Fall Remodeling In Southern Utah

There is no better time of year to start a remodeling project in Southern Utah.  The weather is bearable and with the Holidays coming soon why not give your home a fresh new look?

Our latest remodeling job was to get rid of some  laminate and carpet flooring, and replace it with tile and some carpet in selected areas.  I think you will agree this made quite a difference especially in the hallway areas.

In the kitchen we removed the existing laminate flooring and replaced it with Daltile Salerno 18″ SL83.  This is a beautiful tile with a high shade variation, providing a better contrast to the cabinetry in the home than the laminate that had been installed,  we also replaced the high traffic hallways with tile and got rid of the carpet.

Carpet and hallways just don’t mix, and now with this beautiful hard surface this hallway is going to look great for years to come, no more tread pattens here!

We still wanted to keep some carpet in the main living room area.  A Mohawk Smart Strand product was chosen, with it’s inherint softness and stain resistance this carpet will hold up well to traffic and pets.  Smart Strand carpets offer a lifetime stain warranty, now that’s hard to beat!

Isn’t it time you called Bliss Design? Let’s work together to give your home the makeover you’ve been dreaming of.  Call us today at 674-2934 or visit our website www.blissdesigncenter.com

Mention this blog post and receive $200 off of any $2000 purchase!

Kitchen area before work with laminate flooring in the kitchen and carpet in the adjacent dining area.

 

Kitchen after with tile in both the kitchen and the adjacent dining area. The new tile really updated this kitchen.

 

Hallway area before with carpet.

 

Hallway with new tile installed. No more tread patterns here!

Snowbirds thankful for Watch My Home

Local snowbirds from the state of Washington were recently very thankful for the services that are provided by Watch My Home when their refrigerator “bit the dust”.  Watch My Home, in a routine visit, discovered that the refrigerator and freezer were not operational and all of the contents had spoiled.  There was blood all over in the freezer from the defrosted and rotting meat and was just about to start dripping onto the newly laid tile floor.   The stench in the home was pretty overwhelming and Watch My Home placed an ionizing machine in the home for a few days to rid the smell. 

The homeowners were very happy that Watch My Home had found this mess instead of the homeowners coming home to an extremely ugly mess in October.  You can only imagine how bad the situation would have been!!

This is only one reason to have a service like Watch My Home provides if you are going to gone from your home for extended periods of time.

Warding off water woes

By:  SHERRY S MCGHEE, CLU, CHFC, CASL, LUTCF 

State Farm® agent

Water damage can occur almost anywhere in your house.  Water-using appliances and fixtures, such as refrigerators with icemakers, dishwashers, washing machines, toilets and water heaters are common locations of leaks.       

        Unfortunately, slow leaks at these appliances and fixtures are often times impossible to see until it is too late.  If it goes undetected, a slow leak can lead to rotting house framing and subfloors, and can be a precursor to a catastrophic leak that can release several gallons of water per minute, causing extensive water damage.  A water leak detection system may help prevent these problems. 

      There are two types of water leak detection systems: passive and active.

Passive leak detection systems are intended to alert you of a leak.  They generally sound an audible alarm tone and some may also feature a flashing light. 

Passive systems are frequently battery-operated, stand-alone units.  They are inexpensive and easy to install.  Some simply sit on the floor while others may be wall mounted.  A moisture sensor is located on the floor and activates the alarm when it becomes wet. Passive leak detection systems are especially useful in locations where it is easy for someone to hear the alarm such as near refrigerators, dishwashers, or toilets.

 

      Active leak detection systems usually generate some type of alarm, but also perform a function that will stop the water flow.  They feature a shut-off valve and some means to determine that a leak is occurring.  Most devices use moisture sensors to detect a leak.  Other systems use a flow sensor and a timer to determine that something is leaking and the water needs to be turned off.

An individual appliance system, which costs $50 to $150, detects a leak from a specific appliance, such as a washing machine or water heater and shuts off the water supply to that appliance only.  You can often install these systems without the use of special tools.

      A whole house system, which costs $500 to $1,500, sends an alarm when a leak is detected and automatically shuts off the main water service.  Some models can also be integrated with a local or central station security system.

      Contact a local contractor, building official or hardware store for more information about water leak detection systems.

            If you’d like more information about how you can prevent water losses in your home, please contact an expert, consult our web site, statefarm.com, call or stop by my office.

SHUTTERS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR HOME

Shutters are the only window covering that actually adds to the re-sell value of  your home.  Shutters will enhance any room, and are great for specialty shaped windows and archs.

Wood shutter with sunburst arch top

Shutters are usually available in three types of material.  Wood, Faux Wood (made from  wood particles and epoxy resins) and Vinyl. 

With the intense sun we get in Southern Utah you should stay away from Vinyl Shutters, although they are less expensive, the are more likely to warp or discolor from the direct sun versus the wood or faux wood models.

Wood Shutters are available in painted or stained versions.   If you want the beauty of  a stained product then wood is the option for you.  If you want white shutters then the faux wood option would be recommended in this area.  The faux wood shutters hold up extremely well in the heat, and are also great for bathrooms or high humidity areas as they are completely water proof, and are not affected by heat or humidity levels.

Shutters have a higher insulation rating for your windows over the ever popular 2″ slat blinds.  They have almost double the insulation rate, which can help reduce your heating and cooling costs.

Now is the perfect time to make an investment in your home, with prices at their lowest in years.  You can purchase Faux Wood Shutters for $17.50 per square foot, this price includes installation.

Contact Bliss Design today to schedule a free in home estimate.  435-674-2934.

Shutters are like putting furniture on your windows!

 

Woodlore (faux wood) shutters

Bliss Design sells shutters manufactured by Norman Shutters, workmanship at it’s best!

MENTION THIS POST AND WE WILL EVEN INCLUDE THE SALES TAX!

ISF TV Calibration for all of Southern Utah

 

Glenn Thomas

Hi, I’m Glenn Thomas, the owner of Reel Home Theater in Santa Clara, Utah (435-688-7335).  I’m a certified ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) TV and Projector calibrator.  I will drive to your home or business anywhere in southern Utah to make your picture look it’s best with an ISF-certified video calibration.

Let me show you the VALUE of proper ISF picture calibration.  Below, you will see two simulated screen shots… before and after calibration.

 

Before Calibration

After Calibration

 

As you can see, the calibrated picture looks more realistic.  The color is more natural. You can see many more details in the dark parts of the picture, etc. I think you will agree, the calibrated picture is much more enjoyable to look at. Your expensive HDTV or projector is now performing as it should and you are achieving the maximum return on your financial investment.

To achieve the perfect picture for you I will use my Sencore scientific calibration equipment  to measure and adjust your TV or projector contrast, color, brightness, sharpness, gamma, tint, grey scale tracking, etc.

How Much Does Calibration Cost?

$75 for a basic, 1 hour calibration.

$240 for a deluxe, 4-hour calibration with printed before / after documentation.

Above prices are for LCD, DLP, Lcos, plasma TV and projectors within 20 miles of the city of St. George.

Please add .50 / mile, round trip from St. George for long distance calibrations within southern Utah.

Call me at 435-688-7335 for a FREE estimate.

Thanks and have a great day.

Glenn Thomas

Remodel of the week in Ivins, Utah

Wow What a difference a new floor can make! Ready to make your life easier, try hard surface living!

Before - With carpet in the entrace of this home, gives a worn and dark look to this home that is only a few years old.

After - Way to change the entrance into this home, no more dingy worn carpet, this entry will always look like new with easy to maintain laminate flooring.

Before - Kitchen with vinyl flooring, BORING!

After - WOW, what a beautiful kitchen!

Before - this plush cut velvet carpet, looks stained and worn.

After - New carpet installed is a looped or "berber" carpet, which really brightened up this bedroom.

  If your ready to experience hard surface living at it’s best, try a laminate floor. It’s easier on the body than tile, and it is much warmer. Laminate is also less likely to scratch or get “dings” than hardwood flooring. With the proper installation and a good underlayment pad, you won’t be able to “hear” the difference between a laminate and a hardwood floor.

Steps to this job including removing all of the existing carpet and the baseboards. Once the new flooring was installed the baseboards were put back on. Bliss Design Center takes pride in our workmanship and want to make sure you will be happy with the outcome. We know you are making an investment in your home.

Come into Bliss Design Center today and see our large selection of laminate flooring with brand names you know and trust; Armstrong, Bruce, Quik-Step and Shaw. Or call for a free in home estimate. 674-2934 Your just a step away from a beautiful new floor.

Mention this post and save 15%

St. George, Utah – What is your carpet style?

Find the perfect style for your home at Bliss Design Center.  Mention this post and receive 15% off your next carpet purchase, PLUS a free pad upgrade.

Fine tips with a sheared surface produce a very formal and elegant feel.  Will show footprints and vacuum marks.	This smooth and soft cut pile surface is versatile in performance.  Works well in traditional rooms and formal areas.  May show footprints and vacuum marks.
Yes Shag is back and better than ever.  With it’s textured surface it hides stains, footprints and vacuum marks.  The great casual appearance is ideal for active families and for many room styles.	Textured surface with “knubby” appearance.  This tightly twisted yard is extremely durable and long wearing.  Great for active rooms plus it hides footprints and vacuum marks.
With both looped and cut yarns, this carpet provides a distinctive carved or patterned look.  Gives any room a “classy” feel.  Hides footprints and vacuum marks.  May show seams after installation.	Also known as “berber” carpet.  Usually made of Olefin which is durable and stain resistant.  Great for family rooms and basements.  Watch out for pets, they may snag this carpet.  Seams may show after installation.
No matter what your style you’ll find them all and more at Bliss Design Center.  To learn more about carpet visit our website: www.blissdesigncenter.com
Come and see the great textures colors available today at our show room. 2303 N Coral Canyon Blvd, Ste #111 – Washington, UT
Give us a call for a free in home consultation and estimates.  435-674-2934

Washington County Real Estate Statistics

How bad is the market in the Greater St George area?  Well, there is good news and bad news.  The good news is that there are 2367 single family homes on the market compared with 2646 homes on the market last year, which represents a 10% decrease in inventory.  The bad news, at least for sellers, is that the average sales price this year is $291,155 compared with $360,286 last year.  That is a 19% drop in average price. There are currently 340 homes “under contract” which is 5% more homes expected to close than there were last year at this time. 

The condo/townhome market isn’t faring as well as single family homes.  There are  currently 19% less homes “under contract” than the previous year and the number of sales is down 41%.  The average sales price of a condo/townhome last year was $189,922 and this year that price has dropped a whopping 34% to $124,797. 

While these figures are not good news for sellers, they are great for buyers.  Not only are home prices much, much lower than they were a year ago, there are lots of other incentives for buyers. 

First time homebuyers  are eligible to receive a  $10,000 assistance grant from the City of St George to be used to help with down payments and closing costs for home purchases in the City of St George.  The State of Utah is also offering an incentive for home buyers who are purchasing a brand new home in Utah by offering them a $6000 incentive to help with their closing costs.  The Federal Government is giving first time homebuyers an $8000 tax credit that they don’t have to pay back! 

Coupled with the very low interest rates that are currently available; there hasn’t been a better time in Southern Utah to purchase a home, whether you are a first time buyer or making a purchase of a second or investment home.

Hardwood vs. Laminate Flooring

There are pro’s and cons to both flooring surfaces, but one thing can definately be said about both they are beautiful!

	HARDWOOD	LAMINATE
Appearance	Natural Beauty with a variety of stains, gloss levels, edge details, widths and textures	Replicates look of natural materials with realistic images and textures.
Life Expectancy	Most pre-engineered hardwood floors have a 25 year warranty and can be re-finished if needed.	Depending on manufacture and quality of product 15 – 30 years.
Children & Pets	Can scratch and dent, liquids and wood don’t mix well, spills should be cleaned up immediately.	Extremely durable less likey to show any scratches or dents, spills should be cleaned up immediately.
Care	Sweep and mop, making sure to not leave any excess water on surface. Vacuuming may leave scratches.	Vacuum or sweep and mop, making sure to not leave any excess water on the surface.
Installation	Engineered wood may be installed on concrete or wood sub-floors, whereas solid hardwoods should only be installed on wood sub-floors. Install with glue or nails.	No glue needed; interlocking, floating construction. Tongue and groove locking. Can be installed over concrete or wood sub floors. Use of an underlayment is required on concrete sub floor installation. Over the years their have been complaints about laminate floors sounding hollow, or not sounding as solid as wood. A good underlayment with sound absorption qualities will greatly help.
Value	Hardwood flooring is an investment in your home, and will increase the value of your home. If you are staying in your home for the long haul, this will be an investment well worth while.	Laminate flooring is less expensive than hardwood. It is also less expensive to install. Laminate flooring will not increase the value of your home, but if you have an active household with children and pets, it is definitely a better option.

No matter what your style or budget, Bliss Design has a floor for you. Stop by our showroom, we have over 200 wood and laminate samples to choose from.

Are There Any Audiophiles or Videophiles in Southern Utah?

Glenn Thomas

Hi. My name is Glenn Thomas and I’m looking for Audiophiles and Videophiles in Southern Utah.

I moved my TV and Sound installation company from the Hollywood, California area to St. George, Utah in 2003.  My company is called Reel Home Theater. I “Come to You” from my home office, located in Santa Clara. I service the entire Southern Utah area. I currently have over 29 years of experience in residential TV and Sound System design and installation. I am a Certified ISF picture calibrator and Certified HAA sound calibrator. I have a full compliment of Sencore scientific audio / video calibration equipment and am an expert at making your picture look its best and making your surround system sound its best.

Since opening my business in Utah in the summer of 2003, my Quickbooks customer list (as of 4-21-09) has grown to 488 people.  I have enjoyed helping all of these very nice people with their home entertainment systems. No job has ever been “too small” for me. My enjoyment has come from enhancing my customers’ lives through better home entertainment and making their home entertainment systems “easy to use”.

I’m writing this blog tonight because, after 7 years and 488 customers,  I have had very few Southern Utah Audiophiles or Videophiles request my services. This has saddened me because I have the ability, experience, and equipment to improve the picture and sound of any home entertainment system beyond belief but have had very few people ask me to do so. I feel like a Ferrari Mechanic with no Ferraries to take care of. I’m beginning to wonder if you don’t know I’m here or if are you just “not out there”.

So, I ask again, “Are there any Audiophiles or Videophiles in Southern Utah?”  If you love music and want your CDs to sound LIVE, if you love movie soundtracks and want them to sound better than in any public theater, if you drool over seeing every detail in the dark and bright scenes of Blu-ray movies on your big screen TV or projection screen, please call me (435-688-7335) for a simple chat. We’ll talk about flat, full-frequency sound from 20 to 20,000 Hz. We’ll talk about how to time every speaker to within 1 millisecond to produce a perfect 360 sound field. We’ll talk about black level, white level, grey-scale tracking, color saturation, tint, and sharpness (edge enhancement). The list is endless!

Have a great day!

Glenn Thomas