HOME & 2009 Spring
garden magazine Advertising supplement to the Sunday, April 26, 2009 Detroit Lakes Tribune
111299 Lawnmower maint. ad.indd 1
SPRING Home Magazine
4/22/09 4:29:38 PM
inside the spring home magazine 2 Southwestern comfort
26
10 Dynamic Homes’ 40+ yrs
32 Home trend: greener
Armand and Maricela Radke recently finished their Floyd Lake home, a construction confection of southwestern bliss, where they hope to retire.
After more than 40 years based in Detroit Lakes, Dynamic Homes’ modular building system is only looking up and to more future growth.
16 Beating the energy bill
Detroit Lakes’ Utility Department weighs in on how residents can shave a few dollars off their energy bills.
18 Area gardeners gear up
Profiles of three local flower-and-vegetable enthusiasts as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Soothing with nature
Tom Reiffenberger, an area Master Gardener for more than 10 years, brought his love of gardening and “horticulture therapy” to Lakes Homes.
Architects say more potential builders are looking to be more environmentally friendly.
Published by DL Newspapers 511 Washington Avenue • Detroit Lakes Phone: 218-847-3151 • Fax: 218-847-9409 www.dl-online.com recordtribune@dlnewspapers.com Publisher: Dennis Winskowski dennisw@dlnewspapers.com Advertising Manager: Mary Brenk mbrenk@dlnewspapers.com Spring Home Editor: Courtney Sinner csinner@dlnewspapers.com Circulation Manager: Viola Anderson violaa@dlnewspapers.com
L & M
SU PPLY
“QUALITY AT A DISCOUNT” ◆ Clothing ◆ Toys ◆ Power Equipment ◆ Farming
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Plumbing Electrical Sporting Goods Lawn & Garden Housewares
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Automotive Paint Power Tools Hardware Pets
1100 Hwy. 59 South • Detroit Lakes 218-847-1171 www.landmsupply.com Email: info@landmsupply.com
STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday 7:30 am-8:30pm Sat. 7:30am-5:30pm; Sun. 9am-5pm SPRING Home Magazine
®
IAL
FINANC
VICES
D
CAR
SER
1
Photos by Brian Basham/DL Newspapers
Armand, left, and Maricela Radke, right, stand in front of the kitchen and island in their newly finished home on the northeastern side of Floyd Lake. After breaking ground more than 20 months ago, they’re finally getting settled.
Radkes had nothing but time, and wound up with a truly unique space By COURTNEY SINNER
csinner@dlnewspapers.com
When Maricela and Armand Radke decided it was time for a change to their small cabin on the northeast side of Floyd Lake, the Detroit Lakes couple consulted many friends and contractors about whether to remodel, or simply tear it down and start from scratch. The answer was nearly unanimous: start over. They’d owned the property for 15 years or so, and although it held many memories of parties and summer sun with their children, Phillip, now 22, and Brittany, now 25, the structure had a looming mold problem, and heavy winter snows left the ceilings bowed. So, during summer 2007, they sold off some of the fixtures in the house (Mari says it was “weird” watching people “scavenge”) and broke ground in August. By the end of that summer, Armand, an optometrist at the MeritCare clinic in town, said the concrete slab for the new house and main structure was up. The Radkes’ new lake place is now finished, and they’re in the process of moving in and completing landscaping, 2
but it was the interior details — of which there are many — that took the pair the longest to complete. And yet they had the luxury to take their time. “We weren’t in any hurry,” Armand said. “It’s not like we were trying to sell a house.” Their year-round house, which is attached to Mari’s dance studio where she teaches dance classes and yoga, is located on Summit Avenue in town, but they plan to retire here to Floyd Lake eventually. “Builders are used to moving quickly and having to get things done by a certain time,” Armand said, referring to basic finishes that the builder recommended. When the couple turned down the basics in favor of something more distinct, like twirly, copper rail spindles on the stairs, the contractor simply said it would take more time. “But, time wasn’t an issue for us,” Armand said. So, Armand and Mari thought of every detail and made sure it was perfect, and they wound up with a truly unique space with a southwestern feel.
RADKE Continued on page 8 SPRING Home Magazine
3-D Dirt Wurx Catwork • Bobcat • Black Dirt • Driveways • Gravel Hauling • Concrete Slabs • Snow Removal • Basements Nick Disse
218.234.9065
218.846.9661
Home Decorating 2009 Detroit Paint & Glass has provided you with Benjamin Moore PAINTS, Varnishes & STAINS, GLASS, CUSTOM SHOWER DOORS, COMMERCIAL STORE FRONTS, Brand Name Luxurious CARPETING, FLOORCOVERING, Screens, WINDOW SHADES, Blinds, and Custom Picture FRAMING. For over
50 years
Professional Installation On All Products
As a local independent agent, we can design an insurance program that’s just right for you and your family. Give the people you love Safe.Sound.Secure.® protection from Auto-Owners Insurance Company.
919 Washington Avenue
847-7582
Lake Park Insurance Agency, Inc. 2037 2nd Street • Lake Park, MN 1-888-232-7166
Beauty and quality
in home construction and renovation... let us welcome you home!
❖ Finished Custom Homes ❖ Grand Remodels ❖ Choice Building Lots SPRING Home Magazine
MN License #20225226 3
Handmade lamps, (Left), were from the couples’ friend, Richard Chelmo. In the Master bath, a copper sink with flowers, (Above), is a focal point.
The stain color on the quarter-sawn oak cabinets is flip-flopped from the wall to the bar, as is the color of granite countertops. 4
SPRING Home Magazine
Trust.
Over 50 Years in the Lakes Area E CONSTRUCTI L S ON D NO EstablishEd 1955
New Construction & Remodeling
• Residential •Commercial • Cottages • Cabinets
Perry Nodsle
In a time of instability...stick with results you can trust. Detroit Lakes Newspapers is still the leading source people turn to for everything they need to know. In fact, Minnesotans respond to Newspaper ads 2 to 1 over radio.
847-7603
1473 Legion Road • Detroit Lakes • Res. 218-847-8347 • Lic. #1834
Adkins Equipment Company, Inc. (Co. Rd. #21) Richwood Rd., Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
New & Used Skid Steers • Rentals Available • Garden Tractors
Your Success - Our Specialty Clifford Adkins Jr. Jeff Adkins 1-218-847-4587
Want your news even faster? Go to
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Housecleaning Fire & Water Restoration Construction Cleaning
m
www.dl-online.co
Residential/Commercial Cleaning Services ServicemaSter of Detroit Lakes
P.O. Box 269 Detroit Lakes, MN 56502 www.servicemasterbystrong.com
Source: Newton Research 2006.
• the lakes area’s premier building system
The Afton The Spruce Hollow
Visit Our On-Site ModelsLocated just across from our Main Office.
Summer Model Home Hours Now in EffectMonday - Friday 8am-4:30pm Saturday & Sunday Noon-3:00pm
218-847-2611 • www.dynamichomes.com
stop by and take a tour!
218-847-7755 Fax: 218-847-5863
525 Roosevelt Ave • Detroit Lakes, MN SPRING Home Magazine
5
An enormous loft features white and red oak floors, a hinged windowseat, and impact-resistant glass in the windows to shield against the potential stray golf ball from nearby Ironman Golf Course.
The second bedroom has maple floors and a more “antiquey� feel, Mari said. 6
SPRING Home Magazine
Bergeson Nursery
“Your Hometown Quality Builder & Remodeler”
Quality
4177 Co. Hwy. #1, Fertile, MN 56540
Professional
218-945-6988
3 Miles South & 5 Miles East of Fertile www.bergesonnursery.com
Flatin insulation
Unique
Over 30 Years Experience Licensed • Bonded • Insured
1-800-726-3734 ONE CONTRACTOR START TO FINISH
OFFERING: • State of the art construction materials and techniques • High quality workmanship • Complete satisfaction guaranteed
Experience
SPECIALIZING IN: • New Homes • Steel Siding • Remodeling • Garages • Replacement Windows • Additions • Decks • Sunrooms
of Detroit Lakes
Dave Francis • 218-847-4054 Scott Francis • 218-847-3556
Commercial • Residential • Industrial Painting • Drywall • Steel Stud Framing Insulation: Blow in, Fiberglass Batts, Spray Foam Comfort Foam Qualified Contractor
FRANCIS CONSTRUCTION
PH: 218-847-3329
Dave, Dan, Lee and Scott Lic. #20266607
of Detroit Lakes, Inc.
COME HOME number one
• Custom Cabinets • Granite Countertops • Custom Stone & Tile Design • Laminate & Cork Flooring • Hardwood • Carpet • Vinyl • Window Treatments • Interior Design Services
source for flooring, kitchens and baths! Stop in and meet our design team.
Three locations to serve you
Detroit Lakes, MN
Osage, MN
Fargo, ND
416 Hwy. 10 W.
54485 State Hwy. 34
360 36th Street S.
1-218-844-6600 1-877-834-6600 SPRING Home Magazine
7
RADKE Continued from page 2 The old cabin, which was roughly 1,900 square feet was narrower and had two bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom and up a spiral staircase was a loft. The prior owners had added on a few times, Armand said, so many of the rooms were small, and didn’t have as much “useable space” as the new home. The new house has 2,400 square feet (800 upstairs, and 1,600 downstairs), only a 500 square feet increase, but Mari said it feels much bigger because of the height of the new house — the great room has an enormous vaulted ceiling lined with tongue-in-groove rustic cherry. Speaking of wood, the house is full of it, and yet doesn’t feel overwhelmingly “woody” — probably because Mari used a different kind of hardwood on nearly every surface for variety. It’s not conventional by any standard, but Mari wanted everything “just a little different.” Dark walnut floors and trim are in the master suite, maple in the second bedroom. Brazilian cherry is at an angle to the house on the great room floors, and a mismatchy pattern of white and red oak is in the loft. Kitchen cabinets are in quarter-sawn oak, but stained in two colors, a few with frosted glass. The main cabinets are more of a natural oak color, with crown moldings in a dark stain. The bar is the opposite: the dark stain with natural accents. And because they wanted a darker granite countertop in on the main cabinets, they chose a lighter shade of granite for the bar for contrast. And if all that sounds like too much variety, one thing keeps it tied together: the slate tile, with a subtle sheen, in the foyer runs through the mudroom, main hallway and kitchen, and returns in the accents on the adobe-style fireplace and in front of the double doors leading to the lake. “We wanted wood or tile throughout the house,” Mari said. They had carpet in the old cabin, she said, but sand from the beach is much easier to clean off hard surfaces than with carpet.
Lake life details like tracked in sand, or lights along the staircase from the loft for dark nights were all taken into account when designing the home. The loft is large — Mari said she planned to do yoga there, Armand can store his music equipment, and there’s still plenty of room for two twin beds, a long window seat hinged for storage, little antique cars and a souvenir miniature coffee cart from Costa Rica. Big picture windows, topped with tiled arches, face both the lake and Ironman Golf Course to the southeast of them. The windows on the golf course side are all impact resistant, too, Armand said, a detail he thought of since they’d had some broken windows in the old cabin. Sinks for the kitchen and both bathrooms were one of the only things they imported, all of hammered copper. A large farmers-style sink is in the kitchen, and in the master bath, a round copper sink with flowery in-lays. Outside, a few pergolas, wood-slat topped overhangs that they hope to grow vines over, are still under construction, but will accent the beige siding. On the lakeside, they moved the house’s footprint 10 feet back from the shore after mitigating with county officials, and employed their son’s landscape architect friend to help come up with a “permeable” design for stone pathways to the lake so as to not break new lakeshore regulations. Through the whole process, though, the couple knew what they wanted, and Armand defaulted to his wife on major decisions. “You don’t now how many magazines we looked at … and took pictures of everything in restaurants and on vacation,” Armand said. “It’s (Mari’s) one chance to build a house.” And yet, at the end of the day, it seems to be all about the memories from the past and for the future. “The kids grew up here,” Armand said. “We play in the lake some, fish some, water ski, but it’s mostly about watching the sun go down at night. You can’t beat that. And it’s perfect for looking at the stars.”
The Radkes’ great room features an adobe-style fireplace with the same slate tile from the kichen, foyer and hallway. Brazilian cherry floors, perpendicular to the angled fireplace but diagonal to the rest of the house, are just another unique facet to the home. Supple leather chairs with southwestern accents continue the theme in the house.
8
SPRING Home Magazine
How to cope with rising energy costs.
INSTALL GEOTHERMAL ECONAR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
Guaranteed Lowest Prices! Stainless Steel Outdoor Woodburning Furnaces Lifetime Warranty! Order Now and SAVE BIG!
• New Install • Commercial • Residential • In-Floor Heat • HVAC & Plumbing
www.econar.com
DENNIS HASS REPAIR
Bringing Geo to the World Lic.TS01611 • dkhass@wcta.net • Insured & Bonded
Serving Frazee & the LakeS area • 218-538-6698
Large Selection of Gas & Woodburning High Quality Fireplaces & Stoves
Ask About The Best Floor Heat Water Tubing Volume Discounts & FREE Estimates!
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL Licensed in Minnesota & North Dakota 15107 Buckhorn Rd. Lake Park, MN 56554
Tim Nerdahl (701) 219-0611
1-800-446-4043 www.mikesheating.com
www.daveerwinconstruction.com
SPRING Home Magazine
9
Photos by Courtney Sinner/DL Newspapers
In Dynamic Homes’ factory, workers construct many different homes at once using an assembly line system.
Dynamic Homes stays ahead of market by being, well, By COURTNEY SINNER csinner@dlnewspapers.com While most construction companies sit idly from lack of building projects and jobs are few and far between, one, Detroit Lakes-based Dynamic Homes, continued to produce 50 out of 52 weeks of the year in 2008 – the only company in the Upper Midwest to do so – and they expect business to be up again in 2009. And although executives say they never quite saw the building boom that larger markets did (so it might be why they haven’t quite felt the pinch), they credit their product diversity, or dynamic-ness if you will, and dedicated employees for their long-term success. The company, which builds modular homes and commercial buildings, was in its infancy in 1969 but was undercapitalized, current Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tim Olson said, so the Lund Boat company purchased Dynamic Homes in 1970. That lasted until 1973 when the Lund proprietors opted to let Dynamic Homes go, and it became a publicly traded company, remaining that way until 2000, when owners made it private again. Now entering its 40th year, Dynamic Homes has produced more than 10,000 houses and commercial properties 10
dynamic
for buyers in six upper Midwest states: Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska. “We’re going to be around a while,” Olson said. Modular buildings are created in sections in a factory setting, complete with everything from cabinets and countertops to flooring and sinks, then transported to the site via wide semi and assembled. Olson likened the process to a puzzle — where the pieces are created in a controlled environment and put together later, unlike a traditionally built house (which they call “stick-built”) that might take longer because builders are dealing with things like weather. In the factory, the sections, or modules, are rolled out (literally, rolled on tracks created by the company’s founder) with assembly line precision. In the massive factory on Roosevelt Avenue, employees work on a dozen different homes at once, each at a different stage in the process. Olson said they finish one and a half houses every day. They produce 200 homes a year at that rate compared to three or four that a regular contractor would produce (and also get inspected by more organizations more often), so they get many of the high-quality supplies at a bulk discount, which can trickle down to savings for the con-
DYNAMIC HOMES Continued on page 13 SPRING Home Magazine
Jason 218-531-0055 Keith 218-556-9711 Locally Owned & Operated
Cory 701-388-1568
Siding & Construction
Serving the Entire Lakes Area
QUALITY WORK AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Trade-Ins Welcome 42807 C. Hwy. 9 N. in Pelican Rapids Lic. #9246 & 3587
1975
34
2009
218-863-6639 758-2729 1-800-232-5270
www.victoryhomes.net
Is your fireplace safe & clean?
1-800-201-0167
• Asphalt Driveways • Seal Coat Driveways • Asphalt Parking Lots • Residential/Commercial • Free Estimates
Call now to plan your project!
Manning’s Lakes Paving Detroit Lakes
218-847-7164
Cultured Stone Installation • Tuck Pointing
We also specialize in brick repair & converting wood fireplaces to gas
YOUR FLOORING HEADQUARTERS
Commercial & Residential • Sales & Installation
nen Sheila Heino sultant on C n ales & Desig
S
• Free Estimates • Licensed • Bonded • Insured
• • • • • • • •
Glass Block Marble Granite Porcelain Ceramic Carpet Wood Laminate
Skye La Sales & Des rson ign Consulta
nt
18901 Dan Street • Detroit Lakes • 218-847-0335 Open 8a.m.-5p.m. Monday-Friday • Weekends/Evenings by appointment Just off Richwood Road, and Tower Road on the North Edge of DL SPRING Home Magazine
11
One of the chalet-style model houses built by Dynamic Homes has a loft above.
The other model home is much different, highlighting the diversity of their building style. 12
SPRING Home Magazine
Seamless Gutter Systems
State of the Art Appliances
FREE S ESTIMATE CALL WAYNE AT 218-841-0232 or 218-334-4425
More Power
To Ya!
Same Location, Same Fine
Service for 3 Generations
Commercial & Residential Wiring Licensed Electrical Contracting Free Planning Service
(218) 847-5255
Don & Joe SchattSchneiDer 521 South Shore Drive • Detroit Lakes, MN www.schattselectric.com
Friendly Home Town Service
Specialty Concrete, Inc. We do driveways, sidewalks and patios in traditional or colored, stamped decorative concrete.
Pavers • Foundations Tear Out & Replace — FREE ESTIMATES — 14693 West Lake Sallie Dr., Detroit Lakes, MN OFFICE 218-847-3817 CELL 218 841-8484
20 Years Experience Licensed • Bonded Insured SPRING Home Magazine
John Bergquist
The Best of Both Worlds
D&D
repair & appliance
517 Washington Avenue Detroit Lakes 218-847-9775 13
Dynamic Homes’ main offices and factory are located on Roosevelt Avenue in Detroit Lakes.
DYNAMIC HOMES Continued from page 9 sumer. Dynamic Homes President Paul Okeson said the price compares “apples to apples,” but many of their houses wind up being slightly cheaper simply because “stickbuilt” homes rarely come in at or below budget. Picking trims, flooring, and other home finishes can also be less of a headache, since Dynamic has many inhouse options. Buildings assembled modularly also go up much faster. The average stick-built home takes upwards of six months from start to finish, but for Dynamic Homes, many of their houses are ready to move into within 90 days of placing an order. Most of their homes are 2, 3, or 4 modules that get put together by a crane on site, but Olson said they’ve done a 10-module house before and are working with a prospective buyer for a 12-module home. And while the company has a number of floor plans to choose from (everything from ramblers and split levels to chalets and two-stories), 85 percent of the homes they build are completely customized — something both Olson and Okeson say they’ve both done for themselves a handful of times. “I wouldn’t build a home any other way,” Olson said. For Olson and Okeson, much of their time on the job is spent dispelling myths about modular homes. 14
“I used to think it was trailer homes when I came to work here,” Okeson, who has worked with the company for five years, said, “but there’s a difference.” Similarly, Olson said the “M” in “modular” often gets mistaken for “mobile,” but “it’s just how the house comes to the job. That’s the only difference.” The vast majority of the homes are built with a full basement, too, since the typical excavating, digging and foundation process is done before the modules arrive to the site, so buyers have the option of installing a basement. It’s not a finished basement, though. Buyers are left to finish that separately, one of the few limitations that modular homes have. “Our job every day is to educate,” Olson said. “There are people who come in here, and it’s our job to get rid of their predetermined thoughts, and they realize it’s a sophisticated process.” At the end of the day though, Dynamic Homes relies on its employees, everyone from the front desk receptionist to electricians and plumbers. More than half have been employed by Dynamic Homes for upwards of 15 or 20 years. Olson has been there for 30 years — and one factory worker said he started at Dynamic just three days after his high school graduation in 1975. “We saw a recession in the early ‘80s, and we survived because of our product and our employees, and I think that recession was worse,” Olson said. “We’re starting to see it turn around, we’re starting to see more activity.” SPRING Home Magazine
Winter and Sons Construction Inc. General Contractors
❖ New Homes ❖ Light Commercial ❖ Residential Remodeling ❖ Soffit ❖ Fascia ❖ Steel & Vinyl Siding
19888 Woodland Circle Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
Office: (218) 847-3183 License #BC 20518433
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL
All Aluminum Gutters & Downspouts • Doors • Vinyl Windows • Soffit • Fascia • Siding FREE ESTIMATES - GUARANTEED
218-847-3183 Detroit Lakes, MN
LICENSE #BC 20518433
MALONEY’S PLUMBING INC. 218-847-4942 Plumbing Fixtures & Supplies commercial • residential • remodeling service & repair lake homes • hot water heating plumbing fixtures & supplies
Bonded & Insured • Dan Maloney • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 License #004298PM
The Peak of Quality Service! ELECTRICAL SERVICE
• Commercial • Residential • Industrial
THERMOIMAGING
• Electrical Equipment & Panels • Heat loss in Homes & Businesses
ELECTRICAL DESIGN BUILD
• Electrical Prints • Budgets • Schedules
YOUR COMPLETE ELECTRICAL TEAM • 218-847-5244
www.apexelectric.biz
LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED SPRING Home Magazine
15
Increase your home’s energy efficiency
without breaking the bank By THRESSA JOHNSON Home energy can all too easily turn into a major drain, both environmentally and financially. To reduce your bill and lessen your personal effect on the environment, keep these tips from the Detroit Lakes Utilities Department in mind: ■ Unplug cords for items not currently in use, like cell phone and laptop chargers. The "bricks," or boxes on power cords, will draw in energy even when not plugged into gadgets, and devices like televisions take in power when switched off, meaning they should be unplugged, too, if not put to use often. Some appliances use up as much energy when turned off as when they're on, a fact many consumers aren't aware of. ■ Change your lightbulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs provide a simple way to save a few bucks. Their light quality has improved in recent years, but you may need to test out a few brands before finding one that suits you. ■ Measure your watt usage. Wattmeters are inexpensive, sometimes only $20, and help you realize how much electricity your appliances use. Buying or borrowing a wattmeter will pinpoint any plug-in appliances that are drawing excessive amounts of energy, allowing you to look into investing in a more efficient model. ■ Look for the "Energy Star" logo when shopping for home appliances. It signifies that the product has met the Environmental Protection Agency's and U.S. Department of Energy's standards, making them more energy-efficient than base models. ■ Seal yourProvide ducts, or have ductwork insulated. Energy We seeps easily through cracks, which in turn finds its way
into your electrical expenses. ■ Instead of turning down the thermostat, turn on a fan. Be sure to have fans on only when people are in the room, to be especially cost-effective. ■ Invest in an Energy Star programmable thermostat. These thermostats automatically change settings for dayto-night use, as well as weekday-to-weekend, allowing you to save on heating and cooling bills. ■ For rooms that see little use, but often have their lights left on, installing motion sensors can save energy by automatically shutting the lights off after a set length of time. ■ Be sure to have your furnace and air-conditioner cleaned each year before their season of use. Annual tuneups can prevent issues like dirty filters from sucking up extra energy. ■ When replacing decorative lighting, consider purchasing LED light strings, which use up to 95 percent less electricity than C7 incandescent lights. A few easy exchanges and adjustments can cut energy bills dramatically, while significantly lessening stress on resources and the environment, leaving no reason to fear flipping a switch.
Peace of Mind!
We Provide Peace of Mind!
Residential Commercial New Construction Service & Installation Residential • Commercial • New Construction • Service & Installation 24 Hour - 7 Days a Week 24 Hour ServiceService - 7 Days A Week • Never an Overtime Charge! • Guaranteed Satisfaction Guaranteed Satisfaction
Master Series Complete Water • Treatment Systems
Plumbing - Heating - Air Conditioning Water Treatment - Duct Cleaning - Fireplaces
847-1309
Come visit our showroom at 1034 Hwy 59 South, Detroit Lakes
South Shore Remodeling, LLC "No job too small" • Large or small remodeling • Ceramic tile • Decks • Garages 16
lbdavis@arvig.net
218-846-9317 or 218-849-2429 Certified/Insured
Commercial & Residential Retail Sales Tongue & Groove Paneling Windows Interior & Exterior Doors Stair Parts & Millwork Prefinished Doors Prefinished Millwork Interior & Exterior Painting Staining & Finishing FREE Estimates SHANE HEILLE 15555 Heille Ridge Lane • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 Work 218-847-5295 • Res. 218-847-2242 • Fax 218-847-0005 SPRING Home Magazine
commercial/residential/farm/industrial service, remodel, new installation free estimates, Professional Work licensed, insured & Bonded PerrY Windels 50508 us Hwy. 59 owner detroit lakes, mn 56501
Jake Says
I will beat ANY Invention or Contraption made to rid your swimming beach of weeds
with a Crary
WeedRoller
IF
Installed Properly. 14 years experience
218-826-6730 TIMBERLAKE BUILDERS, INC. Our Services Include Everything From Top to Bottom and A-Z! Licensed-Bonded-Insured • Lic#20446734 Martin Warnsholz - Owner/Laborer
We are the Right Choice for all of your Construction Needs! Phone: 218.935.0870 Mobile: 218.850.7861 • Mahnomen, MN
Jake
218-770-0657 Cell Phone Jake Jacobson, Authorized Dealer Office: JATAS Machinery Sales Westwood Plaza, Hwy 210 Box 166 • Underwood, MN 56586 Complete Sales & On Site Repair
Your "Lakes Area" Building Specialist!
A Blue Scope Steel Company
Quality Commercial and Residential Construction Over 50 years experience serving the region. Ask about Pelican River Heights... a new residential development offering fantastic views! It's a must-see if you're considering a single family or multi-family home.
Contact Bob or Casey Bristlin at 218-847-1122
www.bristlinconstruction.com SPRING Home Magazine
17
Submitted photos
Sue and Larry Larson, who live north of town on Highway 59, tend to a lush pond and garden in their front yard. In the back of their house, tall hollyhocks may eventually be a new focal point.
Area gardeners prepare for another
season of flowers By COURTNEY SINNER csinner@dlnewspapers.com The lakes area is full of people that love to plant seeds in the spring and watch fresh, green sprigs of life poke through the soil. For many, the love of gardening began during childhood and has burgeoned into a lifelong hobby. The following area gardeners are a few of many that received “Beautification Awards” the last time the Chamber of Commerce ran the contest back in 2006. Sue and Larry Larson Sue and Larry have been in their house off Highway 18
59 since 2004, and although some of the landscaping was there when they moved in, it was their more than sevenfoot-tall hollyhocks that got the attention of passers-by a couple years ago. They couldn’t get them to grow as tall last year because of chillier temperatures, but the couple, who both grew up with green-thumb families, says they’ll try again this year. Sue, one of 14 children, lived in Idaho for a time before moving to the Lake Park area with her family. She remembers her mother being excited to start planting vegetables in the rich, black soil that the valley is known for.
PROFILES Continued on page 20 SPRING Home Magazine
STEVE SEABERG New Construction • Remodeling Quality Work, Satisfied Customers
Cell 841.4400 • Home 218.847.4510
Serving the Lakes Area Since 1978 New Construction • Remodeling
Detroit Lakes, MN
218-439-3620 Wayne Willette 701-361-0466 Frank Larson 701-640-5066
Decorative Concrete - Floors - Foundations Driveways - Patios - Sidewalks - Demolition
Neal Holland’s Neal Holland’s
of Lilac the TINKERBELLE Lilac Home of theHome TINKERBELLE Plant Materials Home of the TINKERBELLE Lilac Deep Pink Flower version of Deep Pink Flower version of Dwarf Korean Lilac Pink in the Area! Deep Flower version of Dwarf Korean Lilac & PRINCE CHARMING of the&Fairy Tale Series of Lilac Dwarf Korean Lilac PRINCE CHARMING of the Annuals • Perennials PRINCE of the• Trees & Shrubs Fairy Tale&Series ofCHARMING Lilac Fairy Tale of Lilac WeSeries also carry Planters, Seeds, Bulbs and many gardening ideas. An easy 10-15 minute drive north of Fargo, Moorhead & West Fargo Annuals • Perennials & Shrubs & Shrubs Annuals •• Trees Perennials View• Trees our Display Gardens! We also carryWe Planters, Seeds, Bulbs also carry Planters, Seeds, Bulbs and many gardening ideas. and many gardening ideas. Gift Certificates Gift Certificates AvailableAvailable Widest Selection of
701-282-0050
LAKES COUNTRY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS BUY FROM A LOCAL GROWER!
BUY FROM A LOCAL GROWER!
17010 29th St. SE, Harwood
17010 29th Harwood (NorthSt. end ofSE, west frontage road, Harwood exit off I-29)
easy 10-15road, minuteHarwood drive north of Fargo, westAnfrontage exit off Moorhead I-29) & West Fargo
end 9-5 of M-F:(North 9-8 • Sat: An Noon-5 easy 10-15 minute drive north of Fargo, Moorhead & West Fargo 701-282-0050 M-F: 9-8 • Sat: 9-5 Sun: Sun: Noon-5 701-282-0050
®
Open Houses for over 40 member companies all in one location.
www.LakesCountryOpenHouses.com
Come Check it Out!
Brass Master Water Softners Water Heaters Sump Pumps • Water Pumps Lake Home Openings and Closings Furnaces and Air Conditioners Plenum Heaters
Licensed • Bonded • Insured Master License #064689-PM
Call today for all of your plumbing and heating needs! cell 218-790-3025
Now's The Perfect Time To Buy A New Home A tax credit of up to $8,000 is now available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Unlike the tax credit enacted in 2008, the new credit does not have to be repaid.
EQUAL HOUSING
Call Your Realtor Today!
OPPORTUNITY
LAKES COUNTRY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® • 115 WILLOW STREET WEST, PO BOX 203 • DETROIT LAKES, MN 56502 SPRING Home Magazine
19
PROFILES Continued from page 18 “I just loved being outside,” Sue said. “I would rather have gardened, and make my sisters stay inside and cook.” Larry, who grew up on a farm outside Lake Park, saves the seeds from some of the flowers, and marks the colors to plan for future years. When planting their gardens, Larry says the most important thing is “to get the first row straight.” The couple also plants peonies, tulips and lilies, and in the vegetable garden, strawberries, hot peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, just to name a few. Last year, Larry said, deer chewed off the tops of their beets, and one year, they accidentally fenced in a trouble rabbit that had been nibbling on plants. “We put up a fence, but then found out that it had built a den inside the fence,” Sue said. Still, she said, they’ll be at it for a while. “We’ll probably be doing this until we can’t bend over anymore, and then we’ll probably crawl,” she said.
PROFILES Continued on page 22 The Larsons have now planted a few of these “rose trees,” (Right) after the first one was successful. (Below) their more than six-foot-tall hollyhocks from a couple summers back prompted passers-by to stop and take pictures, Sue said.
20
SPRING Home Magazine
First Security Bank Where you bank does make a difference...
DEB HAUGEN
ROD EINERSON
CARA FRANK
President
Vice President, Consumer/Commercial
Products & Services • Commercial • Auto & Boat • Refinance
• New Home Construction • Mortgage
First Security Bank 611 Summit Avenue, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501, 218-847-3041
• Personal and Recreational Loans Each depositor insured to $100,000
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
Nothing surpasses the natural beauty, elegance, and durability of granite countertops in your home. Other solid surfaces don’t come close to the richness, depth of color, and polish. 1702 Pebble Lake Road, Fergus Falls, MN 56537 1-218-998-2587 • www.agassizgranite.com
QUALITY WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN, MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION
ALL UNDER ONE ROOF
Serving Minnesota and the Dakotas for over 30 years.
www.foltzbuildings.com
INSULATED SHOP GARAGES
SPRING Home Magazine
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL BUILDING
MACHINERY STORAGE
1-800-255-9981
HORSE CATTLE BARNS
21
PROFILES Continued from page 20 Steve and Renee Specht Steve and Renee started small when they moved to their property, then a new development, 11 years ago. Steve said they started out with a small garden bordered in old railroad ties, and have added on to it five or six times. “We figured we’d have less (grass) to mow that way,” he said. The pair doesn’t grow many vegetables, just tomatoes and peppers for their love of salsa, but their big garden in back is full of flowers, including Renee’s favorite, zinnias. “I call it our family flower, because my mother’s name was Zinnel,” she explained. Many of their perennials, she said, came from her sister-in-law Janis Schram, who splits up her perennial bulbs at the end of every season and gives them away to family and friends. “She’s really the one that helped us get started in a lot of this,” Steve said. The couple lived in a townhome prior to moving there, and only had a few flowerpots, but now, Steve says it’s their “big hobby.” Their garden is mostly perennials with annuals to fill in, like sunflowers, but since they live in a location with few trees for shade, they don’t have hostas. And some things over the years haven’t been successful. “It happens,” Renee said. “It’s just trial and error, and learning by doing, but it’s basically fun.”
PROFILES Continued on page 24
22
Renee Specht’s favorite flower is the zinnia, which is clear from the photos here. She and her husband, Steve, credit help with their garden to their sister-in-law.
SPRING Home Magazine
MORRISON’S ELECTRIC DON MORRISON ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL WIRING LICENSED • INSURED • BONDED
421 KOLB STREET, OGEMA 56569 • 218-983-3177
FOLTZ DRYWALL Nathan Foltz, Owner
Hang - Tape - Texture - Custom Painting Insured • Free Estimates
218•841•9837
218-234-1173 Paul & Sarah Kujawa Detroit Lakes, MN
www.dlfiberglass.com paulsara@arvig.net
• • • • • •
New Homes Remodeling & Additions Shingled Roofs Steel Roofs Doors & Windows Decks & Siding MN LIC# BC-20460621 ND LIC# 32002
Detroit Lakes, MN Home (218) 846-0079 Cell (218) 849-4489
N!
O AS
E hS
13t UR
Specializing in POST FRAME STORAgE, COMMERCIAL & OFFICE BuILDINgS, gARAgES & INSuLATED SHOPS
O
• Annuals & Perennials • Vegetables, Trees & Shrubs • Hanging Baskets, Pots & Bowls • Landscape & Perennial Design & Installation
• Paver Patios, Retaining Walls, Rip Rap • Full Lawn Maintenance — Residential & Commercial
Experienced & Certified 1 mile North of Detroit Lakes on Richwood Road • 19165 County Hwy. 21
218-847-7520
SPRING Home Magazine
23
PROFILES Continued from page 22 Betty Smith It’s probably safe to call Betty Smith an area greenthumb legend. She has enough awards and newspaper clippings to fill a binder, has been a part of the Lakes Region Gardening Club for over 40 years (she was president from 1978 through 1980, and secretary for a few years, too), and currently serves as the superintendent for the District 11 Horticulture Shows (and the district is a big one — from East Grand Forks to Lake Park and Ada). These days, her house just north of Detroit Lakes, which she has lived in since 1979, is surrounded by flowers, mostly annuals and hostas — “Everybody has hostas” — but a garden in back is full of gladiolas (her favorite), more than three kinds of lilies, hybrid irises of every color, lilacs and dahlias. Red geraniums fill up hanging pots, apple trees blossom in the spring, and she could fill a cornucopia with the amount of vegetables she grows, everything from potatoes and beets to radishes and spinach. “You can’t top the flavor,” she said. She says she makes five kinds of pickles, apple pickles, beet pickles, and plum jelly, which she says is tart but “has a beautiful color.” Betty has never had trouble growing anything, she says, and credits her parents with those skills. “I don’t know what I don’t have,” she said of her garden.
24
(Above) Betty Smith has probably grown every variety of lily, gladiola, (Lower Left), and others, like dahlias, irises and lilacs. In the spring, a tree in her backyard explodes with pink buds, (Lower Right).
SPRING Home Magazine
Dock & Lift Headquarters
See Keith Skalin Today!
Open 8-5 Mon-Fri Saturday 9-12 Noon
Stop in and check out a FLOE today!
1015 Hwy. 59 S. Detroit Lakes, MN
SALES, SERVICE & INSTALLATION
218.847.2108 218.844.5655
THE NATION’S LARGEST SUPPLIER OF BUILDING MATERIALS TO PROFESSIONAL BUILDERS
LondonStone™Free Standing Walls provide versatility to any landscaping project. Adding a partition wall can bring a new dynamic to your landscape. Four blended colors and three block sizes match any environment to create a more natural looking wall. These two faced blocks allow you to make a partition wall that is straight, yet flexible enough to adjust its natural surroundings.
1
$ 49 Decrowall
retaining wall block
Each
National Reach. Local Expertise.
ProBuild • 950 Randolph Road • Detroit Lakes, MN • 218-847-2688
O P E N : M - F 7 : 0 0 - 5 : 3 0 , S a t . 8 : 0 0 - 1 2 : 0 0 — w w w. u b c . b z — w w w. p r o b u i l d . c o m SPRING Home Magazine
25
submitted photos
Thanks to area Master Gardener Tom Reiffenberger, Lakes Homes area group homes have been using horticulture therapy for their residents. Working with nature, he said, has many benefits.
Lakes Homes brings garden therapy to residents for 10 years By COURTNEY SINNER csinner@dlnewspapers.com Anyone who spends their spare time planting, pruning, watering and harvesting will tell you that there’s something soothing about working with nature. Tom Reiffenberger has parlayed his Master Gardener status into his job for over 10 years with that very idea in mind. For those that thought nature’s relaxing qualities were just coincidental, Reiffenberger, the executive administrator at Lakes Homes and Program Development, calls it horticulture therapy. Along the lines of music therapy or dog therapy, he said, it helps relax and improve the lives of the residents at Lakes Homes’ various group homes in the area. Lakes Homes’, a local nonprofit, works with adults who have developmental disabilities, many of whom reside in group homes. The organization has most of their locations in Becker County, but has also expanded to Ottertail and Mahnomen counties. Reiffenberger became a certified Master Gardener about 12 years ago after taking an 8-week long course through the University of Minnesota Extension Office, where students 26
learned the specifics of plant pathology, insects, diseases and how to research problems and help a fellow Gardener with a problem. Not long after receiving his certification, Reiffenberger decided to get residents of Lakes Homes involved. The organization wrote up a grant proposal to the American Horticulture Society and received enough to build a greenhouse — the same one that most Detroit Lakes residents see on Summit Avenue. Now, he said, every one of Lakes’ Homes locations has some sort of garden, whether it’s a simple window box or full landscaping with raised beds, ponds and walking paths. Residents help with much of the gardening work, he said, but it varies significantly depending on the functioning level of the resident. “It totally depends on the individual,” he said. “We have a group of very interested people, who had either done work on a farm or grew up around it, and they can be quite independent, whereas some can just hold the hose and water things, and some just put their hands in the soil and feel it.” There are many benefits, too, Reiffenberger said. It
LAKES HOMES Continued on page 30 SPRING Home Magazine
JOHNSON’S
PLUMBING
Licensed & Bonded Lic. #058797PM
Master Plumber
Clean, Reliable, Professional, Service!
Escape the heat
Retreat to the cool comfort of your home Follow these tips to keep hot summer air where it belongs and minimize your cooling costs: s 3EAL LEAKS AROUND WINDOWS AND DOORS WITH CAULKING or weather stripping. s #LOSE CURTAINS AND SHADES DURING THE DAY TO HELP block the sun’s heat. s #AULK OR SEAL ENTRY POINTS WHERE DUCTWORK WIRING PLUMBING OR VENTS ARE INSTALLED
Merl & Kyle Johnson
218-847-7135
• New Construction & Remodeling • Fixtures & Supplies • Winterize & Hookup Lake Homes & Cabins • Service & Repair
www.ConservingElectricity.com
P.O. Box 1042 • Detroit Lakes, MN 56502
When youyou say:say: When
“It’s a little chilly outside “It’s a little chilly outsidetoday� today�
a Division of Stenerson Lumber
We Install
Vinyl & Steel Siding • Windows SofďŹ t & Fascia • Seamless Gutters ASK ABOUT THE
NEW TAX CREDIT
ON QUALIFYING WINDOWS!
g...
Featurin
SEAMLESS SIDING Call today for a FREE no-obligation estimate for all your exterior siding needs.
MN Lic# BC20037734
555 Hwy. 59 North, Detroit Lakes 218-846-1778 • Toll Free 1-888-339-4480 SPRING Home Magazine
When youwe say: 30 know youyou really mean 30below belowzero zero. . we know really mean
“It’s a little chilly outside today�
we know you really mean 30 below zero.
Vinylite Windows Vinylite Windows locally, are are builtbuilt locally, Vinylite Windows are designed andand are designed to to are built locally, perform in our perform in our and are designed extreme climate.to extreme climate. perform in our extreme climate. Low-E Glass with Argon and SuperSpacerTM
Low-E Glass with Argon and SuperSpacerTM technology allow Vinylite Windows to technology allow Vinylite Windows to exceed Energy Star Argon performance guidelines.TM Low-E Glass with and SuperSpacer exceed Energy Star performance guidelines. technology allow Vinylite Windows to exceed Energy Star performance guidelines. Vinylite Windows has a complete product Vinylite Windows has a complete product line with thousands of possible style, color, lineand with thousands of possible style, color, size combinations. Vinylite Windows has a complete product andline sizewith combinations. thousands of possible style, color, and sizeby combinations. Backed local factory service techs and Backed by local factory service and the Good Housekeeping seal, techs you can have of mind with your purchase. thepeace Good Housekeeping seal, you can have Backed by local factory service techs and peace mind with your purchase. theof Good Housekeeping seal, you Available At:can have peace of mind with your purchase. Available At: Available At:
555 Hwy 59 North - Detroit Lakes
555 Hwy 59218-847-2188 North - Detroit Lakes 555 Hwy 59 North - Detroit Lakes 218-847-2188 218-847-2188
27
The gardens at Lakes Homes feature tulips, (Top), and other flowers and vegetables. Residents, (Above Right & Left), take on various projects from planting seeds and tending to their own plants, to watering. Reiffenberger said completing certain tasks, no matter what it might be, can give the resident a sense of accomplishment. 28
SPRING Home Magazine
G & R HILL CONSTRUCTION INC.
FOUR GENERATIONS OF QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
MENAHGA CONCRETE PRODUCTS INC. “A Solid Investment in Your Future”
READY MIX CONCRETE CONCRETE PUMPING SERVICE Year Round Service! CONCRETE • ROCKFACE • BLOCKS
• Chimney Blocks • Masonry Supplies • Washed Crushed Rock & Sand • Crushed Concrete, Rip Rap & Boulders • Class 5 - Black Dirt & Fill • Loading at Pit/State Certified Scale • Logix - ICF
Serving the Lakes Area Since 1946 Randy G. Hill 218-841-3490
Hwy. 71 N. Menahga, MN
CALL TOLL FREE:
1-800-450-4432 218-564-4432
Bob & Linda Berttunen
Gene A. Hill 218-849-7391
FAX: (218) 847-5947
LIC. #20062224
BUILDING TOWARD QUALITY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Bedding Plants Hanging Baskets
rs e r u w t o y lo er L f p x
e
PMU ( J J W ? A -M LAC QG
Annuals & Perrenials
• Buy directly from the grower
Excellent Quality
• The newest and best varieties of annuals and perennials
• 14 acres of state of the art greenhouses open year-round
• Hardy nursery stock guaranteed to grow • Terracotta pots, patio planters, bird baths, garden tools, garden art, accessories and more! 801 West Willow Street • Detroit Lakes • 218-847-2138 SPRING Home Magazine
29
The gardens at Lakes Homes are all built and maintained by staff and residents together.
lakes homes Continued from page 26 helps with physical activity for some, but for some, the sense of accomplishment from completing a task can be all it takes. “It depends on their function level, but it’s initiating a task that they can be successful at is why it’s so important,” he said. “And plants, you know, they’re a living thing, so they’re delicate, but if you’re too rough with it and it breaks or whatever, it can also be replaced.” Reiffenberger recalled one young resident who would fill pot after pot with soil as his task. “It gets to be rote filling, but then he’s not thinking about other socially unacceptable behaviors,” he explained. “It takes their minds off of other things.” There are many social benefits, too. “We often have garden parties or tea parties, and compete at the Becker County Fair,” he said. “And it’s considered kind of a normal act, and appropriate for all age groups.” Although each garden is different, Reiffenberger said there is typically a lot of color in the front, and vegetable and herb gardens elsewhere. “And then when people drive by they won’t say, ‘Oh there’s the group home,’ they’ll say ‘Look at those flowers,’ instead of the stigma of the location of a group home,” he explained. It’s not just planting and tending to outdoor gardens, either. Although Reiffenberger said they’re busy in springtime with planting, even in wintertime, staff finds ways to bring nature inside with pine boughs at Christmastime and leaves during Thanksgiving. In the summer, then, they’ll have a “theme.” Last year’s, 30
he said, was peppers and tomatoes — residents helped plant seedlings, which were then sold to staff and other residents. At the end of the summer, they held a contest for the best produce, or the biggest, and residents could win prizes. At the end, a potluck was held, but the dish had to be made using the peppers and tomatoes. He continues to help out at the Extension Office, especially in the summers, when they operate plant and pest clinics. Reiffenberger said the Extension Office continues to offer the Master Gardener class — in fact, they just completed another class in Perham, where over 60 participants became Master Gardeners. Most were from Ottertail County, he said. He also volunteers his time there for the Plant and Pest Clinic, answering phones and helping research and diagnose plant problems. Lakes Homes is also sponsoring an upcoming community event for Gardeners: “Real Gardens for Real People,” a gardening workshop, will be on May 2 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Detroit Lakes campus of the Minnesota State Community and Technical College. To learn how to design basic floral arrangements, show exhibits at flower shows, or how to judge exhibits, the “Exhibiting and Judging School” will be on May 30 at the Lakes Homes office. Finally, a middle-of-summer “Shoe Container Show” will showcase plants grown in shoes at the Washington Square Mall on July 16. Contact Tom Reiffenberger, (218) 847-5642, for more information on any of these upcoming events. SPRING Home Magazine
Reiffenberger said many of the Lakes Homes residents find enjoyment in working with nature, as can be seen here with this resident.
Hillside Gardening You’ve got a green thumb, and it certainly shows. Your home is filled with plants of all types, and your yard is lush with vegetation. You’ve devoted many hours to creating a beautiful lawn and garden and have tackled almost every part of your landscape, except for that small hillside near the creek. You planted grass there, and you mow it regularly, but that’s as far as you have gotten. As with any garden, selecting the right plants for the environment is important. There is a risk of erosion with a hillside, so you will want to make certain that you select some plants that will help keep the soil intact. Deep-rooted plants will work well for that as will some groundcovers. As you are selecting plants, take their light and water requirements into consideration. If the hillside is shaded and wet, then you will want to select plants that can grow in low-light, moist conditions. If it is sunny and dry, then you will want to select plants that can grow in sunny, dry conditions.
SPRING Home Magazine
Once you have zeroed in on some plants for your hillside garden, you will need to devise a plan for their placement. Since you are dealing with a hillside and want to prevent erosion, you may want to try terracing. Using stone blocks or some other material, you can create a series of terraces in the hillside. The plants will sit flat on the terraces, allowing you to water them easily and more efficiently. If you have trees in your hillside garden, you may want to create a moat around the bases to prevent water runoff. Depending upon the severity of the slope, you may need to take additional measures to prevent erosion. You may want to build a retaining wall or add some boulders or rocks, both of which will retain the soil. To complete your garden, you may want to add a few decorative touches, like a bench or a statue. Gardens can be created on hillsides. It just takes a little time and thought. Put in the effort, and you’re sure to be pleased with the results.
31
Planning on building this spring?
A few trends to look at By COURTNEY SINNER csinner@dlnewspapers.com Trends come and go, but the green movement may be around for a while — and architects are seeing more interest in energy efficiency and “healthier” building materials than ever before. Richard Larsen, a Detroit Lakes architect who has worked on homes and summer cabins in the area for more than 30 years, and Darryl Booker, a professor at the North Dakota State University School of Architecture, broke down the preference shift in for new construction and remodels. Booker said it’s not just energy efficiency, either – it’s a “larger umbrella of green or sustainable design, which includes everything from size to efficiency of mechanical systems.” ■ New government tax credits on things like solar panels and geothermal heating are making the energy investments more affordable, and therefore more popular. ■ Overall, Larsen said, people may be downsizing their homes, choosing a more space-efficient home, with rooms that serve more than one purpose, rather than sprawling 4,000 square-foot properties. Even paying attention to how 32
a house’s footprint sits on the lot can affect its energy efficiency, he said. ■ Because indoor space might be smaller, more people are choosing more functional outdoor spaces, like two or three season porches. Booker said it’s not necessarily a new idea, but in challenging northern climates, the concept of more sustainable landscaping and outdoor spaces is coming back. ■ In this economy, Larsen said more people are looking to remodel or add on to homes, looking to increase their property value, rather than starting from scratch. “In a tight economy, everyone wants to remodel, especially in this area if you have a lake cabin and you like the location,” he said. ■ Because homes are being closed up more tightly to be more energy efficient, more people are finding it important to purchase carcinogen-free carpets, and other chemicalfree products. Booker said they’re “using materials that are less processed, less assoc. with toxins. So, moving away from materials and designs that basically ignore the industrial processes, which haven’t been very kind to human habitation.” For more on how to increase the energy efficiency of your home without construction, see “Increase your home’s energy efficiency without breaking the bank” on page 16. SPRING Home Magazine
Modern Living Concepts (Where Innovation Meets Common Sense)
New Home Packages!!
“High quality craftsmanship... World class customer service”
Curb Appeal and Space! Our homes are generous in space, filled with function, designed for smart construction and best of all affordable!!! You will enjoy the comfort of in-floor heat not only in the house, but in the heated garage as well! This is one home you’re going to love!
Get What You Want!
Our home packages can be customized to suit your needs at no additional charge to qualified buyers. We have an in-house draftsman who can help you create the home of your dreams. Whether it is new construction, remodeling, residential or commercial we provide successful projects with customer satisfaction as our goal. We scheduling, along with relieving our customers of the day-to-day stress of construction details. Pike Creek Builders LLC offers a variety of construction services specializing in construction management.
New Services Offered!
Custom blueprint drawings and drafting services. “I will re-draw any sketch or idea into scaled/buildable blueprints. New homes & remodeling.”
Residential Services
s #USTOM HOMES s !DDITIONS s +ITCHEN "ATHROOM Remodeling s "ASEMENT l NISHING s 'ARAGES s 'ENERAL REMODELING REPAIR SERVICES
Commercial Services
s .EW #ONSTRUCTION s 2ETAIL /Fl CE BUILD OUTS s (ISTORICAL BUILDING RENOVATIONS s 'ENERAL REMODELING REPAIR SERVICE
QUALITY NEW HOME PACKAGES 3-bed, 2-bath, 1,500sq. ft., Attached/heated garage. Starting at $114,900. Built on your property or development of choice.
New for 2009!! We now have the ability to construct our homes with S.I.P.s (Structural Insulated Panels). S.I.P.s are foam wall panels that are extremely energy efficient and are in alignment with green building. www.extremepanel.com
25372 110th Street, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-841-2006
www.PikeCreekBuilders.com SPRING Home Magazine
!
Quality Homes Crafted with Care.
For unparalleled craftsmanship, innovative design and
!
good old-fashioned service, make us your builder of choice.
!
s 'ENERAL #ONTRACTORS s .EW (OMES s 2EMODELING s 2ESIDENTIAL s #OMMERCIAL
DON TIETZ CONSTRUCTION, INC. “The name built on quality”
439-6271 Thirty years of excellence
Don & Coleen
Lic. #20164882
SPRING Home Magazine