Choosing the right decking material: Part 1

When it comes to choosing the right material for your deck, there are a ton of options for materials. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so we’ve put together a series of articles to talk about the materials. This week, let’s discuss the most common material - pressure treated wood.

For those who may be unfamiliar, pressure treated wood is often recognizable for its greenish tint, a result of the process it has been treated with. You might see this sort of wood on new construction or on your neighbor’s DIY project.

Benefits:

1. Affordability: Pressure treated wood is known for its budget-friendly nature. It's one of the most cost-effective options for decking materials, making it a great choice for homeowners looking to create a beautiful outdoor space without breaking the bank. This honestly makes it the most popular choice.

2. Durability: The pressure treatment process involves infusing the wood with chemicals that protect it from insect infestations, decay, and rot. This durability factor ensures that your deck will stand the test of time, compared to similar quality wood with no treatment.

3. Availability: Pressure treated wood is widely available and can be found at most lumberyards and home improvement stores. This accessibility makes it convenient for homeowners to source the material. Contractors will also be able to get it easily.

4. Versatility: Pressure treated wood can be easily stained or painted to match your preferred aesthetic. This versatility allows you to customize the appearance of your deck to complement your home's style.

Drawbacks:

1. Maintenance: While pressure treated wood is treated to resist decay, it's not entirely maintenance-free. You’ll need to do some work. This involves applying a sealant or stain every few years to prevent the wood from cracking, splitting, or warping.

2. Initial Appearance: Pressure treated wood tends to have that greenish tint when first installed, which can be a turn-off for homeowners seeking a specific color for their deck. This color usually fades over time, but it's something to consider when choosing your decking material.

3. Splintering: Pressure treated wood can be prone to splintering, especially as it ages. Regular sanding and upkeep can help mitigate this issue, but it's still something to be mindful of, especially if you have children or pets using the deck.

4. Chemicals: While modern pressure treatments have shifted towards safer alternatives, there might still be concerns about the potential health and environmental impacts of the chemicals involved. It’s always recommended that you research anything you may have a concern with regarding treated wood.

In conclusion, pressure treated wood offers some benefits - price being the main one. Its durability, and availability also make it a practical choice for many homeowners. However, the need for maintenance, concerns about chemicals for some customers, and potential for splintering should also be considered.

We are here to guide you through the decision-making process and help you choose the decking material that best suits your needs and preferences. Feel free to reach out to us for personalized advice and expert craftsmanship in creating the deck of your dreams. In the meantime, stay tuned for more decking articles!

New Built in desk and bookshelf

This built in desk and bookshelf combo is a custom design specifically. built for this beautiful Okemos, Mi home.

Some clients said they have been frustrated with finding furniture for a room for years before deciding to get a built-in. A desk and shelf combo like the one here is something we can come to your house and measure, then build in our warehouse, and install only when you are ready. That way we minimize the impact to your schedule and maximize the smile you'll have with your new space!

Medical Office in Perry is completely rebuilt

This medical office is almost done getting a complete makeover from our team. From the subfloor to the ceilings, everything has been redone! Check out our progress photos on this great, commercial job in Perry, MI.

A simple, classic bathroom remodel!

Simple, stylish, beautiful bathroom finished just in time for the holidays! I love the tile and glass choices the homeowners made!

Solving problems is what finish carpenters do!

You think wrapping gifts is hard? Check out how we “cope” with this corner!

This is a particularly tough spot to install base trim of the tiny corner created by the wall section. So, there are basically two ways to make two pieces meet in an inside corner:

1. You use a miter saw to cut both pieces at a 45 degree angle to make your 90 degree corner. Most DIY and handyman jobs go this way and they usually fill the gaps with putty or some other ugly solution.

2. The other method is “coping.” Coping, in this case, is a little different than coping with gift wrapping. Coping is basically when you cut the shape of the base trim profile out of the back of the piece that overlaps the corner. It will get the two pieces lined up almost perfectly. Once we were done lining it up, we just needed to cut one piece to match the shape of the base trim. Once that little piece was slotted into place, the corner was done!

Coping takes more skill but results in a much better corner that retains the shape of the trim - it looks consistent and classy - just like the gifts you wrapped!

A smart looking home office in Okemos

The desk, wainscoting, cabinets and the overhead stationary organizer here represent what finish carpenters do best! These features come together to create a beautiful aesthetic, set off by the layered crown molding and hardwood floors. This goes beyond simply putting a room together - this is what loving the home you’re in looks like!

Our company specializes in finish carpentry and our real passion is high end trim carpentry like the den you see in these photos. The wainscoting and crown molding is the work of our Owner, Jesse Zischke and Bryan Janes, of Bryan Janes Construction, a company we work with regularly on new construction homes. In the 20+ years we’ve been in business, we’ve put together great relationships with some of the best craftsmen in the trade.

If you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one to transforming a room a room you love like this one, give us a call and we will get started. Designing the perfect space could be the perfect gift!

Creating more space with a beam replacement

Low beams limit your space. This is a pretty typical problem that can be solved by a knowledgeable builder.

The first thing we do is find out if the beam bears any weight. If so, then we will reinforce the ceiling with temporary walls. This allows us to get the beam out so we can install the new beam - in this case, we installed a new larger beam. To do so, we cut a gap in the ceiling joists to fit the beam. Then we installed and framed in studs on the ends to support it.

Don’t let low beams or small rooms hold back your home’s potential. Professional builders can help you design new layouts for the home you’re in!

Fresh Paint to ring in the New Year

When you think about builders, you might not automatically think about painting, but it’s a large part of what we do in any general contractor’s business. Very few of us have a painter on hand and there’s a reason for that - many of the best painters own their own painting businesses!

It’s the same for any trade whether you’re talking about plumbers, electricians or finish carpenters: it’s all about who you know. You can’t get good smooth work on a huge room like this with high ceilings unless you work with the best. At Zischke Builders, we have a standard we hold ourselves to and that includes the people we subcontract for portions of your project.

With almost 22 years in the business, we know who is good and who to stay away from. It’s just one more way we bring the best to your home!

Custom range hoods: The mantle of the kitchen

We just couldn’t wait for paint to show you this custom range hood. The hood over your stove serves a couple useful purposes in your home:

A good range hood vents outside, keeping cooking odors from invading the entire house. I know steaks can smell nice, but it’s no fun to smell broccoli you cooked yesterday when you walk in the door

The hood also serves as the centerpiece to your cabinet design and even your kitchen depending on the layout. A well crafted range hood can have the same effect a stylish mantle has around the fireplace in your living room.

We will make sure we get back to you with more photos of this kitchen centerpiece once it’s painted like the cabinets, which were also installed by our team.

Lower your heating bills by winterizing your home

This article is particularly useful right now with inflated heating costs and supply chain issues making heating elements for your home hard to find.

This article includes a simple checklist to help you winterize your home and save some money this winter.

Lansing bathroom gets a great look!

If you just moved into a new home or if you aren’t in love with your bathroom, CHECK THIS POST out!

This project covered it all - a new tub, a new window with light and privacy in mind, new tile in the shower, new flooring in the entire bathroom, and new trim, a new vanity and matching counter, a faucet, those adorable lights above the vanity, new mirrors and a new fan! Every step of the design was made with the couple who owned the home because they wanted something that was uniquely THEM.

That’s what custom remodeling is! It’s working with experts to design your home to represent YOU!

Speaking of unique - we also installed slide out drawers in the closet (check the photos) and they’re not only super functional for a family with kids running around, but they look great and keep thing accessible and organized!

This was a great project and we hope to see more great ideas from these young homeowners!

From water damage to dream kitchen!

This kitchen was remodeled by us after taking some serious water damage. A “water loss” is what your insurance company calls it when water destroys a part of your home. It can come in through a leaky roof or from a busted pipe and if it isn’t caught, it can unfortunately ruin large areas of your home.

This is why homeowner’s insurance is so crucial. Your insurance company will send in a mitigation team to dry out the area that was effected and from there, you can work with an experienced builder to begin repairs.

In this home, we worked with the homeowners to to not just bring their kitchen back, but to help make it a kitchen they will love for years to come. Here, we started from the ground up - selecting flooring and trim with the homeowner, then counters and cabinets, like the gorgeous cabinet set around the refrigerator! Speaking of refrigerators, we then helped them with appliances and finally the sink, faucet and backsplash!

Working on the interior design with the homeowners is the best way to not just give back your space and quality of life, it’s the best way to improve it and turn a home nightmare into a dream kitchen!

Protect your home from termites in Michigan

Check this out - if you’ve never seen what termites can do to your home, this is just one board. Roughly one in four homes in the Lansing area will suffer damage from pests. The worst of them is the subterranean termite.

These termites come from the ground, so they can be hard to spot before the damage is already started. Small mud tubes around the outside of your house, along the foundation are one sign. Another is week or brittle baseboards, squishy or spongy floorboards in areas, discolored drywall or depressions behind paint. Be on the look out for creatures that look like winged ants - these are breeding members of a colony.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) states that homeowners should eliminate or reduce moisture around the home, including repairing leaking faucets, water pipes, and exterior AC units. This is because termites prefer moist areas and ground. All water should also be moved away with downspouts or gutters (so please have your gutters cleaned. If you see plans growing in them, they’re dirty).

They also recommend storing firewood at least 20 feet away from the house, maintaining an 18-inch gap between soil and wooden portions of your home. Check around your foundations for little mud tubes. These are a another sign of termite activity.

If you think you’ve been the victim of termite damage, you want to work with experts. My team have brought whole homes back from the brink of destruction due to Termite damage. We also work with the professionals at Servicemaster Absolute Home & Restoration Services in Holt, who can help you not only identify the full extent of the damage, but can also help with your insurance claim.

Be safe, protect your home from pests and have a great week from our team to yours!

Would you put these floors in your home?

Check out the new floors in this commercial property we are working on. Could you see these in your home?

Remodeling a basement one room at a time

“What if I only wanted to finish a portion of my basement for now?” That’s a reasonable question and the answer is you can. We just finished this room in a client’s basement with the intention that the rest will get finished in the future.

It’s your home and your budget. We do our best to provide the solutions that suit both of those factors the best.

Check out the before and after photos to see the transformation this room went through to be framed, insulated and paneled, not to mention the addition of a noise-protecting drop ceiling and new carpet!

A new mantle for a new construction home

Today’s post is a quick one. As we continue work in a new construction home, we’ve finished this sleek fireplace mantle.

This home has been great and we’ve gotten to stretch our creative legs with some of the other projects in the home. We’re looking forward to showing you more as the job goes on.

Master bedroom cabinets offer solutions for small bedrooms

This custom, built-in shelf system for a master bedroom is a great example of what’s possible when a homeowner really wants to customize their home to meet their exact needs! The cabinets have roll-out shelves for ease of access and organization of all their non-hanging clothing, though hanging bars would also be possible in a similar design. The shelf is there for phones, alarms, drinks or jewelry. This opens up a smaller master bedroom because it eliminates the need for dressers. With this and a closet, there is more room to move around.

When we make built-ins like these, we take the measurements, create the parts at our warehouse, install the unit in a day or so, then schedule it to be painted. It’s easy, suits your unique needs and won’t turn your home into a construction zone.

Finished basement in just 5 weeks

Five weeks ago, this was a basement - concrete, dark and useful mostly for storage. Now this Mason home has a ton of new, warm square footage to use for anything they want.

We have made finishing basements a cornerstone of what we do over the last few years and we can take your basement with it’s cobwebs and it’s darkness - and we can turn it into something that brings real quality of life to your home. Whether it’s space to rent out, additional bedrooms, a home theater, office space, a in-law apartment or a gym, we can do it. It’s time to make the home you’re in into your dream home!

In just a few weeks, your home could change like this one!

Commercial Property in Lansing completed! Our first full commercial job!

We had the opportunity to perform commercial work on a beautiful property in Lansing. We worked the framing, trim, carpeting, plumbing, electrical, cabinets counters, paint, electrical, that beautiful ceiling and project management over the course of the project. While it’s still wrapping up, we wanted to share these photos from the property owner because commercial is something we’ve only recently branched out into over the last few years.

This building is round with a domed ceiling and the owners wanted to have that shape be present in the design (instead of square rooms in a round building). That is neither the most cost effective or easiest route, but for them it was about the character of the original building and I think that paid off for them.

Our team and the pros we work with are proud of the work done here and we look forward to showing you the finished photos of the property soon!

Custom flooring and shoe

We’ve replaced the flooring, added new shoe moulding and done some painting to bring this old kitchen back to life! The dark floors and paint balance well with the cabinets and appliances to make the home look warm and inviting!

Floors are more than just another surface, they set the tone for any room because they occupy most of the space your eye sees as it passes over the room, so the color of your floors make a huge difference in how the furniture, decor or cabinets are perceived. Take a look around your home and see how your floors influence the feel of each room!