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!

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!

Built-in Features: A luxury YOU can afford!

We recently finished this built-in bookcase/ cabinet combo on a home we have been working in. There are a ton of great benefits that come along with having a built-in feature installed in your home.

1. They free up space in your home and also dedicate a space toward something you truly enjoy - that could be an entertainment area, a book case or even storage.

2. They tie in with the trim and baseboards in your room or home to truly make the built-in feature look like a part of the overall design of your home. I’ve installed quite a few in my own home and always get compliments from friends who come over!

3. They are inexpensive. A built-in feature like this bookcase/ cabinet combo costs about as much as a high end piece of furniture and will last much longer than a similarly priced piece of furniture.

Zischke Builders specializes in finish carpentry, including built-ins. A specialist can even tie your existing trim into a new built-in feature - so it pays to hire the right person for the job.

If you’d like to explore getting a built-in feature in your home, call (517) 242-4353 or email zischkebulders@gmail.com to schedule a free estimate. We can even facilitate estimates online in order to maintain social distancing.

Still Working, Still Helping!

The Zischke Builders team is still hard at work. We are taking appropriate precautions, but the truth is that people still need water or fire damage repaired so they have a home they can comfortably stay in. We are still prepared to assist those in need - we just installed ramps for a homeowner to be able to better access their home alone, without assistance.

Please message me here if you have any work that needs to be done or call 517-242-4353 to talk about any upcoming work you’d like an estimate on. We are still at work and still able to assist you and your family.

Modern Doors and Shower Install

I want to take a moment today to show off some doors we’ve installed in a home we are performing a much larger remodel project in with Nate from Grant DesignYard. This barn door not only looks slick, it also opens up possibilities in tight spaces. I personally like the opaque glass in the door panels.

We’ve also added some smart looking glass doors in the double shower/ tub I showed you a couple of weeks ago, really making this a modern and sophisticated space.

If you’re interested in a remodeling project, call me at (517) 242-4353 or email me at zischkebuilders@gmail.com and I will give you a free estimate.

Saving Money Might Cost You When it Comes to the "Handyman"

Think you might save money with a handy man? Think again. The photos here show how a handy man drilled through a PVC pipe while installing cabinets for a homeowner.
As a family man, I can appreciate trying to find ways to save money, but cutting corners in home remodeling often ends in disaster. The truth is that a 10 cent screw, when misplaced, can lead to thousands of dollars of damage. You can’t afford to not hire a professional.
Take a look at the damage done in these photos. Luckily, the homeowner has Servicemaster Absolute Home & Restoration Services and my business in their corner now.
Whether you use Zischke Builders or another professional service, please hire a professional. If you would like to start a remodeling project, call (517) 242-4353 and I’ll come give you a free estimate.

A Fantastic Home Remodeling Job! Kitchen, Dining, Floors and More!

“Anyone that tells you a remodel will go flawless is lying. There are too many variables and unknowns in a large project that only get revealed during the remodel. The best we can do is expect the unexpected and be ready to switch gears at the drop of a hat. That’s why you want somebody like me with decades of experience who works with only the best professionals in the business.”

We recently finished a huge kitchen/ dining room remodel. The homeowner had been wanting to remodel the space since they moved in during the 1980’s. I felt super proud and thankful that they chose to go with my company. They’d seen our work on Facebook and I think that is what set their heart on using us.

They wanted to go with a more modern style cabinet design that had to be pretty custom in order to accommodate filling the existing cubbies in the brick wall. Luckily, I have a close relationship with Nate the owner of Grant Designyard. We set up a meeting with the homeowner and together were able to come up with a design that fit their kitchen.

I was able to sketch a design on the computer based on what walls they wanted removed to open up the space and with their approval, we were off to the races.

The homeowners wanted to save a little money by doing their own demo work so we of course worked with them. They had had a pretty significant belly to their dining room floor so the first thing we had to do after demo was sister in floor joists next to the bowed ones. This resulted in such a quiet and sound floor that the homeowners decided to have us do it to every floor joist throughout the kitchen and living room as well. This was perfect for the ¾” hardwood to come into the living room and dining room and for the vinyl tiles going in the kitchen and entries.

From there, we moved to the insulation and drywall.

Next was the paint and priming followed by new, more modern trim to compliment the new kitchen.

We spent a lot of time with all the subs on site putting our heads together to make sure everything turned out smoothly. This would allow us to finish the project without after-thought trim pieces or any cover-ups. For example, the custom vent in the back of the cabinet. We had Servicemaster come in and soda blast decades of build up from the brick wall while we got to installing cabinets. Nate had to do some meticulous install with the cabinet pull installation. He fabricated a custom jig to router out the doors and drawer fronts so the handles would sit flush.

From there it was pretty much down hill getting the flooring installed, the final trim up and everything painted.

The Quartz counters got pushed back just before Thanksgiving and since the homeowner was having company, we had my countertop guy build an entire kitchen of laminate tops to temporarily go in. He also installed a sink and faucet for a week when the quartz showed up.

The tile backsplash came next with the appliances and range hood installation.

We got the place all cleaned up and the final touch was a custom made bench seat by In Stiches custom fabrics.

The transformation is absolutely stunning. As with any remodel, there were some hiccups, but experience allows us to come up with creative solutions and push through any hurdles to get to the desired outcome.

Anyone that tells you a remodel will go flawless is lying. There are too many variables and unknowns in a large project that only get revealed during the remodel. The best we can do is expect the unexpected and be ready to switch gears at the drop of a hat. That’s why you want somebody like me with decades of experience who works with only the best professionals in the business.

If you are interested in a project like this, call (517) 242-4353 or email zischkebuilders@gmail.com and I will get you a free estimate. Let’s get to work.

Income Property Made Easy

It’s hard to believe this started as a raw, unfinished basement, but here it is now - a living space, a potential supplement to the homeowner’s income, and a place somebody can call home. If you’re interested in creating income space in your home, we can get you on the path and set up - starting with a free estimate. Give me a call at (517) 242-4353, message me here or email zischkebuilders@gmail.com

How many layers does your floor have?

Want to guess what this is? This is about 2.5 inches of old flooring we discovered during an install. You see, a lot of people will do things the “easy” way and just put the new flooring over the old, but over time you are really losing some space. There’s even more to it though:

Whenever you decide to put down new flooring you should almost always tear up the old one down to the original subfloor. This allows you to maximize ceiling height, inspect for damage, eliminate any squeaks by screwing down any loose boards, maintaining base trim exposure, and ensure you have a solid foundation for the new floor you’re spending hard earned money on.

Additionally, people never think about this in a kitchen but often when you add layers of floor people will run it right in front of the dishwasher. Thus, when you need to remove the dishwasher because it broke or worse leaked, you can’t remove it because there’s flooring in the way.

Dishwashers are made to fit in an opening roughly 34.5” tall. When you add layers you eventually take up that space and the dishwasher will no longer fit.

No matter if you hire a contractor or DIY, make sure the job is done correctly. Often the “easy” way will only make life harder in the long run.

Custom kitchen in Michigan log home

Custom Kitchen in a Michigan log home! We had a great time making this dream a reality for our client.

The team really did an incredible job in a beautiful log cabin home last week! Custom counters, cabinets and very custom molding to make the cabinets appear to fit flush into the log walls (BTW, each log is a different size).

I've said it before, no corner is truly 45 degrees and no wall is 100% straight ... but in a log cabin, there are even more variables! Truth be told though, we love it. Just look at the end product!

With that said, we always offer custom counters (custom cut laminate counters can be done for less than big box store tops), custom cabinets and we work with our customers to take their ideas, add our expertise and craft something nobody else has.

If you like what you see and you're in the greater Lansing, MI area , call me for a free estimate for a custom kitchen or bathroom at (517) 819-0429 or you can e-mail me at zischkebuilders@gmail.com or you can follow me on Facebook!