Looking for some summertime fun? Take a look in your own backyard. With a bit of work, you can transform your own lawn into a “staycation” worthy spot for leisure, socializing and maybe the smallest hint of exercise. Horseshoe, bocce, volleyball or croquet courts are all within reach with a reasonable amount of space and elbow grease.

Now the amount of time and landscaping involved is up to you, your wallet and your level of commitment. For a horseshoe feature, you can go beyond metal stake driven into the dirt and create an all-out landscaping feature. Sand pits can sit in the center of two raised gravel beds, backed by low walls of pressure-treated lumber. The backstops control errant horseshoes and offer a handy shelf to hold a drink while someone is pitching. Low retaining walls built of mortarless concrete blockcan  protect spectators and provide seating between games. Landscape lighting can flank the pits and low-voltage lighting can be tucked into the shrubbery.

Such backyard fixtures – more often associated with resorts than with private homes – are proliferating across the country, as lawns are enhanced by badminton and lawn-bowling courts, patios, decks, outdoor kitchens, bars and fireplaces. The construction of these outdoor “rooms” has grown into a $5.8 billion business, according to a recent tally by the Professional Landcare Network, a trade association. As reported by the group, some elaborate projects can boost a property’s value as much as 20 percent.

Horseshoes are just one lawn game that can punch up a backyard – it can be as easy, or easier, to set up an area for volleyball, bocce or another outdoor sport. A nice thing about these projects is that there are no building codes to consult, no elaborate engineering specs to consider – basically, you can make what suits you as long as it doesn’t bother the neighbors too much.

After you choose a game, the next big decision is how closely you want to follow the official rules, which may call for some elaborate surface materials to be trucked in. Most homeowners use an existing lawn. For games such as bocce and croquet, the mower should be lowered to about 112 in. – the shorter grass will reduce the drag on rolling play balls. Unfortunately, that’s about half the ideal cutting height for common grasses. So, give the grass extra water, and after the playing season, rent an aerator and work over the surface. Then, fertilize and overseed with a specially blended sports variety

The lawn, of course, is not all a budding backyard athlete needs to consider – and depending on your seriousness (or how much time you have for shoveling sand this summer), you might not want to play on grass at all. Here are details on setting up three common games.

Like horseshoe pits, bocce courts are narrow – as little as 10 ft. across – and can fit into a side yard. A high-end surface for this Italian version of lawn bowling begins with 3 in. of packed pea gravel topped by a 3-in. layer of crushed limestone. Then comes tennis court clay, or an oyster-shell blend ($700 per cubic yard, boccemon.com). Or, just play on grass. Bocce sets, with a small target ball (pallino) and eight larger balls, start around $49.

The important element is fun. Get out there and play. 

For more on our deck repair services, visit DogGoneHandy.com.

Have you spotted this trend? Like all things popular there is a life cycle, beginning, middle, and end. Chalkboard paint is having its popular moment now. Some of us are saturated with this one already and some of us still can’t get enough. Wherever you may fall on this popular trend, chalkboard paint is worth looking at. So many uses, all for a quite small investment.

The photo included in this blog was done by a very talented architect homeowner that we renovated for a few years ago. Not all of us are so artistically inclined. But everyone can write out a grocery list or note to a loved one. Chalkboard paint has so many applications and locations for its use. Here are a few ideas.

Playroom: What freedom to encourage drawing on the walls. Chalkboard paint can also be mixed with a magnetizing element so you can have both a chalkboard for budding artists and a place to hang artwork that comes home from school.

Kitchen: This seems like the most popular location. The kitchen can be a spot where you may want to scribble down a note or a list but it’s also a place in our homes where we sometimes let our hair down. A big quote from a favorite author or maybe a family heirloom recipe can be a playful touch in this hardworking home.

Family room: With a specific area or wall mapped out, chalkboard can be a fun seasonal accent. Sports fans? What a fun spot to write out the season and mark off wins and losses for your favorite teams. Maybe basketball brackets go right on the wall? Maybe create a movie night theme, “Now Showing…turn off your cell phones and enjoy the show.”

Holidays: As holidays roll around, chalkboard walls can be a fun way to make note of the occasion without feeling the need to invest or bombard your home with kitschy décor. A quote from an old Irish blessing to mark St. Patrick’s Day? Fall leaves drawn out with the Southern standby, “It’s Fall, y’all”.

The possibilities are endless. Just a little paint and the right location and you can embrace this fun trend in your home.

Many of us have a dream house we have always envisioned. Maybe we look around our current home and wonder if there is more potential in its walls to unlock; bath renovation, and extra bedroom, a larger family space? Remodeling a home you currently own in a neighborhood you love is always a good consideration. If you find your “renovation list” becomes heavier than your “don’t touch” list you may want to consider a new custom home. There are several factors to put on the table and discuss.

How do you feel about the neighborhood you are in now? What are home values like? In so many of our in-town neighborhoods, the value of an older home is in the land and the location. If your neighbors have spent significant amounts on renovation, if home prices for renovated or newer homes on your street far exceed the value of your home, if you purchased an older home and have paid down a large portion of your mortgage, you might start thinking about tearing your home down and starting over. This time with your dream home in mind. This can feel like a drastic solution but often renovation costs on an older home with less than ideal foundations and infrastructure can start to exceed the cost to start from scratch.

After doing the math, we often find that starting from scratch for a custom home will add $150,000, give or take, to the equation.  A fully renovated older home may be around  $150,000 less than that new custom home. Then it is up to you whether the additional debt burden is worth the investment.

Maybe you have a neighborhood in mind, next to a great school, walking distance to parks and restaurants. Again the key is to closely evaluate neighborhood home values. Often small, original homes can be picked up at a price that equals the cost of the lot. Occasionally, lots are also available in sought after neighborhoods. This can be a bit of a quest to find the right spot, but with the valuable opinion of a builder and a real estate agent, you can find something.

Another great spot to start is to create a file of images of homes you love and features you feel are important in the interior. What is the style of architecture that interests you? Do you want a new home in keeping with original architecture of the area or are you drawn to clean, contemporary line? The more homework you can do to provide your architect and builder with a clear vision of your dream home, the more successful your project will be.

At Home ReBuilders, we have built many custom homes is some of Atlanta’s most sought after neighborhoods. We have also assembled a special team to get you into that dream home in the smoothest way possible. Our owner and president Bill Bartlett, has a real estate license and is experienced with finding the right home or lot to build on. Our architectural department is in house and we work together with the estimating and construction arms of our firm so your home is something you love and something your budget can accommodate when construction begins. Take a look through our portfolio and plan library. Wehave lots of ideas to help you create your dream home.

In a master suite, the goal is always  to create a space that is part of a home, yet separated in some way to provide that sense of oasis and calm. The standard for a true master suite is an attached en suite bathroom and closet, all accessible to the master bedroom. Beyond that, plans can include morning bars or small kitchenettes where one can enjoy a cup of coffee before leaving the bedroom. Sitting or dressing rooms are always an attraction. Custom or detailed cabinetry in a closet can take a space from simply clothes storage to something spectacular. A homeowner can wake each day with a boutique shopping experience by simply strolling into a new closet fitted with custom shelving, superb lighting, and comfortable seating. Often a sitting room, even if it is just designated by a pair of comfortable chairs, is a priority for homeowners.  A desk or a small table and chair where one can to send a few emails, check a calendar for the coming day, or charge laptops and phones can be a consideration.

It is always advisable to consider storage carefully in a master suite. It doesn’t matter how lovely the space or attractive the finishes, if there is not enough room for clothing and personal items, you will have a mess on your hands.  Nothing detracts from a master suite experience, like piles of clothes or stacks of books teetering near a bed. Design a home for your things and have the bedroom be place for order and calm.

Evaluate carefully what your specific needs are.  How does your space work for you now and what would you like for the future. Address closet and storage needs in detail. If you have four legged family members that are underfoot, consider them in the design. Lighting is also an easy thing to miss during design but so valuable to the master suite experience.  Consider task lighting like sconces next to the bed for reading but also table lamps or floor lamps throughout the space. A few low voltage spot lights, set on dimmers, can provide soft background lighting or highlight artwork.  It is also good to consider how two people use the space. Do you have lighting that accommodate one person getting up and starting their day, while another may sleep longer?

Most people look to the master suite as an opportunity close the doors on a busy professional schedule or active family life and create something peaceful and special. Give Home Rebuilders a call if you are ready to add some calm to your life.

If you are looking for some good news in Atlanta’s housing market, this is it. According to the latest market brief from the Atlanta Board of Realtors, the median sales price for home sales in December 2013 showed a 21.0 percent increase from December 2012 and a whopping 64 percent increase from December 2011. Atlanta’s housing market is officially back!

The ABR (Atlanta Board of Realtors) Market Brief is designed to offer an overview of the Atlanta residential market by providing a synopsis of sales, home prices and foreclosures.  The data covers 11 counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Paulding.

“We believe the increase in prices and sales during the traditionally slow holiday season is a good harbinger for the spring selling season,” said 2014 ABR President Todd Emerson. “We expect these statistics to begin rising as the warmer weather arrives, but this reversal of the downward trend established over the last several months is a welcome change. With inventory still at historic lows, we expect prices to continue rising with increasing demand.”

Perhaps most encouraging of all, though, was the quality of those single-family home sales. Just 6 percent of all sales were for REO properties, or real estate owned/bank owned properties, a remarkable decline from the 47 percent market share of just two years ago.

If you have held off on renovation because of concern in getting the value out of your home, you can start to put those concerns to bed. Home values are rising and there is an unprecedented low level of housing available. Put in that long dreamt about kitchen or bath. Explore that family room addition. Enjoy the space you create now and be confident that your equity and investment is going up.

December Notes

• Single family residential sales in Metro Atlanta totaled 3,394 in December 2013.
  • Annually, this is an increase of 1.9% compared to 3,331 total sales in December 2012.
  • Monthly, this is an increase of 9.4% compared to 3,103 total sales in November 2013.
• The Median sales price for December 2013 was $196,000.
  • Annually, prices increased 21.0% from December 2012.

Monthly, median prices increased 8.9% in comparison to November

Springtime can’t be beat in Atlanta. Pergolas, garden sheds, pool houses and screen porches are all valuable additions to your home that capitalize on this most glorious season.  With attention to detail and sensitive material choices, one can create an extension of the home that compliments the space. By picking up and repeating design elements from one structure to the next, a rhythm is developed.  SOmetimes outbuildings or sheds serve a purely utilitarian purpose- lawn and garden tools, home for children’s sports equipment, bike storage, or garbage bins. Other times a well placed structure can draw one out into a previous under-utilized yard.

A pergola can be a beautiful addition to a Southen home as our warm climate creates the perfect environment for lush growth to cover the structure. Historically a pergola or arbor, forms a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually supprt cross beams and a sturdy open lattice. Often woody vines or flowering climbers adorn the structure. Pergolas can also link pavilions or extend from a building’s door to an open garden feature such as an isolated terrace or pool. They can also provide a peaceful sitting area that allows for breezes and light sun but offers protection from the harsh glare of direct sun. A few well places lighting elements are you are ready for a fantastic cocktail hour under the stars. Give us a call today to start planning a beautiful Spring.

When you first move into your new or renovated home, you wonder how you are going to fill up the large, empty space. Pretty soon life takes over — and before you know it, you are wondering where all of that space went.

If you find yourself struggling to find room to store everything you’ve accumulated over the years, see if these storage options might work for you.

Before you invest a lot of time deciding where things should go, look through your closet, files and drawers to determine what can be thrown or given away. For clothes, it is a good rule of thumb to get rid of items that you have not worn in more than 12 months.

A lot of your household financial documents and papers may be available online through the provider company’s website. If that is the case, discard old financial statements or bills that you can more easily access electronically. Invest in a paper shredder for these documents to protect your identity and accounts.

It is very easy to allow cabinets and drawers to become cluttered over time, especially when you have to do a quick cleaning of your home when you have surprise visitors. Declutter those drawers periodically to keep from accumulating outdated flyers, menus, magazines and newspapers. This will open them up so you can store more day-to-day items that you need to quickly reach.

If you are looking to replace old, worn-out furniture in your home, buy pieces that also can serve as storage. Consider a coffee table that has drawers or an ottoman that can open up and double as a spot to store your blankets.

In closets and in the kitchen,use all of the space that is available to you. Often home owners are giving up valuable square footage if they don’t install cabinets or shelves that go up to the ceiling.  Store items that are either out of season or that are rarely accessed — such as holiday decorations — on the higher shelves where they are out of the way. This will free up the lower shelves to allow you to get to the things that you use on a regular basis.

Bed risers can be found in home design and improvement stores in different shapes, styles, textures and colors to complement your current bedroom furniture. They are inexpensive and not only give you added storage space, but will also give your bedroom a new look. By simply raising the height of your bed a few more inches, you can gain a lot more storage space that is also hidden away.

Here is some good news out of Washington.

The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) continued to climb at a modest pace in the third quarter of 2013 rising two points to 57, the highest reading since the first quarter of 2004, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

The RMI is based on a quarterly survey of professional remodelers, whose answers to a series of questions were assigned numerical values to calculate two separate indexes. The first index gauges current market conditions and is based on remodelers’ reports of major and minor additions and alterations, plus maintenance work and repairs, on both owner- and renter-occupied dwellings. The second index summarizes indicators of future remodeling activity  and is based on remodelers’ responses to questions about  calls for bids, amount of work committed for  next three months, job backlogs and appointments for proposals.

An RMI above 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is higher (compared to the prior quarter) than report it is lower. The overall RMI averages ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future remodeling activity. The RMI’s current market conditions index rose from 54 in the previous quarter to 58, the highest reading since the creation of the RMI in 2001, driven partly by rising existing home sales.

“The growth in home equity and home sales prompted home owners to remodel as they prepare to move or undertake upgrades that they put off during tough times,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw, GMR, GMB, CGP, a remodeler from Houston. “NAHB Remodelers looks forward to continuing our tradition of professional service and craftsmanship as the housing recovery makes progress.”

All three major components of the RMI’s current market conditions index increased in the third quarter.  Major additions and alterations increased from 51 to 55, minor additions and repairs from 55 to 58 and maintenance and repair from 57 to 59. The future market indicators component of the RMI remained even with the previous quarter reading of 56.

Regionally, the RMI has registered two consecutive quarters of gains in the Northeast, Midwest and West. In the South, the RMI edged down slightly in the third quarter after a five point gain the previous quarter. All four regions were above 50 and higher in the third quarter than in the first quarter of 2013.

“In addition to existing home sales, which support remodeling activity as owners fix up their homes before and after a move, remodeling has benefitted from rising home values,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This boosts home equity that owners can tap to finance remodeling projects. We expect existing home sales and house prices to increase, but at a slower rate over the next year, so the demand for remodeling services should also increase, but more gradually over that period.”

NAHB Remodelers is America’s home for professional remodelers, representing the more than 24,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the organization provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry.  Its membership incorporates 148 local councils in 45 states.

If you are thinking about a bathroom or kitchen renovation,  tile can be one of the larger components on the job.  With all of the styles available, picking the right product for your project can sometimes seem overwhelming. Here’s a quick lesson on tile that may prove helpful.

One of the first things homeoweners can run up against when thinking about tile is the difference between porcelain and ceramic. Here are some simple differences. Porcelain is denser, more durable and has a slightly lower water absorption rate than ceramic. Porcelain tile generally is more expensive that ceramic and may require a higher labor cost to install.  Generally, for most home projects, ceramic tile is the product of choice and is more that adaquate in terms of durability.

Tiles come in a multitude of sizes.  If you are working with a smaller bath or space, you may like the look of a smaller tile such as a 6″ x 6″ or a mosaic tile that is typically based on a 12″ x 12″ mesh screen. These mosaic sheets are easy to trim down to fit around plumbing or wall angles and can replicate the look of vintage tile styles often found in older homes.  A large 12″ x 12″ tile (or larger) can create a smooth finish on a floor with fewer grout lines. The only challenge is to make sure the grout lines you do have are centered on the room and make sense in the layout. If you are installing a shower floor in your project, the general recommendation is to use a smaller sized tile.  The installer needs to get a slight slope to floor drain and this can be tough to do with a larger tile. Smaller tiles also means more grout which can create a safer floor finish in a shower. More grout can equal fewer slips on wet tile. When looking at wall tiles, it is important to ask whether the tile you are looking at comes with bullnosed edges (smooth edges on one size) or whether there is a finished cap piece available.  Anywhere the tile ends in a shower, there will need to be a smoothed edge of tile. Nothing is worse than a beautiful tile installation but a poorly thought out edge detail.

Grout color is another important aspect of the overall design. One can use a contrasting color and have the grout play a larger part of the design. White subway tile with a dark grey grout can be striking. Selecting a grout color that matches your tile as closely as possible can create a continuous, monolithic look and can eliminate the visual “noise” of a space. Unless you love to clean, white grout is typically discouraged.

Installation patterns are also seemingly endless. A few basic styles are either straight, diagonal, or a running bond. A running bond is a staggered pattern that is often employed when using rectangular tiles, or subway tiles.

Now once you select the majority of your tile, sometimes called field tile, you may want to add an accent tile. Overwhelmed yet?  If you need a hand, Home ReBuilders has designers on staff who can walk you through some tile selections. Tile can be one of the best paints in your palette when creating your renovation.