Tips

Construction Career Month in Indiana

by

Governor Holcomb has declared October “Construction Career Month“. It’s great to see this recognized, but we at Easterday Construction Co., Inc. (ECC) promote this year in and year out.

Over the years, we have sent dozens of employees to various forms of construction training in order to advance their careers. This has varied from National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accredited Apprenticeship Training through Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to leadership seminars to task certifications, such as welding to various safety training events. We believe strongly in helping our employees advance their careers.

Over the years, we have also participated in Culver Community Middle School Career Days. It has been interesting having the opportunity to spark interest in the construction trades, dispelling myths and touting benefits. One of my favorite things, that seemed to garner interest, was to point out that with a successful career in construction, you can drive through your community and see the results of your efforts in the building projects with which you’ve been involved. In my case, there are four generations of Easterday Construction projects in Culver and the surrounding communities.

One class was particularly memorable as it had a student that was a daughter of one our our superintendents. Not only did she listen raptly, I heard that she repeated my presentation at home. It was obvious she was proud of the work her father performed. While these kids are too young to be concerned with the financial side of obtaining a higher education, they were generally surprised to hear that construction offered a career path with similar outcomes to many college degrees. Hopefully, sometime in the future, this will make them think hard about taking on college debt. Maybe they’ll come to see me to talk about the advantages of construction apprenticeship… where ECC picks up the cost of their education.

Culver Zoning 7/19 Update – Part 2

by

This is a continuation of my previous post regarding Culver’s July Plan Commission Meeting, regarding proposed changed to the Culver Zoning Ordinance.

L-1 Setbacks

The L-1 zoning district considers the lake side of property the front yard. There is a front yard minimum setback of 25′, but there is an additional clause that only applies in this district: Where property immediately adjacent on either side of the lot is already developed with principal structures, the required setback shall be determined by a line drawn between the farthest extension of the adjacent structures, including any decks or raised patios. In no case shall the setback be less than 25 feet from the normal high water mark. (Culver Zoning Ordinance, pg 24)

This is part of the 2017 ordinance (current) and goes back through several earlier versions of the ordinance. Discussion was initiated last year to consider eliminating this restriction and going to just the 25′ minimum setback like any other district. What’s interesting about this is, that while restrictive, this isn’t an issue that comes before the BZA often. In general, if the property owner is not already familiar with the restriction from the ordinance, the Building Commissioner explains it and it is just a given. In most cases, the property owners see how this would benefit them, if there is future development on neighboring lots.

I know this can be restrictive at times. As pointed out in the meetings, there are some lots that are larger and because they were originally developed with large front yards, they become a controlling factor on their neighbors. There is also the issue of how this affects lot development based on the curvature of the lake. I don’t know of any cases where a lot has been rendered unbuildable by this restriction and I can’t imagine the BZA not granting a variance where the enforcement of this restriction was an issue.

Some of the discussion was regarding the restriction of “views”. There is no doubt that this was set up to preserve views, but some of the current thinking is that a property owner’s view is only guaranteed directly in front of the property. This is true, since there is no restriction on landscaping in the front yard, so trees and other herbaceous obstructions are allowed. I don’t know of any cases where neighbors have pursued this spitefully though, since in reality, it would obstruct their views as well.

I have several thoughts regarding this change:

This restriction is no different than the height restrictions or any other restrictions put on lots that are meant to control growth and maintain orderly development. These are all arbitrary values that have been determined and codified with the best intentions for all. These vary from community to community based on each communities values.

Removing this restriction at this time is extremely unfair to those that have been subjected to this restriction in the past. When all are subject to it, then it’s fair. If a home constructed last year was designed to meet this requirement, set windows to take advantage of it, etc., they should have some sense of comfort that their neighbor’s future development will follow the same rules. Many lake residences are $1MM+ and their design decisions are affected by these rules. Consistency in the rules is important.

This change should not be considered in a vacuum. This has been discussed over the last year amongst the Plan Commission members. Only one of those members is a lake resident. Realizing that there will be an advertised Public Hearing before this can be passed, it would still make sense to get input from the residents affected as the change is crafted. My thought is that it should have been out for discussion in the community over this summer, while more lake residents are here. This will be a hot issue! Why not preempt some of that by getting input from those affected?

In the end, I think the Plan Commission is setting themselves up for some unnecessary heartburn on this issue. I may be wrong and as always, I cut them a lot of slack as volunteers. I just see this as a bees nest that they don’t need to kick…

One more post regarding this meeting is coming. This one definitely falls into the category of a rant! Ha!

Trash Surrounds

by
Pool Surround – Wabash, IN

A few years ago we posted pictures of this pool surround fence we saw in Wabash, IN. We liked it and decided to rework it as dumpster surrounds at Sand Hill Farm. Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery, you know… We have used this for the dumpster surround for Sand Hill Farm Apartments and then again at The Paddocks.

The original stained cedar would have been a little bit of overkill and a little too much to maintain for dumpster surrounds, so we reworked the basic design to frame it with treated lumber. We maintained the galvanized corrugated metal panels for the main screen.

Dumpster Surround at The Paddocks

In the original, as a pool surround, more care was needed for details to assure no sharp edges were exposed to the bare skin you would find around a pool. Trash dumpsters are a little more forgiving and we were mostly interested in the exterior look. We also knew that maintenance would be an issue, so we looked at reducing areas to collect debris and ways of making it easier to clean, like providing space beneath the panels.

Depending on how the wood weathers, we may or may not go back and stain the treated lumber next year. For now, it is a clean look and creates a more pleasing screen than the chain link and vinyl ribbon you see so often. The green of the treated lumber actually goes with the greens used on the buildings and the overall farm theme.

A Good summary on Green

by

Often I cruise YouTube when I’m eating lunch at my desk. The other day I found an interesting video from Belinda Carr titled The Hypocrisy of Being GREEN.

As I’ve discussed here before, I strive to sell Green that Saves Green, i.e. I’ll sell you a green option if it saves you money, not just greenwashing. I could very much identify with her comments towards the end about things that are added to projects to get green points on a score sheet that are actually wasteful and don’t advance any value to the building. If you’ve got 10 minutes to take a look, I think it’s worth listening to her explanations. She has some good points.

8 Simple Decor Rules That Make a Small Bedroom Look Awesome

by

Guest post by Larson Simmons (larsonsimmons@gmail.com)

Everyone wants their house to be the most beautiful of all, but nowadays, buying a big, luxurious house is not an easy task, but you can decorate even the smallest house with intelligence and understanding. Bedrooms are very important and the happiest place in the house. It’s the place where you feel pleasant because it is a place to rest. You can also call it a special room because by coming here, you forget about the outside world and spend fun time with your partner and family.

Many people call it a romantic place in a house. But if the bedroom is small, then there are some problems in keeping furniture there. Big bedrooms are suitable for all types of decoration, but decorating a small bedroom is very difficult. You have to make choices for decoration keeping in mind the available space. Here we will explain some easy tips, which if adopted in your small bedroom, will make it the palace of your dreams. They will not only make your room look bigger in size, but also more comfortable.

Paint the Walls With the Colors of Love, Joy, & Happiness

Choosing colors for your bedroom is as important as decorating. Colors work to connect you with emotions. Use only those colors that you like or are liked by your partner and family. The correct color choices for the walls of your bedroom can make it gorgeous. Choose colors that give peace at night and a feeling of freshness during the day. White, cream and beige colors bloom in small bedrooms. Dark colors should be avoided.

Make Use of Candles For Decoration

Some people also use beautiful candles to decorate their rooms. Beautiful and colorful candles make your bedroom soothing. Candle lighting creates a different kind of romantic atmosphere. There is nothing better than scented candles of different colors to create a romantic atmosphere for you and your partner. There are a variety of such beautiful and decorative candles available in the market.

Choose the Right Size for the Bed

Instead of being locked into a king-size bed in your bedroom, it’s a good idea to consider a simple double bed to save some space. You can also choose a folding bed which will create a lot of space in your bedroom. Also, consider beds that have storage beneath the mattress. This way, you can keep all the unnecessary belongings like old clothes, alternative curtains, etc. there. It creates space in your room and wardrobe.

Keep the Idiot Box Out of the Bedroom

Spending time in front of the TV diverts your attention from the people around you. Consider not having a TV in your room at all. The limited time you can spend with each other will no longer be wasted watching TV.

Cover the Curtains

To make the rooms look bigger, choose curtains of light color and keep the color of the curtains and walls paired with each other. The curtains should be of the same color, not too colorful and there should not be large patterns on them. Net curtains may be an option for your room.

Make it Green & Fresh

You may have noticed in many homes that the window itself is used as storage to keep small essentials and show-pieces. This can be a place to keep plants like Neem, Tulsi, Aloe Vera, etc, which makes the bedroom look larger. This saves space and makes your room green and fresh. You can enjoy the fresh, positive vibes every morning and your day will be great!

Keep Your Old Bedroom Belongings in an Outside Quonset Huts

As you all know, when we give old bedrooms a new look. You change all the things that are in your bedroom. Don’t throw away the old items that come out of it. They can be used in future remodels or swapped out occasionally to freshen the space. One suggestion would be to store your old articles in a Quonset hut installed in your backyard. A building made of steel will protect your items from deterioration.

Integrated Wall Shelf

Install built-in wall shelving attached to the wall around the bed head. This organizes all your small items and and looks good while reducing clutter. Just put the books in a line, the photo frames, the show-pieces, and other things in a row. Keep it neat and systematically arranged.

Place the Lights at the Right Place

Lamps have been instrumental in bedroom decor for years. You should also apply them to your bedroom. At night, the light from lamps not only better than from overhead fixtures, but the light patterns on the walls can make the room look bigger. Instead of putting lights randomly, put lights where necessary. Choose places near the study table, near the mirror, on the wall above the bed and in front of the cupboard.

With judicious use of these tips, you can improve the quality of your bedroom life and make your small bedroom inviting. Make the most of the space you have and your bedroom will become a space where you want to spend more time.