Andy OnCall Chicagoland

Andy OnCall Chicago and

Andy OnCall Chicago and

The November 2010 Money Magazine has a little article titles “Get a High-Quality Remodel for Less” (page 48).  They have five tips to same money.  In summary here they are:

1.      Do  you project off season

2.      Look for a contractor that is a family owned business

3.      Combine several small jobs into one bigger job.

4.      Get a tax deduction by donating cast-offs – sinks, doors etc. to a not for profit.

5.      Do some of the work yourself.

All of these are good ideas. 

January and February are actually great times to do small remodeling projects like a bathroom make over.  A bathroom makeover where no walls are being moved and no plumbing fixtures are being moved can be executed in 1-2 weeks and in January and February pricing can save you 10% on labor at least at Andy OnCall.  We had several customers that either weren’t in a hurry to have their project done or really needed a low price and we gave then exceptional pricing with the caveat that the work was to be performed in our slow season.  They got exceptional value and we got work to fill the slow season.

Combining small jobs is an excellent idea too.  When you call you handyman out to do one little job, a good portion of the cost is the time it takes from him to come out to your house and to go to the home center for materials.  When you put say three jobs together you only pay for one trip to your house and one trip to the home center.  This can add-up to a nice cost saving.

On the tax savings side there are several not for profits in the

Doing work you self is also a good idea if you are handy.  The most common thing that we see homeowners doing is painting.  If you take on this job yourself.  Make sure that you talk to someone in the paint department at the home center and get some tips on how to prepare the walls and trim.  A good painter will put in as much as 50% of the labor in preparation.  With good preparation a home owner can get a good result.

Remember, if you’re not handy, call Andy OnCall 847-328-3100 or go to www.getandy.com.

Home maintenance can be a real chore for anyone, but there is no avoiding the fact; what you don’t maintain now, can drain your wallet later.  

During the winter months especially, there are numerous items in your home that need to be maintained. Below is a list of the most common winter maintenance items which should be checked each season. 

·       Vacuum out dryer vent and exhaust hose ·       Change furnace filters ·       Change batteries in furnace thermostats and smoke detectors·       Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl space and attic·       Caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors·       Reverse your ceiling fans so that they are rotating in a clockwise direction ·       Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker, and dishwasher for cracks and bubbles·       Clean kitchen exhaust hoods and filters·       Check the attic for adequate ventilation·       Check your roof for damaged, loose, or missing shingles; as well as, breaks in the flashing seals around vent stacks and chimneys·       Have you fireplace professionally cleaned, check your chimney for loose or missing mortar, and make sure your damper closes tightly·       Check to see that fire extinguishers are fully charged·       Store firewood at least 30 feet away from your home·       Check outdoor lighting fixtures, replace bulbs·       Go around you house and make sure all storm windows are installed·       Maintain your heating unit/furnace and seal your ducts·       Make sure all electrical holiday decorations have tight connections 

These are just a few of the items that most homeowners should maintain during the winter months.  

If you need assistance or just don’t have the time to get the job done, contact ANDY ONCALL®!

Chicago Bath Remodeling

You’ve been thinking about it for months, or even years. The old bathroom in your Chicago home desperately needs remodeling. Now that your house is going on the market, you need to make a decision quickly. You might be wary of dealing with a large construction project, or you might not see how your Chicago bath remodeling project will benefit you in the long run. The truth is, however, that benefits far outweigh the time and effort you put into your Chicago home when you undertake a bath remodeling.

Though seemingly an abstract benefit, this is one of the most important: remodeling the bath in your Chicago home will increase the value of the house. In order to maximize this benefit, you’ll need to remodel the old bathroom instead of fixing it up to look almost the same. To completely remodel your Chicago bath, make upgrades to the fixtures, vanity, and sink. The bathtub or shower is also a major feature that will need significant changes in order to gain the most out of your remodel project.

Keep in mind that the size of the upgrade correlates with the size of the return on your investment. If you simply purchase and install a better bath tub in your Chicago home, the increase might be small, but if you expand the shower space, redo the floors, and fix up the walls, you will see a bigger increase in the value of your Chicago home—simply from remodeling your bath.

In Chicago, a newly remodeled bath will catch prospective buyers’ eyes. Not only will they be impressed with the effort you put into caring for your home, but they will envision themselves using the bath remodel. Chicago buyers don’t want to move into a home knowing that they will immediately have to shell out more money to perform a large project such as a bath remodeling.

When considering what part of your Chicago home you should remodel, think about these statistics: a bathroom renovation can return 102% to 130% or more on what you spend for the bath remodeling project. As you can see, a quality bathroom remodeling in Chicago is a sound investment, so don’t hesitate to spend what you need to get the job done right. The money you spend will be recouped when you sell your Chicago home.

You might be so used to your old bathroom that you don’t even notice how outdated it is. But prospective buyers will spot an outdated room right away. Once your bath remodeling is complete, you can feel proud about your Chicago home. In fact, you might even think twice about selling it!

Before you start your Chicago bath remodeling project, remember that the bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house. You’ll want to make this space useful but at the same time beautiful. The key to a good bath remodeling in your Chicago home is updating the shower or bath tub. Redesigning these features can bring about a dramatic change to your bathroom’s appearance—a change that people will notice.

Note that remodeling the bath of your Chicago home requires a lot of planning, following a budget, and keeping in mind the available bathroom space. When thinking about the shower or bath tub, choose a place where plumbing already exists, as the cost can go up if you decide to move the location of these.

No matter how big or overwhelming your Chicago bath remodeling project seems, always keep in mind the benefits of remodeling. You’ll see a real return on the investment you put into the project. Even if you decide not to sell your home for a while, think of how much you’ll enjoy your upgraded bathroom.

We were recently down in a client’s basement reviewing some heating and electrical issues for an Attic project.  We were stunned to find that the boiler’s flue pipe (the pipe that runs between the boiler and the chimney) had disintegrated and was on the floor.  There was six feet of missing pipe.  The flue gas (carbon monoxide) was going into the house.  Fortunately for the home owner, most of the flue gas was still making its way up the chimney.   It is a miracle that no one in the house died of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

The customer also didn’t have a carbon monoxide detector in his basement.

This is a good reason to have your furnace or boiler serviced every year.  Proper maintenance will prolong the life of your furnace or boiler and hopefully issues like we encountered  will get taken care of before they become serious.

Dream Room Makeover Wish Granted
Wilmette Girl Battling Rare Blood Disorder Gets Celebrity Room Redesign

CHICAGO – Sydney, a creative pre-teen from Wilmette, loves to hang out with her sister and her friends to talk or play video games.  Diagnosed with Langerhan’s Cell Histiocytosis, a rare blood disorder, Sydney wished to have a fabulous room where she can relax and have fun with her friends and family.  The Make-A-Wish Foundation, with help from local businesses and volunteers, is granting Sydneys wish and will present unveil her completed room at the end of January.

Sydney dreamed of a room designed by celebrity designer Nate Berkus.  Make-A-Wish arranged for Sydney to meet Berkus to discuss concepts for her dream room over the summer.  Then, the Foundation worked throughout the fall and early winter with local businesses to execute the plan created by Berkus.  With generous donations from Andy OnCall^® Chicago and North Shore owner Tom Daly, Joan Dotoli, a designer with Walter E. Smithe, and donations of goods and services from other local businesses, the room was recently completed.  The result is a fresh, elegant look with just enough whimsy to suit Sydney’s personality.

Hystocytois is a rare blood disorder where an overabundance of white blood cells begins attacking health bones and tissue. Because of her condition, Sydney has gone through many treatments including chemotherapy and steroids. She tires more easily than other girls her age, but that hasn’t stopped her from expressing her creativity for a cause.  Sydney makes custom necklaces out of unique rocks and donates the proceeds to help find a cure for her disease.

[Quote from wish granter on something special about Sydney and/or the wish experience]

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is able to grant wishes through the generous contributions of individual, community and corporate donors who provide financial support, in-kind gifts of goods and services and volunteer their time and talents.  Since 1985 the Foundation has granted more than 9,000 wishes and continues its mission to share the power of a wish^® with children living with life-threatening medical conditions across Illinois.  For more information or to find out how you can help call contact us at 312.602.WISH or visit www.wishes.org.

You can see photographs and read more about this project at www.wishes.org/wishes/wish-story.cfm?id=52

It’s December  in Chicagoland, and time for a last minute look at things that need to be done before winter:

1) Make Sure Your Furnace is Good to Go

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
• Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready

• If the chimney hasn’t been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
• Make sure you have a supply of firewood stored in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
• Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
• Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
• Make sure the weather stripping around doors is in good condition.
• Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.

4) Check Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• Have your roof inspected to check for bad shingles or flashing.
• Clean out the gutters, making sure that downspouts are clear.
• Make sure that your downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment

• Drain gas from lawnmowers.
• Service or tune-up snow blowers.
• Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
• Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
• Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.

6) Check Foundations

• Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.
• Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
• Tuck-point or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.

7) Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Some cities require a smoke detector in every room.
• Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.
• Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.

Prevent Plumbing Freezes

• Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
• Drain all garden hoses, coil them and store indoors or in a shed.
• Turn off the valves for your exterior garden hose faucets.
• If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

9) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces

• Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.
• Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter.
• Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.

10) Prepare an Emergency Kit for Power Outages

• Flashlight plus extra batteries
• Indoor candles and matches.
• Battery-powered radio.
• Extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location.

We get a lot of questions about what type of work we do.  Here is a brief list of some of the common projects we do each week.

Install replace faucet

Install a Ceiling Fan

Paint a room

Install a Garbage Disposal

Deck Maintenance       

Install a Dimmer Switch

Install a new Toilet

Replace a Light Switch

Install a new Garage Utility Door

Weatherproof a Door

Replace a toilet flapper

Repair a hole in drywall or plaster

Change a Furnace Filter

Caulk bathroom

Grab Rail Installation

Wood Rot Repair

Install Insulation

Assemble Furniture

Install crown molding

Install Bathroom wall and floor tile

Install Kitchen Backsplash

Refurbish Basement after flooding

The July issue of Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) is filled with information on top appliances and simple makeover ideas.  If you are planning a kitchen makeover I recommend picking up a copy.

In the issue they make an interesting point about low ball bids.  They noted that the “low ball contractor” will have to make up for the low bid somehow or might walk off the job when they find that they aren’t making any money on the job.  We have actually stepped in to demo and redo two projects this week where a low ball bid was accepted and the contractor walked away from the job.

Consumer Reports readers who went with a low ball bid ended up spending $1,500 extra on a kitchen and $1,000 on a bathroom remodel.  They recommend that you get several bids and determine what the “normal” cost of your project is and make sure that your contract spells out the open-ended items such as the products supplied or the allowances.   

Andy OnCall generally treats material as a pass through.   You pay what we pay.  There are no open ended allowances.  You know what the labor charge is for a specific scope of work.  Our labor charge only changes if the scope of work does.

I recommend that you review the tab Your Consumer Rights on our website.