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Show MAY 16, 2001 WASATCH COUNTY COURIER KP a aAwage Var _ The Art of Inspection & KATE KELLY HOMEOWNER ONLINE ous plans to get a full picture of all the work being done. - Foundation. Measure the fligemiees The contractor ii Phil Smith hired between outside walls to be sure they for his addition last year is one of the best conform to the foundation plan. You'll in Columbia, Mo. But every night after - find distances clearly marked on the the contractor and his crew went home, Smith took out a flashlight, tape measure and the architect's plans to inspect the work. Smith presented any questions at a RONAN ig a hay TON 1. IRE ’ twice-weekly meeting. When something bly a mistake. exterior walls. Pay particular attention Heating and plumbing. As the HVAC. and plumbing contractors start work, check their plans against yours. Then ask some basic questions. For instance, to the spaces around windows and doors; leaving even a small section unin_ Sulated can cause drafts and heat loss. in a bedroom, will a bed or bureau block slabs are load-bearing, thickness for — heating and cooling vents? Re-position | interior rooms with insulation. If yours do, make sure the insulation goes in before drywall is installed. Drywalling and paint. Be especially vigilant in these areas. Use a bright light held at an angle to pick up imperfections in the wall. If the drywall isn't smooth enough, for example, point it out and have it redone. While painting _ plan, along with wall heights, wall thickness and slab thickness. It's acceptable if lengths and widths vary by less than an inch. But because both walls and Some plans call for soundproofing looked really wrong, he called his conthese components must be to spec. - ducts if need be. And be sure water and tractor from work. And when Smith's Framing. Check ceiling heights caredrainpipes are roughed in at the right concerns resulted in a change from the fully to be sure they're as specified. For locations by checking against the plans. original plans, a change order was writ- © example, the framing crew might not Wiring. An easy way to check the electen. The result? A job that went smoothly have picked up that the ceiling height in trical plan is to enter a room as if it were for homeowner and contractor. the dining room is 9 feet, 6 inches finished. Reach for light switches. Try to Questioning your contractor, as instead of 8 feet. Also check the-length plug in a lamp. Are outlets and switches Smith did; makes a lot of folks uncomand width of rooms. And if you're buildconveniently placed? Also determine and tiling are under way, make sure fortable. After all, the contractor is the ing to accommodate a couch, bar unit whether you need three-way switches in you're available to approve colors for expert. But your nonexpert status can or pool table, for instance, now is the | rooms with multiple entrances and extra walls or floors. The same goes for grout. give you the objectivity needed to catch time to be sure the item will fit. outlets in the kitchen, where several Then double-check grout after it has such errors as missing switches, misDoors and windows. Center lines of appliances will go. dried because the color tends to lighten. placed windows or delivery of the doors and windows are also marked on Then take note as workers install Fixtures and fittings. If your addition wrong model of an appliance. And the plans. Check the placement of each low-voltage wiring for cable or satellite includes a kitchen or bath, walk because many projects involve several by measuring in from a nearby foundaTV, the alarm system, sound equipthrough the room and pay close attensubcontractors, the framer might not tion corner to confirm its location. As the. ment and phones. Do you like the tion to fixtures and faucets. Are they the have the latest window placements and floor plan takes shape, note the direction placement? Though replacing cables right color? Do fixture finishes match? the electrician might not know about of door swings _ and make any changes now isn't expensive, rerouting them Also be sure metal finishes haven't © the extra needed for your computer. before doors and jambs are installed. later is. Also ask workers to run extra been scratched by plumbing tools and That makes having an extra pair of Also check that windows and doors align cables you can activate later. that everything works without leaking. eyes and ears not only welcome but as planned to establish sight lines or to -Hardwood floors. When installing Finally, be especially careful that cusessential for catching small problems allow light and air to flow through the this type of flooring, be sure the lumber © tom-tile patterns match the approved before they get big and expensive. house. Doors or windows that are out of spends at least two days out of its packlayout plan, and that there are no gaps in _ Although no two remodels are exactly line are easy to fix at the framing stage. aging in the house to prevent shrink-- _any trim or molding joints. alike, there are some specifics to consider When windows arrive, check the age gaps later. Also check that the As the project moves into its final for your next project. What to Look For model and type against what you speciplanks are perpendicular to the floor stages, don't let your guard down. The Carry a tape measure, flashlight fied. Manufacturers commonly ship _ joists and the installed flooring is cov-_ finishing touches demand the most (make sure the batteries are good) and windows with the wrong pane diviered with plywood or paper to protect it _ ~ attention, so dig deep and muster up > notebook for any inspection. If you're checking back against an architect's plans, remember that there's a sepa- rate plan for each of the following: foundation, framing, door and window schedule and finish schedule. You'll often need to cross-reference the vari- sions, or light cuts. You might have ordered six-over-sixes and gotten fourover-fours. Also check doors for style and damage. If they aren't what you expected or are dinged up, the contractor is responsible for replacing them. Structural sheathing. Don't panic if The Gardentr’ Guide: A Knot eirder is Ideal for Small Spaces cate on the design ‘he colors, shades and textures of plants and inert materi- LEE REICH AP WEEKLY FEATURES as other work continues. Insulation. This important material is placed in the walls just before dry- Terrific Variety of Auction Items at Books In Bloom Take a ride on a glider, be the guest at the state capitol for a behind the scenes tour or bring home an authentic art collection of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, these are just a few of the items available for auction at the garden. Finally, on the basis: of your - monastic gardens imposed their geomthird annual Books in Bloom library notes, decide what plants are suitable. etry upon the planted beds within. The benefit taking place this Friday. Guests Compact evergreen plants, at least beds usually were rectangular, and > for the lines, carry the design through are assured a wide variety ofitems they were divided into more rectanto bid on at the event, such as: the year. Some possibilities include . gles or other geometric shapes. Soon, boxwood, germander, sage, lavender, people began to notice that all these e Behind the scenes tour at and heather. lines and curves within the beds were the state capitol and lunch with ' The scope of plants is widened if. quite ornamental, and thus originated Senator Beverly Evans ; you don’t mind watching deciduous the “knot garden.” e Money Tree donated by plants lose their leaves in the winter. A knot garden has neat, compact Wells Fargo Bank Then you can use chives, basil, even plants that draw lines on the ground. e Dinner for 6 at the acl parsley or lettuce. (Use leaf lettuce so Areas defined by these lines are filled Creek Grill 3 you can harvest: just the outer leaves, with plants with casual growth habits, e Homestead Pool Pass leaving plants—and the design— or with materials such as sand, gravel e Hot Air Balloon Ride from. intact.) or woodchips. Wasatch Ballon © Spaces enclosed by the Nae Though knot gardens are rarely © Wasatch Aero ae ride could be filled with annual bedding seen today except in historic gardens, for two ? plants such as petunias or why not use one to decorate a part of a e Glider Ride or one person marigolds. For a more subdued vegetable garden or a brick patio, or from Soar Utah } 3 effect, one created by shades of form a bed in a lawn with a sundial or e Wasatch Cone Women’s green and occasional, quiet flowers, a birdbath? Knot gardens are good Golf Clinic for three days of _plant pachysandra, vinca, thyme, or homes for herb plants and well-suited group golfinstruction viola: Liven the scene in spring by © to small areas. e Dinner for 8 from Inn on the planting within this greenery a few If you want to try your fend: at a. Creek small, early season bulbs such as knot garden, first draw your design on Snowdrop or. crocus. | paper. Make the design symmetric and More auction items are availA knot garden is not a lowihaintethe pattern of either interwoven or sepable and all auction proceeds are -nance garden. Then again, a knot gararate shapes. Begin with rough sketchdonated directly to the library benefit. den need not be large. Maintain the es, then plot the garden out to scale, beauty of a knot garden by religiously allowing for a foot or so of plant width The Wasatch County Friends of the keeping out weeds and shearing plants, for the lines. The next step is to indiLibrary group organizes the Books in as needed, to maintain crisp lines. Walls that surrounded medieval als that you want for each part of the the last of your energy to see the job. through to the very end. This due dilifee will pay ct Bloom event which will take place this Friday, May 18th at the Inn on the Creek in Midway. Major sponsors for — the event are, Hamlet Homes, The Valais, AMS-Advanced Maintenance Services, Inn on the Creek and the © Wasatch County Courier. Tickets are ~ still available for $35 per person and event begins at 7:00 PM. For more information contact: Joni Campbell 654-7526, Myle Walsh 654-2267, or syd Ash 654-7066. : VATION TODAY'S sure it's the R-value you asked for by carefully reading the insulation label and checking it against your specifications. For exterior walls, check rough window openings are sheathed — that the insulation paper or foil is facing ~ over; the plywood is cut away later to toward the room. Be sure spaces ensure a snug fit. But if you see drywall between studs and joists are entirely insulated, especially where joists end at covering the rough opening, it's proba- DOTA __KEVIN BRENNER ‘walling. Make | ES |