this type of access is needed to get to the project.

Utility Repairs: Make sure you and your contractor know what utilities run inside the house behind the deck connection to avoid any major problem such as water lines, gas, sewer drain, and electrical damage. Determine who will deal with the utilities if they are cut or broken during construction.

Permits: Your contractor should be willing to pull all permits for you. If the job is started without a permit, then the fines are usually doubled and in some cases the structure has to be removed. Don’t take any chances even if this is a rare occurrence in your area.

Clean Up: Make sure the contractor includes the cleanup of all scraps and excess materials when the job is finished to complete the contract.

Communication: Make sure that you have the phone number of the person in charge of the job. The job foreman should keep the homeowner updated daily on the progress of the job.

Here is a link to a unlicensed contractor sting, here in Rhode Island: Click here.

If you’re in the market for a new custom deck or home improvement, click on the highlighted link below and get a online quote today - Deck builders - porch contractors - home improvements MA & RI


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24. May 2009 by admin.

They’re  many species of Mahogany decking and colors too, supplied by many countries around the world. However, not all Mahogany decking are the same. The one I refer to and do most, is the species known as American Mahogany. American Mahogany has the deep rich red color that we’ve all come to love, especially here in Boston, MA where I’ve built a lot of decks using Mahogany decking. American Mahogany comes from the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America.

Mahogany decking is viewed as a harder decking that is highly durable and has a resistance to moisture and insects. Since Mahogany decking is a harder wood, it has a tendency not to split, warp, or cup. So be sure to ask your contractor or supplier what type of species of decking you’ll like to have. Also, please note Mahogany decking will be a little more expensive than pressure-treated decking, however it’s well worth the investment and looks great to home-buyers and is durable.

Fastening materials for securing Mahogany decking

First, use stainless steel nails or screws on both the mahogany wood decking and railing systems, as other types will not penetrate Mahogany wood decking very well. My preference was the stainless steel nails, however pre-drilling holes is mandatory if not using a nail gun. Even with stainless steel nails, they will bend trying to simply nail them into the mahogany wood decking. I found that with the hex head screws that they chewed the wood going in and left somewhat of a ragged finish on the surface of the mahogany wood.

Second, when installing the mahogany wood decking, I found it aesthetically most attractive to create a frame on the outside perimeter of the deck surface using long Mahogany decking boards. Once the outer frame is installed, then the main Mahogany decking boards can be simply installed within this outer framework. The result is a cleaner line when viewed from a distance or standing on the deck itself.

Regarding the mahogany railing system, screws and bolts should be used exclusively as the material use in this part of the deck is typically thicker and requires more rigidity.

Staining or Sealing Mahogany Wood Decking

Mahogany wood decking takes paint and stain well, however I have preferred to apply a clear sealer.  The clear sealer enables the natural red color of the Mahogany decking to shine through, while still providing a layer of protection from the environment. Typically I re-apply the clear sealer every year to continue to preserve the color. If you do not, the Mahogany will bleach out.

If you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and in need of a deck contractor, feel free to click on any highlighted link on this page, and you’ll be directed to my website.

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23. May 2009 by admin.

 Isn’t it quite typical when the building manufactures try to re-invent the wheel, when comes to building materials. How often a solid well-received and proven product is replaced by a so-called “improved” version, that turns out to have unanticipated flaws. I’ll give you a fine example, for more than 60 years, pressure-treated decking and wood was infused using a chemical called chromated copper arsenate or (CCA) for short.

This involves the process of soaking the pressure-treated wood in CCA, thus causing the wood to be long-lasting in outdoor elements. This gave the wood the ability to fight off rot and termites for years, even when buried underground. However, CCA had a major flaw.

Concerned consumers and health officials began questioning the health risks involved with using such products that contained CCA in their treated lumber.  So, the manufactures stopped using CCA back in December of 03 and started using wood preservers that are less toxic, safer, such as copper azole and alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ).

All was fine for a few years until deck builders noticed that the copper in the new treated lumber was extremely corrosive to fasteners and hardware, especially galvanized-metal nails, screws, bolts, joist hangers, and aluminum flashing. It was back to the drawing board for wood preservers.

leading manufacturers of wood preservatives, recently introduced a new carbon-based, non-metallic preservative that’s has no corrosive affect on metal fasteners or flashing. It’s available in most local home centers. Interestingly this new non-metallic preservative doesn’t color the wood, so that lovely green tint we’ve all come to associate with pressure-treated wood doesn’t apply here.

If you like this article, feel free to leave a comment, and if you live in Massachusetts and in need of a new deck, you can receive an online quote right away by clicking on the highlighted link below.

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21. May 2009 by admin.

Good news if your looking or planning from now through 2009-10, for a new energy efficient replacement windows & doors. That’s because now you can receive a tax credit of up to $1,500. or 30% of the cost of qualified energy-efficient windows and doors. This is a huge opportunity for you to reduce you home’s heating and cooling cost - so act now!

Previously, the tax credit was originally a measly $200 for windows and up to $500 for doors. Now that Congress and the President have passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, aka “The Stimulus.” Inside is a provision that triples the old tax credit and that benefits the homeowner greatly, in cost savings.

To qualify for the new tax credit, you have to be a smart consumer and buy the most energy efficient windows. Energy Star certification, the old standard doesn’t cut it anymore. The new standard will help our country become energy independent. Plus, better windows save you money on energy bills and keep you comfortable all year round.

What Are The Requirements For The Tax Credit?

Only windows and doors with a U-Factor of .30 or less qualify. U-Factor is a measure of the window’s overall energy-efficiency. Many windows have U-Factors of .31 or .32. Those don’t qualify.

Windows and doors also need a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of .30 or less. A low SHGC blocks the blistering heat that comes through windows in the summer, reducing the load on your air conditioning. Once again, .31 or .32 aren’t good enough. It has to be exactly .30 or less.

U-Factor and SHGC are independently tested and verified for windows by the National Fenestration Rating Council. Any reputable window will have a NFRC sticker.

How To Tell Which Windows And Doors Qualify

To get your $1,500 tax credit, you need to shop smart. Many windows and doors out there don’t meet the new requirements—even some high-end brands you’ve heard of. A lot of companies haven’t processed or don’t even know about the new tax credit. There’s a lot of confusion about this right now—you don’t want to be left empty-handed.

Here’s what you need to do: Make sure that any replacement window or door you buy has a U-Factor and SHGC of .30 or less. If the window company won’t show you the NFRC sticker certifying the ratings, walk away. If you’re unsure or suspicious, visit the NFRC at www.nfrc.org. You can verify ratings in the product directory or contact them directly.

How To Claim Your 2009 Energy Tax Credit For Windows And Doors

1. Purchase and install any replacement window, patio door, or entry door with a U-Factor and SHGC of .30 or below between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

2. Save your receipt and each window and door performance label (NFRC label) with your tax documents.

3. Claim your tax credit on your Federal filing for the 2009 or 2010 tax year.

Terms and Limitations

• The tax credit is for the cost of the product only and does not include installation costs. Be sure to ask for a sales receipt that shows the cost of the product only.

• The tax credit is 30% of the amount paid up to a $1,500 maximum.

• If a combination of windows and doors are purchased, the total maximum credit is $1,500.

• This is a new tax credit for 2009/2010

If you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, feel free to request a quote from MBM Construction by following the highlighted link below.

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21. May 2009 by admin.

 As a custom deck builder and home improvement contractor in Massachusetts, I’m often regularly asked these kind of questions once I’ve built their pressure-treated deck. So I will do my best to answer the most common question I can think of now. Understand this before I move on, staining your treated decking involves the same process as untreated-decking — the main thing is that the wood is clean and dry from any moisture or dirt.

Can I stain pressure treated lumber?

Yes, you can stain pressure-treated lumber with the one exception, that the decking has completely dried out and has been clean of any and all dirt.

How long should I wait to stain pressure-treated lumber and why do I have to wait?

The process begins at the lumber yard factories and treatment plants. The pressure-treated lumber goes through a process of using a water-based solution that carries the treatment of chemicals into the fibers of the wood while under pressure; this leaves the wood wet.

What if I decide to stain the pressure-treated decking or wood before it’s dry - are there any consequences?

If you were to go ahead and stain or paint the decking before it dries, you’ll end up with bubbles -or- blisters forming on your deck. Also keep in mind, you’ll end up locking in moisture inside of the wood creating fungus or rot to take hold and destroy the wood.

What are the time tables for staining the deck, how long should I wait?

It all depends on what region of the country you live in. If you live in a hot sunny state like Arizona, give it a few weeks and it will more than likely be dry. However, here in Massachusetts it all depends on what season your deck is being constructed in. In the spring and summer months here in MA. I would wait 30-60 days before I would treat your deck with stain.

What kind of stain should I use for pressure treated lumber?

There are stains on the market today. My favorite type of stain would be Cabot stain, it holds up to the rough seasons we see here in Massachusetts the best. Many people believe Thompsons is the best, I completely disagree –they only have the best marketing! Just read the backs of the can and follow their directions…

How should I stain pressure treated lumber? Or, how should I apply the stain?

Read the can because it varies with some stains but most stains can be applied with a brush, sprayer, or sponge. You will probably find a sprayer to be the easiest method.

Should I stain pressure treated lumber yearly?

Yes! If your looking to preserve the deck, porch, patio for years to come stain your deck annually.

My final thoughts:

Staining pressure treated lumber is not rocket science. In fact, there is nothing remotely complicated about it but it does take time and if you don’t do it properly, you’ll mess it all up. If I did not make this point obvious enough above then let me say it again here:

Treated wood must be dry before you stain or paint it.

Enjoy your project. Wear gloves. Wear goggles. Be careful with tools. Work in ventilated areas.

Feel free to comment on my page, I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability. And if you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and  in the market for a new deck or porch, visit my home page - the link will be highlighted below.

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20. May 2009 by admin.

Sealing or Oiling Ipe Decks:

Ipe is a very dense wood and have been called names such as “Ironwood,”because it’s tough like steel; and the correct way to pronounce Ipe would be “ee-pay.” Since Ipe decking is incredibly dense, you must treat the decking with an oil based stain in a certain way, to maintain the original exotic look of the wood.

Ipe has no one-coat solution and can absorb only a small amount of oil on the first application, if you were to apply to much oil it would begin to puddle up and not absorb. We feel it’s best to build up coats of sealant over a period of time for optimal results. After we finished sanding the deck down, we begin to apply a couple of coats, keeping in consideration of not over doing it. Depending on the location of your deck and how much sunlight directly hits your deck, will determine how many coats in your first year you’ll do. It’s not all that uncommon to have to apply 2-4 coats of oil on your decking. Basically, once you’ve applied the first couple of coats let the deck become seasoned before you apply another coat –typically 1-2 months time, then again 6 months later.

The natural look of Ipe:

Ipe wood has its own natural decay defenses, so sealing is not necessary. Ipe’s natural density will prevent water absorption, cupping, splintering and twisting issues common with traditional decking materials. It will remain smooth and splinter free, aging to a silver patina that will outlast most woods with no chemical coating.

If you like the post, feel free to comment. Or if your looking for a deck or porch builder in Massachusetts, click on the highlighted link here: Custom deck & porch contractor MA Technorati Profile“>Technorati Profile