Spring Home Improvement 2019

Ace is Your Home Convenience Store

SELECTION DELIVERY SERVICE

Around the block, what you need in stock, with people who know their stuff.

• Painting & Supplies • Outdoor Furniture Built for the Outer Banks

• Grills

Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg

• Tools

Stihl Power Tools

• Lawn & Garden

Outer Banks Grass Seed Blend

• Hot Tubs

Stop by any of our 6 convenient Outer Banks locations: AVON

COROLLA

GRANDY

42000 Highway 12 Avon, NC 27915 (252) 995-6600

822 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 (252) 453-4441

6704 Caratoke Hwy Grandy, NC 27939 (252) 453-2010

KITTY HAWK

MANTEO

NAGS HEAD

4132 North Croatan Hwy Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 (252) 261-4211

300 North Highway 64 Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 473-1444

2718 South Croatan Hwy Nags Head, NC 27959 (252) 441-5644

Always Friendly.

Always Helpful.

Always My ACE!

outerbanksace.com

WHY ACE? Largest In-Stock Inventory of Spas on the Outer Banks Simple to Use & Maintain

Perfect for Outer Banks Rental Homes

User Friendly Control Systems

No Hassle Hot Tubs

Ace Specifically Designed These Tubs for the Outer Banks Environment

Peace of Mind

Our experts help customers in selection, delivery, installation & maintenance.

4132 N CROATAN HWY (MP 3.5) KITTY HAWK, NC 27949

INSIDE KITTY HAWK ACE HARDWARE

252-261-4790

ACEPOOLSANDSPAS.COM

Spring Home Improvement 2B

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019 THE COASTLAND TIMES

Beginners guide to gardening

Starting a home garden can be a daunting task.

The thought of buying materials and seeds, spending hours preparing and planting just to have all of your hard work be for naught if your plants die can discourage anyone. Yet, the reward of having fresh vegetables and the sense of accomplishment from growing a plant from seed to harvest is well worth the heartache. N.C. Cooperative Extension Currituck Center’s Beginners Guide to Gardening aims to take

the distress out of gardening. A short summary of the article can be found below, with the complete article found at the Currituck County Extension webpage (https://currituck.ces.ncsu.edu/). The article provides the knowledge necessary to start your very own vegetable garden.

Picking a location is the first step when starting a home vegetable garden.

Planting should be done north to south to allow for even amounts of sunlight for each row. Traditional

row gardens, raised beds, container and intensive interplanted gardens are a few garden techniques, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Regardless of the garden technique, soil should be sampled prior to planting to ensure proper soil fertility.

Knowing the right time to plant vegetables is another challenge. Using a planting table is a good place to start. The planting table below shows when to plant a few vegetables in Eastern N.C.

Month

Plant as Seeds

Plant as Transplants

April

Sweet corn, kale, leeks, mustard, radishes, spinach, turnips, sunflowers

Collard greens, kale, leeks

May

Beans, melons, okra, peanuts, peas

Eggplants, melons, okra, tomatoes, peppers

June

Cucumbers, basil, pumpkins, squash

Cucumbers, basil, sweet potatoes, squash

and enjoy your garden. For questions about the Master GardenerSM program contact Chris Blaha at chris_ blaha@ncsu.edu. More information on vegetable gardening can be found on N.C. State University webpage https://www.ces.

ncsu.edu/ titled Vegetable Gardening and Vegetable Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide. For additional gardening help,or for help with soil samples, contact Adam Formella by email or phone at adam_formella@ ncsu.edu or 252-232-2262.

For more gardening techniques sign up for N.C. Cooperative Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer’s Speaker’s Bureau Series at http://go.ncsu. edu/mgspeakersbureau.

This free monthly series aims to help you improve

Spring yard maintenance

By Philip S. Ruckle Jr. philip.ruckle@ thecoastlandtimes.com

Along with homeownership comes a basic todo list of what is needed to keep things in tip top shape. Although the priority of items on lists might differ from owner to owner, yard maintenance should at least be on the list.

Creating a healthy and beautiful lawn and garden does not take rocket science, but it does take time, patience and the right information.

It’s nice to note,

however, that a little attention to the outside of a home can pay dividends in ownership pride as well as turning a boring landscape into a beautiful garden area.

According to Matt Garza, with Popo and Son Lawn Care, this is the perfect time to implement some crabgrass control.

“There’s a window where the soil temperature gets to about 55 degrees,” said Garza. “That is the optimal time for crabgrass to germinate, so that’s when it’s best to put that pre-emergent down.”

Pre-emergent herbicides work to prevent the germination of seeds by inhibiting key enzymes making them useful in preventing crabgrass from appearing in lawns and are an effective preventative method for controlling weeds.

Garza said Prodiamine is one of the most popular pre-emergents and you can generally find it at Ace Hardware or almost any box store.

This is not, however, the time to fertilize your lawn.

“You don’t want to feed your lawn yet because it’s

See YARD, 3B

PHILIP S. RUCKLE JR. PHOTO

Jason Bauder, with Popo and Son Lawn Care, prunes shrubs at a home in Manteo. It’s best to hold off on any major trimming until late spring in case we do get a cold snap that could kill or potentially harm your shrubs.

An Outer Banks Garden: The other bulbs

By Chris Stadther When you talk about flowering bulbs, spring flowering bulbs are what come to mind most often such as tulips and daffodils. These are true bulbs.

They need to be planted in the fall to early winter. The term “bulb” in everyday usage includes all plants that grow from fleshy underground storage organs.

The summer blooming bulbs such as Gladiolus (corms), Caladium (tuber), Cannas (rhizome) and others that are labeled bulbs are planted in spring.

These bulbs are already out in the local nurseries and stores. Now is the best time to purchase them to get the best selection.

Don’t plant them yet.

Store them in a cool area. The summer blooming bulbs should be planted

after all danger of frost has passed. They do not requite a chilling period that the spring blooming bulbs need. In our area, these summer bloomers can be planted in late March and April. The soil temperature should be around 50⁰ F. When purchasing any bulbs, always read their label’s hardiness requirements and planting recommendations. Certain summer blooming bulbs such as lilies, amaryllis and canna will grow again each year on the Outer Banks, while others may grow as an annual. These need to be dug up in the fall and stored in a cool dry area over the winter.

Plant the summer blooming bulbs in a welldrained site with the appropriate sun exposure for the plant. Follow the

PHOTO BY K. LILLY

Caladium

planting instructions on the label for the proper planting depth. Planting in odd-numbered groups adds interest and variety to the landscape. Slow release fertilizers work well for bulbs. Mix the fertilizer into the soil, do not set the bulb on a layer of

fertilizer. It may cause the roots to burn. Initially, water the plants well.

Then, water when necessary during the growing season. Planting summer and fall blooming bulbs is a great way to add a lot of color to small areas. The selections are endless.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019

Spring Home Improvement 3B

THE COASTLAND TIMES

YARD From 2B not fully green,” cautioned Garza.

When or if you do fertilize, keep in mind that there is no one-size-fitsall for fertilizer, weed killer or grass seed. Lawn products that work great in one area of the Outer Banks may not be good for another. The best way to find out about growing conditions in your area and what to put on your lawn, and when, is to talk to a local garden center or the agricultural extension service.

If you want to add a little color to the yard, one quick way is to put down two to three inches of mulch on your flower beds. In addition to introducing darker colors in the yard, mulch also suppresses weeds.

“A lot of people mulch their beds,” continued Garza. “It’s a good time to give it some color and add some pre-emergent in your beds. Just sprinkle it on top of your new mulch and when it rains it can soak into the ground.”

Preen Garden Weed Preventer is a garden weed killer alternative that will help to keep garden beds and groundcover free of new weeds. Plastic edging will also help hold some of that mulch in place.

If you have a large area to mulch, try using a cheaper hardwood mulch for the majority of the job and then top-dress it with some cedar or cypress.

That’s one way to avoid paying for something you don’t see with your lawn maintenance.

“Another good thing to do is to fertilize your shrubs, your roses and your trees,” added Garza. “Those are starting to come out and roses especially. So you can use something called Rose Tone. That’s also at Ace Hardware and is organic, so you really don’t have to worry about burning anything up. Just follow the directions.”

Garza said his company is not trimming any major shrubs in case we do get a cold snap, which could kill or potentially harm your shrubs. He recommended holding off until after

all your flowering is done in late spring before trimming your shrubs.

If you’re looking at adding trees to your yard, consider the shade pattern it will have once the tree is fully grown. You may start with a cute little tree, but it’s going to look a lot different when it’s grown. It will not look as cute if you plant it too close to your house and it creates problems with the roof and gutters.

Wherever you decide to plant, you can protect any exposed tree roots at the surface of the yard by mulching around the root area. A 2- to 4-inch layer of wood chips or shredded bark not only protects the roots, it creates a good growing environment. That’s because while planting grass right up to a tree trunk might be a common practice, it does not help the tree since the tree and grass both compete for the same water and nutrients. A three or four foot border of mulch around a tree will provide a healthier environment and enable it to grow faster.

Exterior home painting tips Thinking about painting the exterior of your home?

Your first decision should not be about the best color or sheen of the paint but, rather, who’s going to do the painting.

Deciding whether to hire a contractor or do the work yourself has implications for your social calendar, your peace of mind and your pocketbook.

With a lot at stake, it is important to make the right decision. Fortunately, the Paint Quality Institute has some suggestions that can help you make the right decision.

1. Ask yourself if you have enough time to do the job? Repainting a home can take a full week or two. For many people, that translates into a lot of vacation days or weekends. Are you willing to make the sacrifice?

2. Next, do you have the patience to do the job correctly? While painting can be fun and psychologically rewarding, good surface preparation — essential to the success of any paint job — can be tedious. Will you really take time to properly prepare the surface before yielding to the urge to paint?

3. Can you afford to hire a contractor? For some people this should be the first and only question.

However, by doing the job yourself you can save a lot of money. On the other hand, having your home professionally painted will likely be faster and definitely eliminates any need for you to buy equipment, prepare the surface and do any actual painting.

4. Do you have the proper equipment? The

highest quality acrylic latex paint costs more than $20 per gallon, but it takes more than paint and elbow grease to do the best job. You’ll also need ladders, scrapers, sandpaper, brushes or rollers and safety equipment. Do you have these items? Are you willing to invest in them?

5. Are you in good health and reasonably fit? Achieving professional-looking painting results is within the skill level of most do-it-yourselfers, but if you are out of shape, you may find the work a bit taxing.

6. Do you enjoy physical work? From a

psychological standpoint, many homeowners get an enormous satisfaction from completing home improvement projects.

Along with the cost savings, this is one of the rewards that go to those who do their own painting.

7. Have you done exterior painting before? As with most home improvement projects, painting is easier “the second time around,” after you’ve mastered surface preparation and application techniques. Another benefit is that the more you do often helps you get better at it.

8. Are you afraid of heights? Look to the highest point of your house.

Would you be nervous painting it from a ladder?

If so, look into hiring a painting contractor.

If your ultimate decision is to do your own exterior painting, proceed with confidence. Exterior painting is one of the top do-it-yourself projects (trailing only interior painting). Many home owners go it alone and get great results.

Whatever you decide here are a couple tips: Make sure the surface is properly prepared and spend a few extra dollars for the best quality exterior paint. Properly-applied top quality acrylic latex paint can last up to ten years or more — so it will be a long time before you have to make this decision again.

This information was provided by the National Association of Home Builders NAHB Remodelors Council and the Outer Banks Home Builders Association at 105 W. Airstrip Rd., Kill Devil Hills.

PHILIP S. RUCKLE JR. PHOTO

Jacob Avery, with Popo and Son Lawn Care, pulls weeds in a flower bed at a home in Manteo. Although mulch on your flower beds will suppress the growth of weeds, it does not stop them.

Spring Home Improvement

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019

4B

THE COASTLAND TIMES

Tile repair or replacement can improve bathroom look, function

By Philip S. Ruckle Jr. philip.ruckle@ thecoastlandtimes.com

When looking at areas of a home to upgrade its look or function, some people choose to focus on the bathroom.

When tiles are installed properly, they can last a long time, so if it’s the repair of broken or missing tiles, it’s worthwhile to take a moment to review what you will be working with.

Matching an unusual shade, size or texture of tile can be difficult. Having a broken tile to match will, of course, help with locating replacements. If you don’t have any broken pieces or extra tiles from the original installation, consider removing a small piece of tile to take to the store to find a match. Once you have a tile, check the underside for clues to its origin.

Having a sample of the existing tile also helps you match it for thickness.

After all, you can add materials to raise a replacement tile that is too thin, but a tile that is too thick will stand out and call attention to itself.

If you are dealing with broken and jagged chunks of tile, remember that tile is very sharp so be mindful of any small,

sharp slivers. That makes the need for work gloves and eye protection all the more important.

Be aware that project debris can scratch acrylic tubs and showers. One way to protect them is to place an old blanket or a thick protective cloth beneath your work area. Taping one edge to the wall around the area where you will be working will help hold it in place. If you tape a plastic bag beneath the work area, it can catch any falling pieces as you work.

Removing tile applied directly to drywall can easily damage the drywall. So work carefully to minimize gouges and tears and avoid damaging the subsurface by gouging the gypsum.

To remove a tile, place a cold chisel on the deepest crack in the tile and carefully tap it with the hammer until the cold chisel is underneath the tile. Watch the grout lines around the tile to ensure the grout and surrounding tiles don’t also crack. Slowly pry the tile up with the cold chisel.

Once it’s up, you can remove the rest of the tile by hand.

Use a putty knife or chisel to remove the old adhesive on the subfloor, then use a shop vac to thoroughly clean the

area of the broken tile. If needed, a damp sponge can retrieve some of the remaining dust.

If you don’t already know how your tiles were damaged, it can also be worthwhile to look into the cause for repairs. In some cases, broken floor tiles have been the result of problems with the subfloor that needed repairs before replacing the tiles.

Apply the adhesive generously to the floor using the flat side of a PHILIP S. RUCKLE JR. PHOTO notched trowel to spread Johnny Brown prepares to cut a tile during a bathroom renovation project in Harbinger. it out evenly, then use the Because not all rooms are perfectly square, some tiles along the wall need to be differnotched side to groove the ent sizes. adhesive. Check the label to make sure you can use it there. For areas that will regularly get soaked, you may need a separate tile adhesive and grout or a tile repair kit designed for damp areas.

Johnny Brown, the owner of Brown Home Improvements, suggests using a latex modified adhesive.

“It has elasticity,” said Covering a wide variety of residential and commercial services including: Brown. “That way if the floor or wall has a little • Authorized Generac dealer, • Electric Car and give to it, the tiles don’t installer and warranty provider RV Receptacles pop and fall out. It’s made • Bucket Truck Work • Smart Home Systems to have some flex.”

• Signs and Parking Lot Lighting • Generator Hook Ups As you place the new • Large and Small Commercial Wiring • Meter Upgrades tile on the floor, make • Residential Remodel Wiring • Panel Replacements sure it is level with the • New Construction • Troubleshooting rest of the floor. Then • Pool & Hot Tub Wiring • Voted Best of the Beach 2017 clean the excess adhesive • Home Theater Wiring off the tile and the surrounding area. Let it dry for a few hours.

AUTHORIZED DEALER

PH: 252-475-1372

FAX: 252-475-1192

www.surburbanelectricobx.com

Subscribe to The Coastland Times e-edition

$

4 per month

 Full digital version of the print edition!  No pop-up ads on the web edition!  No Google Surveys on the web edition!

Check thecoastlandtimes.com for details

Spring Home Improvement

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019 THE COASTLAND TIMES

Home maintenance checklist

I n s p e c t i n g your home and completing monthly home improvement projects is a start toward keeping your maintenance schedule on track and easier to manage. Some items appear more than once. If you get stuck, or run across something too difficult to handle, call your local handyman to help you out. Here is a list of basic monthly home improvements: ● Check indoor and outdoor air vents to ensure they are not blocked. ● Check your water softener and add salt if needed. ● Clean faucet aerators and shower-heads to remove any accumulated mineral deposits. ● Clean the kitchen sink garbage disposal. ● Clean range hood filters with a degreaser. ● Clean the furnace filter to remove dust build-ups. ● Hide a Hole With a Smoke Detector. ● Inspect electrical cords for wear. ● Inspect tub and sink drains for hair and other debris. ● Inspect your fire extinguisher(s). Ensure that the gauge shows adequate pressure, and that it has no visible signs of wear and tear. ● Test all GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets monthly. Press the test button and use a voltage tester to make sure the power goes off. ● Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers. ● Test your garage door opener monthly to ensure that it reverses when it hits an obstruction or when its sensor beam is interrupted. ● Vacuum heat registers and heat vents.

Here is a quarterly list: ● Check water softener, add salt if needed. Salt probably not needed every month, but checking it only takes about 5 seconds. ● Clean leaves and debris from the condenser of a central air conditioner seasonally. ● Flush out hot water from the water heater to remove accumulated sediment. ● Replace furnace filters quarterly, or as recommended by the furnace manufacturer, that are not done monthly. ● Run water in sinks and flush toilets in guest

bathrooms and other unused spaces. ● Test garage door auto-reverse feature. Required on all garage doors made after 1993. If a door doesn’t immediately go back up, you have a problem. ● Test smoke/carbon dioxide detectors.

Here is a biannual list: ● Give your house a deep clean. Take a day every six months with the entire family, and give the house a top-to-bottom deep clean for appliances, windows, as well as dusting every nook and cranny. ● Replace batteries in smoke/carbon dioxide detectors. Check the manufacture date and replace if more than 10 years old. ● Test your water heater’s pressure relief valve to prevent mineral and corrosion buildup, a safeguard against leaks. ● Vacuum refrigerator coils.

Annually each spring: ● Change the air-conditioner filter. ● Check exterior drainage. Will rain water flow away from the house?

Puddles should not stand around your home for more than 24 hours. ● Check trees for interference with electric lines. Have professionally trimmed if necessary. ● Clean out gutters.

They’ve likely accumulated leaves from the fall and grime/sediment from the winter snows and/or rains. ● Clean window and door screens. ● Clear dead plants/ shrubs. Pay close attention to any exterior decorative vines. ● Drain or flush water heater. ● Fertilize your lawn. ● Have air-conditioning system serviced. ● Have a professional inspect and pump the septic tank. ● Inspect chimney for damage. ● Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks. ● Inspect sink, shower, and bath caulking for deterioration. ● Inspect the exterior of your home for paint chipping or siding damage. ● Polish wood furniture, and dust light fixtures. ● Power-wash windows and siding.

● Refinish the deck. ● Remove insulation from outdoor faucets and check sprinkler heads. ● Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. ● Repair or replace caulking and weather stripping around windows, doors, and mechanicals. ● Repair/replace damaged window screens. ● Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. ● Vacuum lint from dryer vent.

Annually each summer: ● Check and clean dryer vent, other exhaust vents to exterior of home. While the dryer is running check that the exhaust is coming out. ● Check and repair deck/patio for any loose boards or posts and repair as needed. ● Check around kitchen and bathroom cabinets and around toilets for leaks. ● Check dishwasher for leaks. ● Check grout in bathrooms, kitchen, etc. and repair as needed. ● Clean garage. ● Clean kitchen exhaust fan filter. ● Clean out debris in window wells. ● Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays. ● Clean the deck/patio as needed. A good washing generally takes care of it but it may need re-staining. ● Inspect plumbing for leaks, clean aerators on faucets. ● Oil garage-door opener and chain, garage door, and all door hinges. ● Prune trees and shrubs. ● Remove lint from inside and outside washer hoses and dryer vents. ● Replace interior and exterior faucet and shower-head washers if needed. ● Seal tile grout. ● Take care of any insect problems.

Annually each fall: ● Buy winter gear, sidewalk salt, and good shovels, etc. ● Check for any leaks in windows or doors ● Check for frayed cords and wires. ● Check water heater for leaks. ● Clean the carpets.

Subscribe to The Coastland Times e-edition

$

4 per month

 Full digital version of the print edition!  No pop-up ads on the web edition!  No Google Surveys on the web edition!

Check thecoastlandtimes.com for details

● Clean window and door screens. ● Drain and store hoses, and drain in-ground sprinkler systems. ● Drain and winterize exterior plumbing. ● Flush hoses and store them. ● Flush hot water heater and remove sediment to prolong the life of the heater and helps with efficiency. ● Get chimney cleaned, if you have one. Some folks say to do this in the spring, some say fall. Either way, just make sure it’s done once per year. ● Get heating system ready for winter. ● Have fireplace professionally inspected. ● Have furnace serviced/inspected at least every other year, preferably annually. ● Inspect exterior door hardware; fix squeaky handles and loose locks. ● Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks.

Power-wash windows and siding. ● Install a smoke detector on every floor of your home, including the basement. ● Make sure heating vents are open and not blocked by furniture. ● Mend cracks and gaps in the driveway and walkway. ● Rake leaves and aerate the lawn. ● Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. ● Repair or replace siding. ● Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. ● Test sump pump. ● Touch up exterior siding and trim with paint. ● Tune up major home appliances before the holidays. ● Turn off and flush

outdoor water faucets. ● Vacuum lint from dryer vent. ● Winterize air conditioning systems. Remove and store window units and cover the outside unit with a tarp or plastic sheeting and secure with bungee cords. ● Winterize sprinkler systems if you have one. ● Wrap insulation around outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated garages.

Annually each winter: ● Check all locks and deadbolts on your doors and windows. If it doesn’t work right, replace it. ● Check basement for leaks during thaws. ● Check caulking around showers and bathtubs; repair as needed. ● Check your emergency flashlight. Do the batteries work? If not, replace them, or consider upgrading to a non-battery powered, manual wind-up model. ● Check your water heater for signs of leakage or rust. ● Clean drains in sinks, tubs, showers, and dishwashers. ● Clean the air conditioner grill and register. ● C le a n you r coffeemaker. ● Clean your kitchen exhaust hood. Clean or replace the filter. ● Conduct a garage door safety check. ● Cover your air-conditioning unit. ● Deep clean and inspect the basement. ● Have the fireplace chimney inspected and cleaned annually. ● Inspect the roof, gutters, and downspouts for damage after storms. ● Inspect window and door caulking and weather stripping yearly.

5B

● Inspect your furnace. Any signs of rust or scale? Any weird noises?

If so, book a professional inspection. ● Look for worn extension cords. Replace them. ● Once a year, vacuum the refrigerator coils underneath the appliance. ● Pick a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet (GFCI) and test it. ● Polish your natural wood front door. If painted, surface wash it. ● Regularly check for ice dams and icicles. Don’t let icicles grow. ● Replace the batteries in smoke detectors yearly. And remember, even recent hard-wired smoke detectors have backup batteries that must be replaced. ● Replace your furnace filters seasonally. ● Self-clean the oven ● Test your electricity to the extent that you can, always being careful when working with electricity. ● Tighten any handles, knobs, racks, etc. Go through the house and inspect anything that could have a loose screw. ● Vacuum bathroom exhaust fan grill. ● Vacuum refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays. ● Vacuum the clothes dryer’s exhaust duct at least once a year. If the duct is plastic, replace it (it’s a fire hazard). Rigid sheet-metal ducting is best. ● Vacuum the condenser coils at the back of your fridge annually.

While this list is certainly covers a lot, it is not intended as a complete list of all the things you can do for your home.

What do you do to keep your home in tip-top shape depends on your individual needs.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019

Spring Home Improvement 6B

THE COASTLAND TIMES

Glossary of home improvement terms Before nailing down your next home improvement project, it may help to learn a bit of the lingo used within the industry.

These common terms and definitions may help avoid some common miscommunication issues with a contractor.

ALLOWANCE — A specific dollar amount allocated by a contractor for specified items in a contract for which brand, model number, color, size or other detail not yet known.

BID — A proposal to do specific work for a certain amount of money based on plans and specifications for the project.

BUILDING PERMIT — A document issued by a county or municipal building department granting permission to undertake a construction project.

CALL-BACK — An informal term for a return visit by a contractor to repair or replace items in a project a home owner found to be unsatisfactory

or that require service under the warranty.

CERTIFIED GR ADUATE R EMODELOR — CGR is a professional certification program offered through the National Association of Home Builders NAHB Remodelors Council. To attain the CGR designation, a remodeler must take a specified number of continuing education courses and must comply with a strict code of ethics.

“withdrawn” from a project’s total budget to pay for services completed to date. A draw schedule typically is established in the contract.

MECHANIC’S LIEN — A lien obtained by an unpaid subcontractor or supplier through the courts.

When enforced, real property (such as your home) can be sold to pay the subcontractor or supplier.

COST-PLUS CONTRACT — A contract between a contractor and homeowner based on the accrued cost of labor and materials plus a percentage for profit and overhead. Also known as a time-and-materials contract.

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS — Drawings for a project and a detailed list or description of the known products, materials, quantities, and finishes to be used in that project.

Ron & Barbie Wright

SU BCON T R AC TOR — A person or company hired directly by the contractor to perform

specialized work at the job site. Sometimes referred to as a trade contractor.

Information provided by the National Association

of Home Builders NAHB Remodelors Council and the Outer Banks Home Builders Association at 105 W Airstrip Rd, Kill Devil Hills, NC.

LIEN RELEASE — A document that voids the legal right of a contractor, subcontractor or supplier to place a lien against your property. A lien release assures you that the remodeler has paid subcontractors and suppliers in full for labor and materials.

CHANGE ORDER — Written authorization to the contractor to make a change or addition to work described in the original contract. The change order should reflect any changes in cost.

DR AW — A designated payment that is

or at the end of a project.

PUNCH LIST — A list of items of work to be completed or corrected by the contractor, typically near

“The Wright Choice”

THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1950’S | 10 YEAR WARRANTY

1906 S. Croatan Hwy. | Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252.261.8588 | www.eastcoasthottubs.com