Should we drain our water heater???

I know many of my past customers use this blog as a tool for making their homes more efficient.  During all of my final walk throughs, 30 day walk throughs, and even the one year walk through with my past customers I mention emptying their water heater yearly.  While most don't ever even touch this appliance once it is turned on, there are some very inexpensive things we can do to make it last much longer than the typical life expectancy.  To drain your water heater, simply turn the switch to the unit off.  It is typically located near the floor where you would also adjust the temperature.  Once it is shut off, find the main line of water into the water heater.  This is located just above the water heater usually.  Now that the power and the water source is off to the unit, attach a garden hose to the screwed outlet on the water heater.  Once the hose is attached and ran to the floor drain, take a flat head screw driver and use it to open the valve next to the screwed outlet.  It typically doesn't take long to drain the water out, but by doing it this way the sediment on the bottom of the water heater leaves as well as the water.  This sediment is typically what accumulates over time and will eventually cause the water heater to rust from the bottom.  Once the water heater is drained of the water, screw the valve closed completely.  Then open the water valve on the top of the water heater back up to fill the unit up.  Remember not to turn the water heater on before any of this.  Doing so can damage the water heater due to how fast the elements can heat up.  Once the unit is filled and no water is leaking from the valves, turn on the water heater switch to start the heating of the water once again.  This is really that simple to do and it will more than likely add years of worry free operation to your homes water heater.  

Wait till spring or start now?

Simple question and most would say waiting till spring is the right answer.  I can't totally disagree with them either,  but we are in the perfect storm right now.  Building costs and labor costs have been suppressed for years now and the pent up demand is starting to build in our industry.  I have first hand seen the costs starting to tick up the wrong direction for the homeowner looking to build down the road.  While waiting till spring has his merit, the idea of an interest rate going from the low 4% range even to a 6% range decreases a buyers buying power by tens of thousands of dollars.  I also wrote blogs in the past discussing the ideas of the materials being so much dryer in the fall and winter months.  Come spring the materials have had a chance to gain moisture from the snow and the increasing humidities in the air.  This is the first cause of a home seeing nail pops and sheetrock cracks.  I monitor the homes I build a year after they are completed and have definitely noticed a difference on the homes we start in the fall vs spring.  The fall homes have much less movement and much less for cosmetic cracks over time.  That all being said, I'm not against spring building.  It is obviously the busiest time of the year for me.  I just don't want to see someone miss out on a valuable opportunity when while we are sitting in the eye of this perfect storm.  Call or email your requests today!!

We are rolling again!!!

I just wanted to drop a line to all my past customers and friends for their support over the past few years.  It has been a struggle in this business and I have managed to stay busy with all of your support.  We just dug one basement for an expanding family in NE Rochester getting ready for twins!!  I am just finishing up with a large project in the metro area of Lake Elmo and hope to post some finished pictures when completed next Friday.  6400 sq ft fully finished home on an acreage and finishing on the day we scheduled 5 months ago!  We have 5 more to dig prior to the fall rush and hope to have several more to start before the snow starts to fly.  One of our projects is going to be in Northfield on the Country Club golf course there.  Should be a fun project and a super couple to work with.  Another home to start is in NE Rochester for a couple expanding their business and getting closer to their family.  It is a gorgeous Ranch on a super lot in Shannon Oaks.  We then plan on digging a home for another expanding family in ManorWoods west of Rochester.  We are just getting going on the selections and should be digging by mid October.  We should be starting another home in NW Rochester sooner than the homes listed above.  Another up and coming family who is currently getting all their new home selections dialed in for us to roll along.  Lastly, we are looking at a larger 2 story in SE Rochester for a developer.  This home would be a great home for any family looking to expand and will be ready for a move in by the time the snow would start to fly.  I really do appreciate all of your support and hope the summer found you all some fun family times.  Drop us a line anytime here with thoughts and ideas you have.  We are all ears and appreciate the feedback!!!

Is Fall a good time to build a home???

I have heard many of my clients express concerns about building too late in the fall or winter.  I have built a few hundred new homes in the Rochester and Surrounding communities and meet with my clients at the one year point of when we closed on their new home.  I do this to not only meet up with my past customers, but also to gauge how the home we built reacted over the past year.  One of the surprising things I have found is that the homes we build through the winter actually show much less movement than the ones we build in the spring.  There are a couple factors attributed to this I believe.  First, all the raw materials going into the home are at a point where they are the driest point of the entire year.  The humidity is virtually gone in the fall and winter months.  Secondly, I feel with the lowered humidity the home doesn't actually take on moisture while we are building.  When wood takes on moisture, it swells.  If this wood doesn't dry out prior to the vapor barrier going on or the sheetrock, it is much more likely to cause nail pops and sheet rock cracking over the next year.  Building in the fall and winter can have its challenges as well.  Heating costs may be higher, but due to the fact we are able to build these homes in a 2 to 4 month window we don't see that as much of a factor in our homes.  The bottom line is that potential clients should not have concerns about building in the winter months if the builder they choose is capable of handling the conditions that come with it.  You might be surprised how well the home will function for you if you do! 

Does Your Builder Come Highly Recommended?

I am sure you have all heard horror stories about how time consuming, expensive and stressful building a new home is.  That doesn't have to be the case!  Building a new home can be fun, easy and within budget!  Plus you get your dream home with everything YOU want!  The key is to pick the right builder.  As a builder, it is our job to figure out all of the small details and put it together...basically taking the stress off  your shoulders!  

The best recommendations you can receive about a builder are from past clients.  They have been through the process and can honestly tell you their first hand opinion and experiences.  This is why when we meet with prospective clients, we include a reference list along with a letter of recommendation.  We encourage our clients to check up on us.  Whether you are building or buying a house, it is a big event in every person's life, so it is important to us that our clients feel comfortable with their choice and are confident in our work and service.

I have included a recommendation letter from a client that recently built a new home with us.  

We would love to hear what you expect out of your builder, whether you are thinking about building, currently building, built in the past or have never thought about it!  We look forward to hearing from you!

Our Best Energy Star Rating Yet!

We have posted in previous blogs about the Energy Star Rating and what that means for both us as a builder and our clients.  We recently completed a home and got the best score to date, which is 26 points above the Energy Star standards!  For more information on Energy Star, visit http://www.energystar.gov/.

Win Dinner for 6 at Osaka AND a Toys R Us Gift Card!!!

As you may have read in a previous post, we are giving away Dinner for 6 at Rochester's new Osaka Sushi & Steakhouse.  In addition, we have decided to add a $100 GIFT CARD TO TOYS R US!

Heres how you can win BOTH!

Come and visit us during the Rochester Area Builder's Parade of Homes at 1121 Maplebeck Enclave, Byron (Somerby Subdivision) during the showtimes listed below and pick up a floor plan for you and/or your child to draw your dream floor plan.  If your child enters his/her drawing, you and your child will be eligible to win the Dinner for 6 AND the Toys R Us gift card!

Parade Times:
Saturday, April 30th 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.
Sunday, May 1st 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.

Saturday, May 7th 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.
Sunday, May 8th 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.

And remember, entries will be voted on our Med City Builders of Rochester, LLC Facebook Page.

Please see our previous blog, dated April 12, for additional entry information.