We came across another great article from MSN Real-estate…this one is about green roofs. For those who don’t know what they are, a green roof is a rooftop garden, or rooftop green space. The concept is really good, and it is a sustainable practice that has been used for thousands of years. It is now gaining popularity in bigger cities, but can be used anywhere you have a flat roof (apartments, business buildings etc.)

Here is a little piece of the article (by Damon Vanderlinde and Steven Peck of the Daily Green).

What is a green roof?

• A green roof is an extension of a new or existing roof that has:
• A high-quality waterproofing and root-repellant system
• A drainage system
• Filter cloth
• A lightweight growing medium
• Plants

Green-roof systems may be modular, with drainage layers, filter cloth, growing media and plants already prepared in movable, interlocking grids. Or each component may be installed separately.
Green-roof development involves the creation of “contained” green space atop a human-made structure. This green space could be below, at or above grade. But in all cases, the plants are not placed in the ground.

Check out the entire article here…and as always, let us know what you think!!

13 amazing facts about green roofs

Ok, ok, ok…..I don’t usually put much stock in Martha Stewart…But I will admit that her Halloween show (and magazine) does have some pretty good ideas for your Halloween parties. Here is a cool punch bowl idea that comes from the Martha Stewart website (Marthastewart.com)

Ice Face and Hands How-To

1. Using duct tape, tape up all of the mask’s orifices, such as the nostril holes, inside and out. Place the mask face-down in the plastic container, stabilizing the mask in place with the packing material.

2. Using the food coloring, dye about 3 cups of water light green (this should require only about one drop of the coloring). Pour the mixture into the mask, filling it about halfway.

3. Lay the gummy worms as desired around the head of the mask, creating Medusa’s hair and using clothespins to hold them in place. Freeze the mask, at least overnight.

4. To create the hands, fill the latex gloves with water (one glove holds about 1 1/2 cups water, so you’ll need about 3 cups for both). Using rubber bands, tie the gloves at the wrists to seal them shut. Place the hands flat on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, to prevent them from sticking. Freeze the hands, at least overnight.

5. Remove the mask from the container, remove the face from the mask mold, and remove the hands from the gloves. (They should come out easily, but if not, place the hands and face in another container filled with room-temperature water to loosen them from the molds.) Turn the face upside-down to reveal the green face with worm hair.

6. Prepare the punch of your choice (Martha uses lemonade and ginger ale), gently slide the face into the punch, and add the hands — one on each side, palms facing up.

Read more at Marthastewart.com

I know we are veering from the usual path a bit with the Halloween stuff….but the staff and I decided to add a few fun posts about Halloween (Since it is our favorite holiday). Don’t worry loyal readers; we will still have our usual posts about architecture, real-estate, and the industry. BUT we are going to be throwing in some fun stuff as well.

With fall just around the corner comes one of my favorite times of year…HALLOWEEN. I know I digress a little with this blog post but I just wanted to take a moment and highlight one of my side interests The Salt City Ghost Seekers. This year the Ghost Seekers are hosting their first annual Zombie Night. It will be filled with food, costumes, and of course Zombie Movies… For anyone who might be interested in attending, stay tuned for further information.

We ran across another great article (this time from a magazine we subscribe to called Qualified Remodeler). This article discusses the fact that there are fewer jobs out there right now, but those customers who are doing remodeling work are feeling a greater sense of satisfaction with the work being done!

Here is a snippet from the article by Patrick O’Toole

“About 18 months ago, when the financial crisis sidelined the American consumer, phones stopped ringing for many, if not most, remodeling firms. This was true across the board, even those well-established firms with sterling reputations. So it is hard to imagine that the impact on newer companies and those with questionable reputations was anything but harsh.

When the dust settles and we begin to assess the impact of this recession on remodeling firms, a good analogy is likely to be that of a fire in an old-growth forest — only the strongest will have survived while much of the underbrush (less established firms and those with poor reputations) were swept away. Ironically, the numerical loss of firms will ultimately make the surviving firms stronger. Now, with the results of Qualified Remodeler magazine’s sixth annual Remodeling Customer Satisfaction Survey, we are beginning to see those effects.

By asking remodeling customers about their experiences, post-remodel, over the past six years, we’ve been able to develop a time series of data that demonstrates three conclusions. 1.) Remodelers in the aggregate tend to get low to mediocre grades from their customers. 2.) Remodelers who are seen as exhibiting a certain set of positive behaviors (timeliness, etc.) tend to get much higher customer satisfaction scores. 3.) Remodeling firms tend to satisfy their customers at higher rates when market activity is lower as it was in 2009.

The first two points have been well established over each of the past six years, but the lessons learned are no less critical now as they were then. The third conclusion, that remodelers do a better job at satisfying customers during recessionary times, stands to reason. With fewer jobs to go around, established firms, with better systems and processes, are getting the jobs. It also suggests that each customer is getting more time and attention focused on their needs. Our goal with this analysis is to examine the underlying reasons and to see if reproducible patterns emerge and with those patterns offer constructive ideas on how to incorporate them in your remodeling and/or home improvement business…….”

Please click on the link below to read the entire article, and please let us know what you think!

Fewer Jobs, Greater Satisfaction

I came across this article on MSN Money….it is suggesting that we may actually be heading for a housing shortage!!!

Here is an excerpt from the article by; Smart Money

“With all the talk of excess inventory and a flood of foreclosures, the idea of a looming housing shortage sounds unrealistic, if not downright fanciful.
After all, data from the National Association of Realtors showed a 5.1% decline in existing-home sales in June. Meanwhile, total housing inventory increased 2.5%, to 4 million homes available for sale — an 8.9-month supply, up from an 8.3-month supply in May.

Foreclosures, too, are an issue, with a vast backlog of distressed properties and “underwater” loans sitting just below the surface, according to RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure marketplace. The company forecasts that more than 3 million properties will get hit with foreclosure filings by the end of the year.
But if you step back from the doom and gloom of foreclosures and declining sales and focus on the low construction levels of the past few years, some economists say a housing shortage might be in the offing. A 2009 report by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economics professor William Wheaton says that despite the glut of existing homes, with current depressed levels of construction, there might be “excess demand” for new homes.”

Click the link below to read the full story, and as always let us know what you think!

Believe it or not, a housing shortage

Salt City subscribes to a wonderful magazine entitled; Residential Design & Build. It a really good industry based magazine with lots of helpful information. I came across this excellent article about kitchen design that I think will be most helpful for anyone designing a new home, or remodeling the kitchen!!

Here is an excerpt from the article by Maureen Alley

“There’s a saying that the kitchen is the heart of the home, which has never been more true when it comes to custom kitchen design. Homeowners are much savvier than they used to be and know every design and product option available. They are much more willing today to cut back expenses in other areas of a house if it guarantees they will get their dream kitchen at the end of the process.

Appliances are a major driving force in kitchen design. Some designers argue that appliances determine the storage and flow of a kitchen, making appliance selection a critical part of design. To guarantee the right appliances are chosen, it is pertinent that a designer knows what is important to his client. “If something is a ritual for a client, then I’ll focus on it,” says Stewart Davis, AIA, design director, CG&S Design/Build, Austin, Texas. “If they make coffee every morning, or drink a glass of wine at night, then we need to respond to that [lifestyle]. If those things are celebrated, thought about and carefully placed, then it responds to the clients’ lifestyle and is a successful design.”

Click on this link to read the entire article, and let us know what you think.

The Kitchen’s Balancing Act

Thanks to everyone who participated in the 3rd annual Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser…here are some pic’s from the concert!

Tonight’s the big night…our fundraiser and benefit concert for the Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity Foundation.
• 2 Live bands
• Silent auction
• Raffle
• Food
• Games
• Prizes
This is going to be fun….we hope to see you all there!!!

Salt City would like to send out a big thank you out to all of you who volunteered yesterday at the Habitat for Humanity construction site. The weather was gorgeous; the day was not to hot, and other than the slight scheduling mishap it was a good day with a good turnout.

Now we are gearing up for the fundraiser and benefit concert this weekend. We have local band Midlife Crisis opening for us (starting at 5:30 pm) and we have, back by popular demand, The Wolf Gang. There will be food, prizes, giveaways, and face painting for the kids.

Please bring a lawn chair, bring a blanket and come enjoy the evening.