HC Home Magazine 2018

Home Magazine

High Country Press

Home, Garden & Remodeling

RESOURCE GUIDE Summer 2018

Ideas

For Your

Castle

Home Sweet Home

When You Need a

Professional!

Interiors • Construction • Landscaping • Tile & Stone • Flooring HOME IMPROVEMENT TIPS FROM AROUND THE HIGH COUNTRY Summer 2018 |

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CONSTRUCTION, IN E N E E C GR

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GREENE CONSTRUCTION 525 George Wilson Road Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2611

A Little About Our Team

Our team is made up of several departments including company officers, accounting, finance & administration, estimating & project management. Within each department there are experienced and qualified individuals there to assist you. You will be introduced to the staff and the role each member plays here at the Greene Construction office.

When choosing a construction company you are faced with several large factors to consider. By choosing Greene Construction you can feel at ease, because we are a uniquely qualified group of professionals that are dedicated to taking your project from the starting of a concept to completely finished in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Our track record speaks for itself, and our number one goal is to provide superior service, along with a product that not only are we proud of, but you will be too.

Commercial Work

Our commercial work involves projects where the public is served by our customer and therefore, we must always be thinking as the business owner and how best to serve the public from their perspective.

This requires that both safety and function be a top priority.

Residential Work

A home is a large investment in the future. We have worked with many families for over 60 years helping them to build that future.

We encourage making the house fit the land, not the reverse. This is the most economical as well a necessity in preserving the natural beauty of our area.

Industrial Work

Our industrial work is based on an individual’s idea for a product and their need for help in developing a facility to put that idea into production. We must always be thinking of material flow and personnel flow in the design and construction. We have had many opportunities to assist our local industries in putting their ideas into efficient and productive facilities.

Institutional Work

Institutional work in the High Country centers primarily on school, church, government and medical buildings. We have had the opportunity to work with these institutions in both design and construction.

Our involvement has been from a customer’s need expressed, review of the need and how to solve, concept design of a solution and construction. Many times this is much more that a building, but a need being met that in turn serves our entire community.

Other Projects/Services

www.greeneconstructionnc.com

Part of the diversity that is Greene Construction includes working with individuals with special needs and projects. These may include driveways and walkways, parks which emphasize structures with a visual message or a fire pit on someone’s patio. We enjoy the challenge of adding a special touch to a vision.

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Table of CONTENTS Remodeling Tips From Nearly Two Decades of Experience............. 14

Mike Smith offers several tips on home re-modeling and shares details of the jobs he has been a part of, past and present.

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From Renovations to Transformations......................52

Bill Dacchille, owner of Dacchille Construction, has spent over a decade building, remodeling and transforming beautiful home and business projects across the High Country.

New Owners, Same Great Restaurant - Stonewalls............38

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Scott Garland and Tim Heschke detail the renovations that Stonewalls has undergone since they took over as owners in 2016.

Banner’s Cabinetry Clearing the Air, One Basement & Mountaineer Landscaping: Built Legacy Continues On...............24 Crawlspace at a Time................46 from the Ground Up.................60 For over 75 years, Banner’s Cabinets in Newland has been designing, building and installing high quality cabinets for customers all over the United States.

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions share their expertise on radon, mold and mildew removal from over 20 years of experience.

From selling plants in the parking lot of a gas station to now being one of the most highly respected landscaping companies in the High Country.

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High Country

Home Magazine Publisher Ken Ketchie Editor Nathan Ham

Since 1972 we’ve been providing the High Country with the tools to tackle your honey-do list & home improvement projects.

Lawn Care

Art Director Debbie Carter

Excavators Loaders

Advertising Director

Drilling & Demolition

Jeffrey Green A Publication Of High Country Press Publications

Lifts & Work Platforms Trenchers

On the Cover:

Painting & Much More!

Call us today to get the tools you need! 828-264-5000

Home located in Sunalei Preserve

Photo by Todd Bush Our cover photo is by internationally published High Country commercial photographer Todd Bush. Todd specializes in stunning architectural photography (for every budget) for; homeowners, realtors, builders, resorts, architects and designers.

Additionally providing; scenic, lifestyle and product photography for over 25 years.

Home built by Tom Eggers Construction, LLC High Country Press Home Magazine is published by High Country Press Publications of Boone, North Carolina. All content © 2018.

All rights reserved. Reproduction, either in whole or in part, is forbidden without written permission from the publisher. Paid content throughout the magazine.

High Country Press Publications P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262

828-264-5406 2181 US Hw y 421 North Boone, NC 28607

w w w.jeffsplumbingandrepair.com info@jeffsplumbingandrepair.com

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING SERVICES WATER HEATERS - DRAIN CLEANING - FAUCETS SUMP PUMPS - DRAIN LINE - WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT & MORE Serv i ng the High Country S i nce 1987

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Celebrating Home Ownership “Y

our home is your castle” is a phrase that comes from English judge Sir Edward Coke in the 1600s. While lawyers have their own interpretation of the Latin phrase, the common meaning is essentially: Your home is your private domain. It’s where you set the rules and nobody can tell you otherwise – except maybe your wife.

Owning a home – or a castle – is a beautiful thing. It’s where you spend most of your time, making memories with your family and friends. It’s where you establish roots within the community and where you hope your grandchildren will visit and play.

But your home requires a lot of attention and love – and big ideas.

Want a waterfall in your backyard?

Go ahead. Dream big. Would you like to put up a hedge for privacy?

That sounds like a dividend-paying idea. You can always modify your plans midstream. If you don’t like where the project’s going, you can tear it down and start over. After all, it’s your castle.

Looking for beautiful landscaping ideas, custom kitchen cabinets or the perfect tile for your bathroom? We have spreads on all of these topics and more. Looking to build your own deck or shed – and, of course, home – and want greater service than you can find in a big-box store?

Home Magazine celebrates all of this. It features experts in the industry of designing, building, remodeling and furnishing homes. These folks can help turn your dreams into a reality.

This home resource guide covers the latest trends and gadgets to the tried-and-true concepts. The Home Magazine will walk you through the building and remodeling stages, starting with the permit process and the importance of a binding contract.

We hope you enjoy perusing this guide as much as we enjoyed creating it, and hopefully, it saves you from some heartburn and frustration during your next building project.

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Call Trevor Whitson today to preview ALL our listings!

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$798,000

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NEW RIVER BUILDING SUPPLY

Serving Homeowners and Contractors for 4 Decades Whether you are a professional builder or a do-it-yourself homeowner, you’re sure to find the full range of materials for your building or remodeling job ... right here at New River Building Supply & Lumber Company.

In addition to providing a large selection of the best names in the building supply industry, we also have a timber & log division wherein we can assist you in planning and building the log home of your dreams. You can bring your blueprints or proposed building plans in and let our trained professionals advise you on the best and most suitable materials available. We also offer a variety of Sashco log home products in our stores and online to aid in maintaining your home.

Now with 2 Locations to Serve You!

We Sell Grills, Too!

Boone Location Banner Elk Location 3148 Hwy 105 South 2340 Tynecastle Hwy Boone, NC 28607 Banner Elk, NC 28604 828.264.5650 828.898.5660 www.newriverbuilding.com Summer 2018 |

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Permits & Inspections T he Bui l d in g P e r m it P r oc es s

for Watauga County

How To Get Started - Permit Checklist Same In Most Counties - Please Consult Appropriate Authorities

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he Building Permit process begins with the Building Permit Application, which covers all types of construction including new construction, additions, decks, remodeling and renovations. Permit Fees will be calculated and upon payment of these fees, along with completed applications and required plans, the application will be ready to be reviewed by the Planning & Inspections staff. Upon approval of the Building Permit application and plans, a Building Permit will be issued by the Building Code Officials and work may begin on the project.

The Building Permit must be posted on site for all inspections.

Frame Constructed Homes: ❏ Building Permit Application form ❏ Two (2) copies of plans drawn to scale that identify the name of rooms and all the work to be done. ❏ Two (2) copies of the Plan Specifications forms. One copy of the plans and specifications will be marked “jobsite copy” and returned to the applicant when the permit is issued. This copy is to remain on the job site. ❏ Copy of Authorization for Wastewater System Construction (Septic Permit) and Well Construction Permit from the Appalachian District Health Department. ❏ General/Self Contractor Form ❏ Lien Agent Form ❏ Workers’ Compensation Coverage Form ❏ Contractor Regulation Sheets. There is one form for each contractor working on the project. (electrician, plumber, heat, gas installer) ❏ Erosion Control Certification

Log or Heavy Timber Homes: ❏ Building Permit Application form ❏ Two (2) copies of plans stamped by a N.C. licensed architect or engineer. ❏ Two (2) copies of the Plan Specifications forms. One copy of the plans and specifications will be marked “jobsite copy” and returned to the applicant when the permit is issued. This copy is to remain on the job site. ❏ Copy of Authorization for Wastewater System Construction (Septic Permit) and Well Construction Permit from the Appalachian District Health Department.

Submittal of an application does not mean the Permit has been issued The following checklists are intended to assist you in obtaining a Building Permit. This list cannot include every unique situation but can be used for most typical projects. Supplying the most accurate and complete information on this list will prevent delays in issuing a permit and possibly reduce construction correction costs.

❏ General/Self Contractor Form ❏ Lien Agent Form ❏ Affidavit of Workers’ Compensation Coverage form ❏ Contractor Regulation Sheets. There is one form for each contractor working on the project. (electrician, plumber, heat, gas installer) ❏ Insulation Trade-off Sheet (ResCheck) ❏ Erosion Control Certification

Remodel: (Interior Renovations Only no change to exterior footprint) ❏ Building Permit Application form ❏ Plan or detailed list of work to be done. ❏ General/Self Contractor Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Lien Agent Form (Not required if project if under $30,00 or an existing single family residence occupied by owner) ❏ Workers’ Compensation Coverage Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Contractor Regulation Sheets. There is one form for each contractor working on the project. (electrician, plumber, heat, gas installer)

Addition/Deck: ❏ Building Permit Application form ❏ Two (2) copies of plans drawn to scale showing all work to be done. ❏ Two (2) copies of the Plan Specification forms. ❏ Appalachian District Health Department verification of

septic/well setbacks. ❏ General/Self Contractor Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Lien Agent Form (Not required if project if under $30,00 or an existing single family residence occupied by owner) ❏ Workers’ Compensation Coverage Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Contractor Regulation Sheets. There is one form for each contractor working on the project. (electrician, plumber, heat, gas installer) ❏ Erosion Control Certification

Storage/Garage: ❏ Building Permit Application form ❏ Two (2) copies of plans drawn to scale showing all work to be done. ❏ Two (2) copies of the Plan Specification forms. ❏ Appalachian District Health Department verification of septic/well setbacks. ❏ General/Self Contractor Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Lien Agent Form (Not required if project if under $30,00 or an existing single family residence occupied by owner) ❏ Workers’ Compensation Coverage Form (if project is over $30,000) ❏ Contractor Regulation Sheets. There is one form for each contractor working on the project. (electrician, plumber, heat, gas installer) ❏ Erosion Control Certification

Other permits such as Zoning, Watershed, Grading or Floodplain may also be required.

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TAX RATES IN AVERY & WATAUGA COUNTIES FOR 2016-17 If you are like me, after becoming a property owner, you might have smiled when that first property bill arrived in the mail. But – believe me – that wore off pretty quick. Luckily, Watauga County features one of the lowest tax rates in the state.

If you live within a municipality, you must pay both the municipality’s and county’s tax rate. Note that you will be required to pay a fire tax, which is used to fund fire departments that may one day save your home and/or family. In Watauga County, for example, the tax rate is 5 cents – except for the Todd fire district, which has a 7-cent rate.

Watauga County:

$0.353 per $100 valuation + fire tax rate

TOWN RATES per $100 valuation

Boone: $0.041 cents Blowing Rock: $0.37 Seven Devils: $0.51 Beech Mountain: $0.732 Municipal Service District (Downtown Boone) $0.21 cents

Avery County:

$0.55 per $100 (includes $0.067 cent fire tax)

TOWN RATES per $100 valuation

Banner Elk: Beech Mountain: Crossnore: Elk Park: Newland: Seven Devils: Sugar Mountain:

$0.54 cents $0.732 $0.24 $0.28 $0.49 $0.51 $0.46

*Avery County and Watauga County Tax Departments

Population, Households, Housing Units, Value & Building Permits U.S. Census Bureau figures

Watauga County:

Population: 52,560 (2014 estimate) Households: 20,224 (2010-14) Housing Units: 32,957 Homeownership rate: 57.4 percent (2010-14) Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $225,600 Building permits 2014: 243

G D E

GLEN DAVIS ELECTRIC

We Specialize in Serving Home Owners with Repairs and Remodeling

Glen Davis Electric has been in business for 30 years in Boone and the High Country with the objective to provide unsurpassed service for the Consumer and General Contractors. We are here to answer any concerns you might have including general wiring, interior lighting, landscape lighting and whole house generators. As always, every job is completed with customer goals and objectives in mind. We want you to be pleased with the work we do so that we will be invite back for future jobs and endeavors.

Glen Davis Electrical Service is a highly regarded electrical services business with providing emergency electrician services as well as with more usually scheduled services. We have the technolog y and the devices required for providing quality electrical services to our customers.

Any size remodel work Landscape lighting Under cabinet lighting Pendant lighting LED lighting Low-voltage ambiance lighting Fixture installation Chandelier lifts Mount flat screen TV’s Recessed cans Service calls/Trouble shooting Appliance installation Install roof ventilators/attic fans Doorbells Ceiling fan installation Heat/AC hookup Generator installation/hookup Service change-out Home inspection corrections Step lighting Swimming pool/spa connections Lamppost installation Heated floors Vanity lights Whole house surge protectors Dimmer switches Air switches Install TV & phone cabling New construction wiring Flood lights Floor boxes Change devices Whirlpool tub Trenching/underground wiring Dedicated circuits . . . (dishwasher, disposal, hood fan, range, wine cooler, under cabinet refrigerator, warming drawer, microwave, etc)

Avery County:

Population: 17,773 (2014 estimate) Households: 7,174 (2010-14) *Housing Units: 14,027 Homeownership rate: 76.5 percent Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $144,700 Building permits 2014: 44 *Avery County and Watauga County Tax Departments

Free Estimates | Professional Service | Licensed & Insured 8742 Hwy 105 South, Boone, NC 28607 828-963-6997 | www.glendaviselectric.com Summer 2018 |

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Real Estate By The Numbers Deeds: A Snapshot of the Real Estate Market

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A 12 Month Look Back at

imilar to the MLS listings for the High Country Association of Realtors, the Watauga County Register of Deeds office can clue the public into the state of local real estate.

The compiling of these transactions offers a snapshot of the real estate market. How many units have been sold? What was the total value of properties sold? Who is buying and who

Units Total is selling?

Month Sold Dollars Sold Each week, a compilation of April 2018................... 153.........$36,250,500 deed transfers is published on March 2018................ 147.........$29,697,500 HCPress.com. Note that the deeds February 2018.............. 90.........$23,422,000 include land sales, commercial January 2018............. 115.........$25,977,000 properties and homes. Each post December 2017......... 162.........$39,170,000 lists the grantor (seller) and grantee November 2017......... 148.........$41,562,000 (buyer), a brief description of the October 2017............. 168.........$43,031,500 property and the price. Not that September 2017........ 166.........$43,797,000 our staff wades through about 300 August 2017............... 155.........$29,652,000 or so deeds and usually publishes July 2017.................... 176.........$38,273,000 about 40. The discrepancy refers to June 2017................... 181.........$33,455,000 duplicates and properties transferred May 2017.................... 168.........$94,304,500 for $0. If multiple heirs, for example, TOTAL YEAR............ 1829.......$478,591,500 sell a property, then multiple deeds of the same property are recorded for each individual.

Also, properties exchanged for no money generally involve the passing down of family land.

If you have a question about the ownership of a particular property, including its ownership history, documents filed with the Watauga County Register of Deeds and a Watauga County Tax Mapping Department database can help you out.

DEEDS

Real Estate A

Market Steadily Improving

“What we more or less have done has refter real estate sales hit rock bottom in have lots of people coming in, more people covered the 15 to 20 percent that we might 2010 and 2011, the market has slowly but looking and more people buying.

David Thomas, owner of RE/MAX Realty have lost between 2007 and 2014, that winsurely started to rebound with early returns from 2018 showing continued improvement Group in Boone, has seen the same sort of dow of time everything was down, now we’re fully recovered but we really haven’t seen an upward trend in Watauga County. in sales.

“I think our sales performance and num- appreciation of value beyond where we were First quarter sales in 2018 are up 12 percent compared to the first quarter of last year, bers are very much up. Statistically I think a year or two ago. I do think that that trend is according to a recent report from the High we’re all ahead of where we were in 2016 and going to change this year,” Thomas said.

In his experience, Thomas estimates that 2017. 2018 is turning out to be another banCountry Association of Realtors.

During the first three months of 2018, ner year as we approach the midway point,” close to 70 percent of their sales have been for second homes with the remainHigh County Realtors in Alleghing sales going to permanent any, Ashe, Avery and Watauga REALTOR-ASSISTED SALES, BY YEAR and first-time homebuyers. counties sold 444 homes worth 2,000 In March alone, local Real$113.65 million. This is also a 1,600 tors sold 178 homes valuing 26 percent increase compared 1,200 $43.92 million with the average to the first quarter of 2016.

800 “Our numbers are all on an 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 sale price sitting at $246,750.

The strong first quarter of upward trend and we’re very 2018 was even stronger than 2007 prior to the happy about that obviously, and it looks like Thomas said.

Thomas also said that the thinks that as housing crash when 367 homes were sold absent some major international or national calamity that we’re not expecting, this coming the year continues, sellers will be able to get worth $97.22 million.

Despite mortgage interest rates increasyear is going to be an up year for us again,” a little more appreciating value out of their said John Davis III, owner of Banner Elk Re- houses, something that hasn’t happened ing, mortgage applications continue to rise so alty. “In my 38 years here in Banner Elk, I’m around here since well before the housing far in 2018, that according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. feeling really good about the uptrend. We crash almost a decade ago.

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Doe Ridge Pottery & Gallery Bob Meier Celebrates 40 Years in the Business of Making Hand-Made Décor

Professional HVAC service and installation since 1970 throughout the high country. We offer Lennox products, financing and service.

1600 Linville Falls Highway Newland, NC 28657

828.733.5842 www.AveryHeating.com Scott Boyles, Owner

585 West St., Suite D • Boone, NC 28607 (828) 264-1127 Visit our website for a better look at some of our selections DoeRidgePottery.com • meier@doeridgepottery.com

Diversified

SOLUTIONS

Home improvement and so much more No job too big or too small Specializing in commercial & residential, skilled labor Door & window installation & repairs, small engine repair, construction,power washing, vacation home repairs and monitoring Owner, David Kolenda, honest,dependable, quality craftsman with 30 plus years experience

828.355.5563 • dave.diversifiedsolutions@ gmail.com

SERVING THE HIGH COUNTRY!

Specializing in Interior & Home Photography Located in beautiful Valle Crucis www.cherylzibisky.com 718-288-6267 cheryl@cherylzibisky.com Summer 2018 |

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DON’T FALL FOR THE QUICK FIX

A Note from Attorney General Josh Stein - April 2018 EDITOR’S NOTE - We thought this message from North Carolina’s Attorney General can always be a good reminder. But we would also like to report that although these scams can happen, from our dealings with the many businesses across the High Country, you won’t find local companies engaging in these types of scams.

The small businesses and local owners are an asset to the High Country in the services and contributions they make to our communities. It’s easy to get to know your local builders, laborers, craftsmen, installers and suppliers. Take some time to get to know them . . . and check out our advertisers for local folks ready to help.

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pring cleaning sometimes leads to spring home repairs. Updating or fixing your home can be stressful. There are many decisions to make – and, of course, you want to make sure that any work done on your home is done well and lasts.

Don’t let a scam add to your stress. Scammers will often target homeowners to trick you out of your hard- earned money. They don’t do good work, if they do any at all, and they charge exorbitant amounts of money. When you’re looking to get home repair services done, here are some things to consider.

Always do your own research first. Look up services online to see if they are reputable. Don’t be fooled by a fancy website, or enticing deals. You can check a contractor’s or other professional’s credentials and licenses. There are a number of websites that allow you to read up on customer reviews, such as Angie’s List or Yelp. You also can contact the Better Business Bureau and my office’s Consumer Protection Division to learn whether we’ve received complaints

against the person or company you’re considering.

And remember that word of mouth can be very useful – ask your neighbors and friends about their home repair experiences and recommendations.

Be very wary of repair servicepeople who show up and claim there’s a major problem with your home’s construction and offer to do the work immediately or for a great price. Often, these scammers will do poor quality work and charge too much money, or continue finding “problems� that need attention to scam you out of thousands of dollars.

If someone points out that something in your home needs to be fixed, get a second opinion.

After you’ve identified a few companies you’d like to consider, ask for written estimates. Compare prices for the work being performed, materials used, the amount of time they’ll take to complete the work, and any warranties that may apply. Ask if they will guarantee their work for a certain amount of time after they complete the project. If they will, get that guar-

antee in writing before you sign a contract.

Make sure you have a contract in writing that lays out all the important terms, including payment.

While you might have to pay an initial down payment for materials, make sure you hold back payments to ensure the work gets done to your satisfaction. Pay with a credit card if possible so you can dispute it, if necessary.

Home repair scams aren’t the only types of scams that deal with people’s homes. Our office has also dealt with complaints related to renting, disaster repair, furniture, moving, and other homerelated issues. To learn more about these scams, www.ncdoj.gov/Consumer/Home-Repair-and-Home-Products.aspx

We all want our homes to be in the best condition for as long as possible. Watch out for scams that make it hard to keep them that way. If you have a complaint related to a home repair or a home product, please report it to NCDOJ by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint online.

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DI A N N E DAVA N T & A S S O C I AT E S EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN SINCE 1979

M A R G A R E T H A N D L E Y,

ASID

D I A N N E D A VA N T , A S I D PA M E L A M C K A Y, A S I D

P R I S C I L L A H Y A T T,

ASID

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5 Reasons to Have a Good Construction Contract

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f contractors and construction crews are working on your home and property, protect yourself with some sort of binding contract. In case issues arise down the road, you’ll be thankful you did.

It’s not uncommon for problems to surface, even in the simplest of projects. So it’s important for the general contractor, subcontractors and homeowner to consider how disputes or misunderstandings should be handled. Creating a contract with all parties involved allows the demands to be spelled out clearly and in the end is a deciding factor in doling out responsibility for various stages of the project. A contract also sets a timeline for completion.

Designating a third-party mediator might be helpful in keeping the relationship between the homeowner, contractors and construction crews on the positive side.

Following are some recommendations from Paul Capua, an AV-Preminent-rated lawyer, founding attorney of Capua Law Firm in Boone and Miami, Fla. Capua’s practice focuses on U.S. & International construction litigation and arbitration.

He’s represented contractors and institutional clients in state and federal court. Capua lectures and trains clients on risk management and contracting principles in construction matters. For more info about upcoming seminars, visit www. capualawfirm.com.

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Negotiating a contract forces the owner and general contractor to sit together, work through difficult issues, and make tough decisions when everyone is in good spirits. This “meeting of the minds” should be viewed as an opportunity to manage expectations and eliminate misunderstanding. (e.g., the plans show a retaining wall on the property, but it is not included in the control estimate. Who’s responsible?)

2

General contracting is governed by the law of contracts.

Therefore, contracts are a major and essential part of construction projects, large and small.

One of the fundamental aspects of risk management is understanding and protecting each party’s silo of responsibility. Contracts define the roles and responsibilities of the numerous parties involved in construction projects– e.g., owner, architect, engineer, contractors, etc., and so without a good contract, there is diffuse and unclear accountability, which creates problems. (e.g., who is or should be responsible for foundation problems, the structural engineer or contractor?).

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A good contract includes essential clauses specifically tailored to the project and risks.

A good contract avoids “gotcha” clauses that create liability and unfairly allocate risk.

The Consignment Cottage Warehouse

“From Classic Traditional To Unique Eclectic...and Everything In Between...”

66 Pershing St., Newland, NC / Open Thursday - Saturday 10-5 / 828-733-8148 / theconsignmentcottagewarehouse.com 12

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What’s New reen uilding ractices Switch To LED Programmable or CFL Lights Thermostats I T

he average household has more than 50 light bulbs, and just replacing one light bulb with an energy-efficient one can save homeowners $30-80 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the bulb, according to the federal Energy Star program. Quick Tip: If you aren’t changing all of the bulbs for whatever reason, consider at least changing the bulbs in fixtures that are used the most.

Energy Audit & Weatherization

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any companies and nonprofits offer energy audit services, which will access your home’s energy usage.

Professional energy auditors will also conduct a blower door test to find areas of the home that aren’t airtight. Low-cost weatherization improvements include simple fixes like weather-stripping doors and windows. One of the most cost-effective measures to increase the energy efficiency of an older home is to blow loose-fill insulation into walls and attics. It’s among the highest return on investment projects out there.

t sounds boring, but a programmable thermostat will conserve energy and save you money. This is perhaps the easiest and least noticeable change in using less energy. If nobody is home during the work or school hours, set the thermostat according to your family’s schedule.

Look for the Energy Star Label: Windows, Doors and Skylights

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efore you buy windows, doors and skylights for a remodel or new construction, look at the NRFC (National Fenestration Rating Council) label on Energy Star qualified products. These labels will tell you the energy performance per U-factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and air leakage. The U-factor is the rate at which a window conducts non-solar heat flow and SHGC is the fraction of solar radiation released as heat into the home. Also if you purchase an Energy Star product, make sure it qualifies for your region of the states.

Classic

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www.classicstoneworksinc.com Summer 2018 |

High Country HOME Mag a zine

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Restoring Dreams Mike Smith Builders

Mike Smith

Giving Second Homes a New Lease on Life

By Jesse Campbell

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or the past 18 years, contractor Mike Smith has lead a group of eight to ten skilled craftsmen to fulfill the dreams of folks who are looking to plant roots in the in the High Country with a second home. Since 2000, Mike Smith Builders LLC has been a trusted builder in the High Country.

Smith’s company of skilled woodsmen have earned a reputation for building new homes as well as restoring houses that have seen better days. Most of his clientele are second home owners hailing from south Florida. Smith transforms rocky hillsides into mountain dream homes that are complemented with breathtaking views. In just a matter of months, Smith can take a home approaching derelict status and not only bring it up to code, but carefully nurse it back to pristine con14

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vations that Smith’s crew cannot do. Granite countertops, perfectly chiseled rock fireplaces and newly installed energy efficient windows are just a few of the many upgrades available in his repertoire. He leaves nothing to chance. Following specific designs and instructions from the homeowner, Smith works tirelessly to ensure the needs of his clients are fully met. Countless homeowners have Smith to thank for helping make their mountain dreams become a reality. Smith is an artist. The earth and its raw materials is his canvas. With a swing of a hammer and swipe of a brush, Smith turns a house into a home that is sure to form thousands of cherished memories. He knows what a difference a loose nail or rough edge can make in the referral process and is what counts in this industry. Smith understands the magnitude of what a simple mistake can mean to his trusted business.

“It’s something unique and it’s something I’ve been blessed to be around.

There’s no other feeling than taking a house that might need a little TLC and bringing it to life. You just can’t beat it.”

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Mike Smith on site of his latest project, an extension remodel job at Elk River. dition. He is a master builder and his work speaks for itself.

There is not much in the way of reno-

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Now Under Construction

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ike Smith’s latest project is a complete remodel of a summer home at Elk River Club. While the house is structurally sound, the new homeowners wanted to strip the entire house of its outdated amenities. Everything short of the walls will be replaced. These construction pictures in this layout were taken in April of 2018. The project began at the end of October 2017. This project is an example of how Mike Smith Builders can take an older home and bring it back to life - and ready for new dreams.

Latest project Smith’s latest project is a complete overhaul of a summer home in the gated community of Elk River in Banner Elk. Sitting at the end of a labyrinth of twisting mountain roads complemented with breathtaking scenery, this enchanting mountain home needed a skilled carpenter. While the house remained structurally sound, Smith’s crew would need to strip the entire house of outdated amenities. Everything short of the studs would be replaced. Fresh sheetrock would be hung. A stone fireplace needed upgrading. New doors and stairways will be added. The HVAC will be updated. There isn’t a detail too small for Smith’s crew. Energy efficient windows would also be required to ensure the house stayed warm through the unforgiving Appalachian winters. Scaffolds dotted the work site as crews worked to bring the home back to life. New countertops and appliances would accentuate a modern décor. The upstairs would be outfitted with stainless-steel sinks. Cool mountain colors – true to region’s landscape – would soon take hold of the faded walls. “The owner doesn’t want bright south Florida colors. She said she wanted a mountain home,” said Smith.

“I think this place still had the original paint on the walls,” he said.

The house had fallen victim to neglect. Multiple owners had left the house sitting idle. No needed maintenance or repairs had been performed over the years. The elements had begun to reclaim the house. On the back side of the home, excess moisture had caused the wood to deteriorate around several windows. It’s small, but obvious defects such as this that can drive the value of a home down. It’s up to Smith to ensure every blemish is detected and repaired. The view from the multi-deck home would make all the restoration efforts worthwhile.

From the exterior and throughout inside the

The house has 6155 sq. ft. of heated space plus a 674 sq. ft. garage, 365 sq. ft shop area, 193 sq. ft. covered deck area and 1670 sq. ft. of open deck area.

As the general contractor, Mike Smith is responsible for all work done on the house through his crew or sun-contractors.

Front Drone Pic

The landscaping was also striped from the front of the house and new landscaping will be installed as construction finishes up.

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BEFORE

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uilt in the mid1990s, this summer home was in need of Smith’s expert touch. Walls would be torn down.

New energy efficient windows were a must.

Decaying wood on the house’s far side underneath windows had to be replaced.

Smith’s crew worked throughout the last leg of winter to restore the house to its former beauty.

The house had sat dormant before Smith brought it back to life.

Pictures of the house before remodeling began shows interior rooms that dated back to the mid 1990s. “I think this place still had the original paint on the walls,” Smith said. “The owner doesn’t want bright south Florida colors. She said she wanted a mountain home,”

home, a complete transformation is taking place.

Hard times and a new plan The 2008 Great Recession was a testament to Mike Smith’s fortitude as a businessman. While most contractors hung up their tool belts for the last time, as new construction declined sharply, Smith adjusted his business plan. Instead of focusing primarily on custom built homes that had been a driving force behind the local economy, Smith diversified his operations and began to focus mostly on renovations to existing properties. With the housing market reduced to rubble, the out-of-state 16

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residents who had help build the local economy through vacation homes while keeping the region’s property tax rates from skyrocketing, were suddenly reluctant to dole out the big bucks for new construction. They were, however, willing to spruce up existing homes in anticipation of a market recovery.

His presence would mean two things.

For one, he would be able to put food on the table for his family and keep his skilled crew intact. Secondly, his reputation had preceded him. Not every contractor could land such highly sought-after renovation projects. In a region that is full of former craftsmen, Smith knows that his work must be top notch because he doesn’t

Summer 2018

want to miss that next referral. In his line of work, a negative review can have dire consequences for his business and the entire crew. Everything he does must be calculated. If he’s not careful while securing contracts, he could cost his crew several days of work and lost wages. Not only is the livelihood of his crew important to him personally, but a steady flow of work is necessary to retain their expertise for future projects.

“If you build good, quality homes and if you do it right, you will have work,” Smith said as he surveyed the Hawk’s Nest mountain ridge that sat opposite of his work site.

What’s good for Smith is also good

Extensive Remodel The windows are being replace with low E energy efficient Quaker Windows. All installation is being replaced before new ceilings and walls are hung. New rock work has been added and existing rock has been updated. The latest technology of house wrapping is being applied on the outer walls.

for the rest of the High Country. The region’s entire economy relies on the success of the housing market. “It’s a domino effect. Housing is what drives America. If the economy is strong and if housing is strong, then everyone prospers,” said Smith. “If it’s not then the economy is hurting.

Consider the chain-reaction he provided. As Smith points out, everything is connected in a small community such as the High Country.

“It affects everyone. If the subcontractor isn’t stopping at the gas station to pick up his coffee in the morning, then those folks aren’t getting paid either….It’s a trickle-down effect,” said Smith. “Housing drives the economy. It is as simple as that.”

It also affects the hardware and building supply stores. If the industry is tanking, sales will likely fall. People will also be travelling and eating out less if the industry is not humming along. Everything always comes back to the housing industry.

Family tradition For Smith, the decision to turn raw lumber into a work was an easy one. It was a tradition that was passed down through his family. His grandfather was a builder. By the time most youngsters were just getting their hands dirty, Smith already had splinters in his. Mike hopes to carry on that tradition as long as he possibly can.

“It’s something unique and it’s something I’ve been blessed to be around,” he said. “There are many things I love about what I do.

One of them is taking a piece of property or a house that needs renovation and seeing it come to an end and seeing what you have created. There’s no other feeling than taking a house that might need a little TLC and bringing it to life. You just can’t beat it.”

Every project Smith takes on has its own unique set of challenges that require decades of industry experience to adequately diagnose and then develop a remodeling plan. Take for example one of his most recent projects. Smith likely knew that he would need to strip and replace some electrical wiring, tear down a few walls and complete a little bit of masonry work. What he did not anticipate was the additional work that would be required once the project was Summer 2018 |

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Homes Built by Mike Smith Mike has built some of the nicest homes for the most discriminating clients. Homes that proudly stand the test of time in exclusive developments such as Elk River, Linville Ridge, Grandfather Country Club and elsewhere in the High Country. “I believe that if someone is going to put their hard-earned money into their ‘dream home, I am going to equally put my hard earned time and effort into making sure their dreams come true,” Mike says.

Transform your basement into a luxury family room.

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inspected more closely. Initially, he found a few tell-tale signs of neglect. There was moisture congregating in particular portion of the house that would soon lead to decay. But then Mike found more wood near the windows on the opposite end of the house in dire need of attention. Fortunately, he was able to quickly pinpoint the problem, so he could apprise the homeowner of the situation before commencing the restoration work. Overall, homeowners trust his expertise. They leave it to him to isolate problem areas and do whatever is necessary to bring the home back to stellar condition. The most crucial factor to consider when owing a home is routine maintenance, Mike said. If issues are corrected early and taking care of in a timely fashion, this can save a homeowner untold amounts of money. In turn, this will yield a better appraisal and more money when the homeowner chooses to sell the home.

“A house will quickly go downhill if you don’t maintain it,” Smith warned. “Say for example if someone was to die and leave their house to a relative. Well, let’s say that house sits for four or five years. If they don’t maintain the house, it will go downhill. A lot of times what we see is if someone dies, then the house dies with them if not properly maintained” While Smith’s line of work can be extremely rewarding, it does come with its own set of challenges. Weather is one of them. In the early portion of April, Smith’s crew had to endure gusty winds that reach nearly 80 miles per hour, snowing conditions, a bone chilling rain and finally a day of 70-degree weather within a span of 72 hours. With careful planning, Smith can rest assure that his crew will have steady work throughout the year regardless of the elements.

“You have to deal with the elements and you’ve got to work all year,” Smith said as he observed his crew piece together a fire place. “You’ve also got clients that oftentimes will live close by, so you have to work with them, too.”

There are also other daily perils to contend with. A bothersome hornets’ nest is just another day at the office for his crew.

Snakes and critters are also commonplace..

Smith doesn’t get frazzled by the challenges. He can’t afford to. He knows there are plenty of builders and re-modelers chomping at the bit for work. Smith can, however, take pride in the work that he has completed. The testimony of his clients sets him apart from a field that has its share of wannabes who are performing shoddy work. “I don’t even try to compete with these guys who are under bidding me by $150,000,” he said.

“Something just isn’t right there. They (the contractors) are missing something.” Those who cannot muster quality work will quickly fall by the wayside and Smith will be there to pick up the slack.

But for all the stressful moments he encounters daily, Smith wouldn’t trade his profession for any other. Working with men

Professional kitchen designs a chef would die for.

Summer 2018

Details and craftsmanship make a huge difference.

he calls family also makes a workday flyby quickly. The crew take turns jesting with each other while maintaining a professional attitude and work ethic. During the summer Mike also employs his son, who is still in high school, so he can get a feel for the family’s tradition.

“He said he still wants to work with me next summer, but he said he wants to try something else out here,” he said with a laugh.

Despite recent stagnation, Smith is confident new construction is returning to the High Country and with it, ample opportunities for work for local craftsmen.

He’s not the only one. It appears that most of the skilled workers who lost their job during the Great Recession have returned to the field. Even as early as 2014, the industry was reporting that 62 percent of the 393,000 long-tenured construction workers that lost their jobs in the housing crunch had been rehired. Smith and his crew of workers are some of the few who had continuous work throughout the downturn and is blessed for it.

Part of the recovery can be credited to the changing mindset of potential buyers. Recent retirees became restless playing the waiting game. They wanted to go ahead and break ground on a new home, so they would have time to enjoy it. This where Smith enters the picture. He wants to help their dreams come true. He wants to share his own slice of paradise with those looking to relocate to the region.

While Smith continues his life’s work building and restoring homes for families, he is also nurturing a family of his own: his dedicated staff of carpenters, masons and electricians. Without them, his livelihood would not have a solid foundation.

And you can’t beat the views either.

“I just love working up here,” he said. “I just love what I do.” t

Expert Crews and Subcontractors There is not much in the way of renovations that Mike Smith’s crew cannot do. Marble countertops, perfectly chiseled rock fireplaces and newly installed energy efficient windows are just a few of the many upgrades his crew can easily handle. With his years of experience and relationships with an excellent team of subcontractors you can count on 100% guaranteed customer satisfaction.

Mike Smith Builders LLC is owned and operated

by Mike Smith who is a native resident to Watauga County. Mike is a Licensed General Contractor for both commercial and residential projects. He is available to assist you in planning your next project with new construction, renovations or commercial services. Mike Smith Builders LLC maintains a great working relationship with many companies in the area and can provide assistance and direction to some of the best business professionals in the High Country. Feel free to call our office for recommendations to services in landscaping, flooring, tile, granite, cabinetry, custom window treatments, and design services.

Contact Info Mailing address is: Mike Smith Builders, LLC. 479 Will Isaacs Rd. Zionville, NC 28698 Phone number is: (828) 297-7528 Fax number is: (828) 297-7548 www.mikesmithbuildersllc.com Summer 2018 |

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Tile Trends Innovations & Large, Thin Tiles Quality of Tile & Setting Materials Continues To Improve

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uring John Buford’s 22 years in the industry as an installer and owner of Stone Cavern in Banner Elk, he’s seen the tile industry and the quality of its product transform for the better – both in an aesthetic and utilitarian nature. “The technology that is there for the setting materials (grout and grout ties) is really so much better and that along with the tiles itself,” Bufurd said.

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One such product is Schluter’s custom shower system that came out in 2016. The system speed up the process of waterproofing a shower area prior to tile installation.

“I wouldn’t call this revolutionary, but the ability to make a shower tight over time with a companybacked guarantee is innovative for sure,” Buford said.

“I’ve been doing this a long time. I’m selling a lot of it. Some people won’t use it because they don’t understand it. It’s a good item for us. I feel confident because at the end of the day it’s all about a good job.”

Thin and large tiles are hot consumer product these days, too.

Buford said that he has tile that is one-quarter-inch thick and one meter by eight meters for the width and length. Buford noted that you can tile an entire shower with just a few pieces.

“Plus, it’s extremely light, so it’s a good for second floors,” he said.

This tile is also starting to be used in living rooms. Instead of screwing drywall to frames, patching and painting the drywall, you can install this thin-and-large tile on the interior walls. “You never have

Heated Floors

eated floors are no longer considered a luxury. Next winter, you’ll regret waking up in the morning to your bare feet chilling on an ice-cold bathroom floor. And if you like the look of wooden floors but want heated flooring in high traffic areas throughout the house, consider wood-look porcelain with thermostat-controlled, radiant heat underneath.

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Summer 2018

to repaint it. It won’t get dinged up,” Buford said. “That’s in my opinion a primary use.”

Stone Cavern in Banner Elk offers design consultations, tile and materials sales and excellent customer service.

Also check out the line of luxury vinyl and cork floating floors. Stone Cavern is located at 9782 N.C. 105 South Unit 8 in Banner Elk. For more info, click to www. stonecavern.com or call 828-963-8453.

Looks Like Wood, Performs Like Tile

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ood-looking tile, which offers the warmth of wood and the versatility and durability of tile, is among the hottest tile trends of the day.

Tile is now made in non-traditional sizes and contains precise detail not previously available because of advances in technology, according to Dal-Tile, one of the largest tile manufacturers in the world. For example, tile can now “mirror the look and feel of a hand-scraped wood floor.”

From a fine cherry look to the rustic, barn wood approach, wood-looking tile is available in whatever aesthetic you prefer. Wood isn’t an ideal choice in the bathroom because of moisture, but porcelain tile that looks like wood performs great in wet areas. David Shell, owner of Mountain Tile in Boone, noted that the only disadvantage to wood-looking tile is that it’s not wood.

“You never have to worry about the dog scratching the floor or wear and tear. You never have to refinish. You can heat it up and it will actually retain the heat unlike engineered wood floors,” Shell said. “Looking at the performance, durability, life of the installation and maintenance free [aspects], wood-looking tile is a no brainer.”

Stone Cavern

Tile & Stone Showroom

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Set the Tone With Beautiful Natural Stone Slabs

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iant and beautiful natural stone slabs can turn any counter, workstation, bar and even the face of a fireplace into the centerpiece of a room. The diversity of the natural stone available allows for the customer to pick out practically any color he or she prefers.

“The design possibilities are endless,” said Joe Magid, production manager for Classic Stone Works in Newland. “The The slabs are custom cut using a wet saw on the premises. colors are all over the place. Every color the scope of what’s out there and available is represented.”

Classic Stone Works has more than an to them,” Magid said. “It’s a lot bigger acre of these giant slabs on its property off industry than it has been in the past and the of Linville Falls Highway for customers to choices are really growing.”

The stone slabs arrive in the High window shop. The stockyard is filled with Country basically surfaced finished with granite, marble, travertine and limestone rough edges.

Classic Stone Works has a slabs imported from all over the world. fabrication shop of about several thousand “One thing we pride ourselves on is having a pretty big inventory of different square feet and an inside showroom with types of stones, so our clients can really see 2,000 square feet of space.

Once a homeowner or contractor selects a slab of their liking, the locally talented craftsman will then measure the space that the slab will fill and custom cut the slab with a wet saw to the template.

Then, the edges are finished smooth and the slab installed. “It’s certainly a process for them (initial fabricator) and us (the final fabricator),” Magid said.

The biggest slabs are about 12feet-by-6-feet and the standard is roughly 10-feet-by-6-or-7-feet. But as Magid noted, you can do kitchen countertops, for example, any size you want because multiple pieces can be seemed together.

Classic Stone Works, which also offers custom concrete countertops, stone sinks and a full selection of tile, is located at 1710 Linville Falls Highway in Newland.

For more information, go to www.classicstoneworksinc.com or call 828-737-0040.

Using Local Suppliers Makes The Most Sense For A Lot Of Reasons

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aking the right choices when building a new house or remodeling your existing home is a learning experience, and taking the time to seek out the best advice and professional help will prove invaluable. A building project is a hefty investment where decisions and choices are something the homeowner will be living with for a long time. That’s why seeking professional help is so important.

David Shell of Mountain Tile has worked with hundreds of customers, and it’s not unusual for him to see someone walk through the door that has been through a bad experience by trying to get by on the cheap. “I understand that building projects and remodel jobs involved quite a bit of money,” said David. “But using bargain materials and Internet sites will usually cost you more money down the road when problems arise from poor quality products and less than ideal service after the sale.”

When you start shopping for the products and services you’ll need for your projects, David recommends a local company. “Look for a local bricks and mortar store that has been in business for a number of years,

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and has roots in the community. You’ll find that service and selection of products is far superior than what you find online or at the big box stores.”

Mountain Tile owners, David and Trudy Shell (right) and sales associate Cassi de la Cerda

Mountain Tile, for example, are experts on tile. “Tile is all we do,” says David.

“We’re not selling appliances, landscaping stuff, cabinets and the like. We’re experts on tile, and that’s what we focus on for our customers, from helping to choose the right products for their needs, to the right materials for making sure it is installed properly - and we’re here to fix any problems or answer any questions that may arise.”

Summer 2018

Local showrooms offer a customer a chance to see and feel a product.

“Our in-store selection of products is quite substantial,” says David. “And our showroom is a great place to talk about ideas. We can lay different tiles out to see how they look together. It’s not uncommon for a client to stop by a number of times to fine tune ideas.”

“Our staff knows tile!” says David.

The first steps of a new project can be scary. Local product companies help you get started.

“We can get your questions answered,” David added. “We can help you design and layout what you what. Just come in and see us, we can piece it together and make it work and make it happen. We’ll get you educated and won’t lead you astray.”

David is quick to point out this philosophy applies to the other local businesses that provide services to homeowners and builders as well.

“We’re all right here locally to give you outstanding service. There’s no need to drive hours. Shop local for all your home improvement needs.”

BOONE’S PREMIER TILE SHOWROOM

Over 30 Years of Flooring Ex�erience!

Owners Trudy and David Shell

STORE HOURS: Monday - Friday: 8:30AM to 5PM Saturday: By Appointment 1852 H w y. 105, Bo one • 828-265- 0472 • w w w.Mo un t a inT il eNC .c o m Summer 2018 |

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L-R: Jim Banner, Joe Banner, Sr., and Joseph Banner, Jr. pictured in 2005

Banner’s Cabinets

Where Craftsmen Are Dedicated To Their Art

dedicated to their art.

Joe says, “We all love what we do. We enjoy the woodwork and the fact that we are a family – I think we all look forward to n 1941, a young Jim Banner from Newcoming into work everyday.” land dreamed of making furniture and Joe became involved with his dad’s cabinets. In those days, subsistence business right out of college after a slight farming was the main source of livelihood detour.

“I went to N.C. State, with a main the Blue Ridge Mountains. With help jor in civil engineering, and acfrom his father, Jim, and his cepted a job in Newport News, young wife, Mattie, they planted Virginia right out of college in six acres in cabbage. Using the 1967,” Joe said. proceeds earned from selling On his first day there, he the cabbage, Jim bought wooddidn’t like what he saw, so he working tools. Soon word got returned to Newland. After askaround about this gifted young ing him what he was going to do craftsmen, and Jim Banner befor the summer, his dad said he came very busy building homes was really busy and asked Joe and cabinets all over the area. if he would like to help out in the Fast forward to 2018 and shop.

“I guess you could say you’ll find Jim’s son, Joe Banner, the rest is history,” Joe said. and his son, Joseph Banner, carIn 1969, young Joe was getrying on the legacy of Jim’s work, ting ready to find out what the work that has kept the family in future would hold.

It didn’t take business for over 75 years. long for Joe to appreciate the Jim Banner passed away L-R: Joseph Banner, Jr., Debbie Banner, and potential demand for the quallast May at 95 years old. He Joe Banner, Sr., pictured in May of 2018. ity of work his dad was capable worked right up until his death, showing up for work at the Banner’s Cabinets plant located in Newland. He left with his son and grandson a legacy known far and wide as a shop that has been producing quality craftsmanship using the finest of woods for three generations. Every item that comes to life at Banner’s Cabinets bears the unmistakable mark of craftsmen

By Ken Ketchie

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One Vision . . .

Quality Craftsmanship

Cabinetry Photography by Jonathan Burton Photography Each project undertaken begins as raw wood and is transformed by hand into an object of beauty that blends perfectly and fits precisely. of. Plans for the new Grandfather Golf and Country Club had been in the works for a while, and in the late 60s the development was beginning to come to life. Joe said, “We installed the very first set of cabinets for the first spec house in the new development.”

Joe continued, “We got a call from Grandfather and they said ‘boys we’re gonna build a spec house up here,’ and at that time I had no idea what a ‘spec’ house was. They asked if we would be interested in putting the cabinets in. My dad and I talked about it and thought it wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans.”

But Joe and his father took on the work under the leadership of Joe Lee Hartley, a local craftsman overseeing the project.

“We decided we would do it, and then it just exploded,” said Joe. The Hound Ears Development was also being established. “Hound Ears started out as a pretty small development, but it didn’t

take long before Hound Ears began to grow,” said Joe. “We would eventually become very good friends with Grover, Harry, and Spencer Robbins, the three brothers who developed Hound Ears. They were excellent customers and we have done a ton of work at Hound Ears over the years.”

Banner’s Cabinets was doing pretty good work with the spec houses, but their first big job was for Clifford Roberts, the founder of Augusta National Golf Club.

Joe said, “Mr. Roberts had hired an architect out of Winton Salem. Now remember, this was back in the late 60s and Winston Salem was like Jupiter or Mars to us, and at that time, Augusta meant nothing to me.

But when we got a set of blueprints for the house, and with me being an engineering grad looking at those plans, I just shook my head and said, God almighty!”

Joe said it took two weeks to work through those blueprints and come up

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Offices and Studies

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oseph Banner Jr. estimates that 60% of their business is cabinet making, while 40% is architectural and mill work that involves making panel walls, molding, doors, and interior designs.

Shown here are examples of offices and libraries Banner’s Cabinets have built. “We can take a job to pretty much any level a client wants us to go,” says Joseph. “Most of the time it’s a turnkey and we finish the whole room off.” But their team can also come in and trim out unfinished windows to match a decor.

Panel walls, crown molding, finished windows, and interior doors really make an office setting sparkle. Joseph said, “Most of the work you see here is considered the traditional look, but a lot of our new work is becoming more contemporary, which is where the trend is going these days.” He describes the contemporary look as being “cleaner” with flat panels and cleaner lines, a minimalist look with white and grey paint finishes. “We enjoy doing them both,” says Joseph.

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Banner’s Cabinets main building is over 55,000 square feet and is located on Watauga Street in Newland. with a price for the job on Roberts’s house. “I remember I came then dry them ourselves,” says Joe. “We probably have a million up with $11,500 for the job, and I can remember my dad saying, ‘I and a half board feet of lumber in storage we have cut ourselves. paid $13,000 for my house, my car, and everything I owned. And And woods like mahogany, teak, and foreign woods, we buy from you’re going to tell them it’s gonna cost $11,500 for our work on the best suppliers.”

Their workshop is home to the latest state of the art equipjust the cabinets?’ He told me that sounded crazy.”

Joe told his dad that was the price he thought it would take ment, and all of their big machinery is computerized and integratto do the work, and all they could do was take it to them and see ed for the best performance. “But a lot of times it still gets down what they said. Joe said his dad insisted on going along just to to that hand work for the perfect look,” says Joe. “Seems like every new job is a new challenge,” said Joe. “And see their reaction.

When they got up there, Joe said, “They kept staring at our that’s another great part of our work. We do very little repetitive proposal, and I was thinking, oh no, this is not good. Then the head work, but we do have a lot of repetitive customers. It seems like guy finally said, ‘I’ll tell you what,’ and right then I figured he was if we do work for somebody, then we are continually doing adgonna say get the hell out, we don’t ever want to see you again. But ditional jobs for them.”

Banner’s Cabinets works with architects, designers, decorahe said, ‘We’re going to give you $13,500 for this work because we know Mr. Roberts is damn hard to satisfy and he’ll want more work tors, and builders from across the area, but are happy to work with than what these plans show. now.’ Well, after hearing that, I can say individuals who call or walk in the door. “We can have our staff I’d never been as happy in my entire life!”

Today, Banner’s Cabinets facilities consists of a 55,000 square-foot shop, and a 20,000 square-foot wood drying kiln and wood storage area. They have a staff of some 35 employees. Debbie Banner says, “Our employees are not just employees, they’re family. Some have been with us 35 years and we have some new people on board, and we’re all like family and a team.”

Banner’s Cabinets has done work in almost every state east of the Mississippi with several jobs done in Manhattan, Chicago, Connecticut, Atlanta and all over Florida.

“We have our own trucks for delivering,” says Joe. “That helps us keep an eye on the job from our shop all the way to the final installation.” And Banner’s employees do all the project installations themselves.

Attention to detail is a hallmark at Banner’s Cabinets, and that starts with the wood product itself. “For Banner’s Cabinets main building is over 55,000 square our domestic wood, we usually buy the logs, cut and

feet and is located on Watauga Street in Newland.

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Story # 5

A

Entrances and Doorways

front door is the opening statement to a house and sets the tone for the home. “Most of the doors we build are on a grand size with large doors that set the tone for the house,” said Joseph. “Dream up a door design

and we can design and build it.” Their door projects include the molding that frames the doorway, and they can do soft hinges, where the hinges are hidden to make the door seemed suspended. They also build interior

doors as well as hidden panel doors that are used for safe rooms and wine cellars, and to hide wall safes.

“Just like what you see in the movies,” Joseph said.

designers work with individuals to bring their ideas to a set of plans. You don’t necessarily need an architect or designer. We can do the project for them,” said Joe. Joe said one of their biggest jobs was for a couple from Long Island, New York. “They had an architect design the house, but flew down here for our cabinetry work. I remember the husband telling me his wife thought he was crazy…living right there near New York City and they couldn’t find cabinets near their home?

That was one of the jobs where we did

all the cabinetry, all the millwork, all the doors, and all the trim. They were ecstatic when the job was done.”

But Banner’s Cabinets welcomes all kind of work regardless of the size of the project. “I remember when a client we did work for out of Blowing Rock called and was apologizing for how small the job was.

I told him I wouldn’t care if it was a two foot vanity, we appreciate getting it.”

We’ll do any size job.” Joseph Banner, Jr. added. “We try to give every client the same respect and level of service no mat-

ter what the job size is. And that’s one of the things we pride ourselves on. Our price may not be as cheap as our competitors, but our service is second to none. We never want to leave a client hanging.”

And Banner’s Cabinets prides itself on always delivering on their target dates.

Joseph said, “We deliver on time…and you know that a few years after our installations, we’re still here to provide replacement or service as needed. We always stand behind our work.”

Another feature that Banner’s Cabinets

Banner’s Cabinets has the latest state of the art machinery that is completely computerized and integrated.

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Kitchens

e’ll take the time to sit down and design the kitchen our clients want,” said Joseph. “We know how to make a kitchen glow!” Joseph’s mother, Debbie, has been involved with kitchen designs for over 40 years. She uses that knowledge to help clients arrange the layout and flow of how people use and move around in their kitchens. This includes using the latest lighting and appliances, integrating them into the overall kitchen look. “And we’re always trying to stay a little ahead of things, like our lighting systems and things of that nature,” said Joseph. “There are numerous new products coming out all the time that we learn to integrate into our kitchen designs.”

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Bathrooms

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oseph said, “These days, we are seeing a lot more accessories being incorporated into bathroom designs. People are needing a lot more receptacles for their electronic devices and charging stations.”

With new appliances being used in bathrooms, some bathroom designs look a little like salon stations. Storage space is also a consideration. Master bathrooms are always a big selling ticket, with folks really wanting them

to be functional as well as beautiful.

Banner’s Cabinets works closely with tile installers. “Our bathroom designs incorporate all those things,” said Joseph.

provides in its custom work is that most of their cabinet work comes in one section, unlike factory cabinetry that comes in many sections. “We build as long a unit as possible,” said Joseph. “When we set a cabinet, it will be installed as one unit. It doesn’t come in sections. When we build to fit a wall, we don’t put fillers in. It goes in with as few joints as possible, if any, because it gives a cleaner look without the molding and stuff to cover the seams up.”

Comments from their past customers reflect the quality of their work. Stephen Scheibner wrote, “Banner’s cabinets has the highest level of professionalism. They were easy to work with and produced cabinets in our home that are like high quality furniture. Our cabinets are truly some of

the most beautiful I have ever seen. Banner’s worked well with other companies in the area such as granite and tile companies. They went out of their way to produce custom cabinetry that is now a highly complimented part of our home.”

Joe Banner finished up his story by going back to that $11,500 job for the Clifford Roberts house almost 50 years ago.

“When we were done with that job for Mr. Roberts, the head contractor got in touch with us to say that Mr. Roberts wanted to see us up at the house. We worried and thought he was not happy with a thing. We asked the contractor what it was about, and he said he didn’t know but wanted to see me and to bring dad along as well.”

“So we went to the house, and it’s fin-

ished, completely finished, and Mr. Roberts is showing us through. And when we got to the kitchen, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘boys, I got a house in Paris, got one in Manhattan, and I’ve been all over the world, and this is the best work I’ve every had.’ Well, again, I was never as happy in my life,” Joe said.

For over 75 years, the Banner family has followed time-honored artisan traditions to produce truly custom creations, sculpted from the finest wood by their skilled craftsmen. They blend form and function to satisfy the most discriminating tastes and needs, from complete kitchens to libraries, bars, baths, interior and entry doors, entertainment centers and more. If it can be envisioned, Banner’s Cabinets

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Banner’s Cabinets skilled craftsmen followed time-honored artisan traditions to produce truly custom creations. can transform it into reality.

Jim Banner once wrote: I’ve always loved woodworking. I still love it. Always will. And I was really glad when Joe took to it, and then Joseph too. If I had my life to do over, I’d do it exactly the same way.

Things have worked out real well.

Debbie Banner said that with Joe’s father’s passing last May, it is now Joe and Joseph carrying on his legacy. Now it’s down to two generations. “So they are carrying on, and I’m sure Mr. Banner is looking down from heaven and saying, ‘Job well done!’” t

Services Provided by Banner’s Cabinets 3D Rendering, Bifold Doors, Cabinet Installation, Cabinet Refacing, Cabinet Refinishing, Cabinet Repair, Cabinet Sales, Closet Design, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Bookcases, Custom Built-ins, Custom Cabinet Doors, Custom Cabinets, Custom Entertainment Centers, Custom Exterior Doors, Custom Folding Doors, Custom Home Bars, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Pantries, Custom Shelving, Custom Walk-in Closets, Garage Storage, Pantry Design, Sports Equipment Storage, Vanity Installation, Custom Doors, Millwork, Interior Doors, Custom Offices, Custom Libraries, Exterior Doors, Custom Laundries, Custom Mud Rooms, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Design, Bath Remodeling, Closet Remodeling, Bar Design, Bar Remodeling, Laundry Room Design, Laundry Room Remodeling, Mud Room Design, Mud Room Remodeling Banner’s Cabinets • P.O.Box 1390, Newland, NC 28657 299 Watauga Street • 828-733-2031 • BannersCabinets.com

Donate Your Stuff.

Help Us Build Homes.

Change Lives Together.

We accept new and gently used furniture, household items, appliances, building supplies, and much more!

All donations are tax deductible and better yet — we offer free, easy pick up!

100% of Watauga County Habitat for Humanity Restore profits go to fund local home building efforts in Watauga County

Don’t Throw Away, Donate Today!

1200 Archie Carroll Rd. Boone, NC 28607 (828) 268-9696 www.wataugahabitat.org/restore Summer 2018 |

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Highland Landscape Supplies Delivery or Pick-Up Available

Use a Professional

in Landscaping Landscaping

No job is too big or too small for companies.

They can seed, plant and mulch by hand or excavate swaths of land, moving giant boulders to make a natural-looking swimming hole. While mowing and weedeating lawns in the summer comes to mind when thinking about landscaping services, these talented professionals offer much more throughout the year to help maintain the beauty of your property. Boulder gardens, calming waterfalls, stone patios and a seasonal array of colorful flowers are just a few landscaping ideas you can incorporate in the backyard. All create a juxtaposition of sights, sounds and textures.

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o make your yard beautiful, sometimes you have to bring in the big machinery for landscaping work that is outside the scope of lawn maintenance. No need to fret though. The excavators, backhoes, mulchers and track loaders – not to mention all the attachments like augers, buckets, forks and blades – will have your property looking spectacular in no time.

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he best-selling plant for the Mustard Seed Market in Blowing Rock is the hydrangea, according to co-owner Danielle Stewart. “That’s probably the bestseller hands down,” Stewart said, noting that they carry about 30 varieties of the hydrangea.

Other best sellers include the flame azalea, rhododendrons, conifers and Japanese maples.

All of these plants do well in the High Country’s climate. The Mustard Seed Market prides itself in specializing in varieties that are both cold hardy and interesting throughout the four seasons. They also plant with “wonderful organic soils,” Stewart said, so customers “don’t have to do all the dirty work.” See info on Mustard Seed Market below.

Summer 2018

We called around so you don’t have to.

Here’s an idea of approximate costs for landscaping equipment rentals and materials such as mulch, sand and gravel in the High Country.

Costs will certainly vary.

Materials Pine Mulch ................... $25/per yard Red Dye Mulch ............. $38/per yard Screened Topsail .......... $40/per yard Topsoil Mix.................... $45/per yard Red Mortar Sand ........... $70/per yard Granite Gravel ............... $40/per ton Decorative Boulders ..... $95/per ton

Equipment Rentals Roto Tiller...................... $40/per day Backhoe Mini . .............. $180/per day Stump Grinder .............. $265/per day Track hoe ...................... $200/per day Pressure Washer ........... $45/per day Lawn Trimmer ............... $26/per day Leaf Blower ................... $29/per day

Custom Landscaping to Turn Your Yard Into the Garden of Your Dreams!

As the premier landscaping company in the area, we have all the facilities knowledge and experience to do outstanding professional landscaping projects.

We are now open year round and look forward to helping you with all your landscaping needs.

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Summer 2018

Landscaping What It Takes To Have a Green Yard in the Mountains How does the neighbor across the street have such nice looking, green grass.

Well, he either knew what he was doing or called in a pro. If you don’t have the know how, call in a professional landscaper to make your lawn the nicest on the block.

Fertilizing: Feed you lawn with fertilizer in the spring when the soil temperature hits 55 degrees; this is about the same time that grass starts growing. Wait four weeks for the second feeding, and thereafter fertilize every six to eight weeks through October.

Cutting: Mowing is a science. Here are a few tips from the pros: Only mow the top one-third of the grass blades at a time by adjusting your mower height. Wait until your lawn is dry, Vary mowing patterns to avoid stomping on the same spots, and then leave the grass clippings on your lawn to provide nutrients for the soil.

Disease Control: Diseases that infect lawns usually do so when the blades of grass are wet. Consider watering lawns in the a.m., which leaves the grass plenty of sunshine to dry out thoroughly. If you are already watering properly and mowing at the correct height, fungicide application may be the next step.

Sunlight: Don’t plant any grass underneath rhododendrons. Grass generally needs four to six hours of direct sunlight per day, but some cool season/shade tolerant grasses are able to thrive on less sunlight. Be sure to check the label of the grass seed, and when you do mow in the shade, leave the grass blades one inch or less taller than in the sunny areas.

Cost vs.Value Best Return on Investment Projects In its 2017 “Cost vs. Value Report,� Remodeling surveyed real estate professionals on what projects featured a higher return on investment. Among the top year-over-year trend increases for this year are fiberglass entry-door replacement (upscale range), two-story addition and garage door replacement (upscale range).

Here is a listing of how national renovations stack up for costs recouped, according to Remodeling.hw.net’s latest report. The price tiers are for midrange homes and upper scale homes, and the percentage shows how much costs will be recouped if will be selling your home soon.

Estimated Cost Examples Mid Range Construction - Average Size House - Using Contractors

Garage Door Replacement: $1,652.00 Window Replacement (vinyl): $14,725.00 Window Replacement (wood): $18,087 Grand Entrance (fiberglass): $3,126.00 Major Kitchen Remodel: $59,999.00 Bathroom Remodel: $17,908.00 Bathroom Addition: $42,233.00 Master Suite Addition: $115,810 Deck Addition: $10,471

Midrange Price Tier

Attic Insulation: 117% ROI Manufactured Stone Veneer: 93% Garage Door Replacement: 92% Entry Door Replacement (steel & fiberglass): 91 & 82 percent Roofing Replacement: 77% Siding Replacement: 77% Wood Deck Addition: 75% Two-Story Addition: 69% Family Room Addition: 68% Basement Remodel: 66% Major Kitchen Remodel: 6% Bathroom Addition: 56%

Upscale Price Tier Garage Door Replacement: 90% ROI Window Replacement (vinyl): 73% Window Replacement (wood): 72% Grand Entrance (fiberglass): 70 Major Kitchen Remodel: 62% Bathroom Remodel: 58% Bathroom Addition: 57% Master Suite Addition: 57%

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What’s New for the

Kitchen

Cooking In The “Soul” Of The Home The kitchen is where family memories are made: cooking pancakes with your kids on a Saturday morning or taking a stab at a heirloom recipe passed down from generations ago on a whim. It’s also one of the few interior areas – along with the master bathroom – that really make or break a deal in the real estate profession. So by a variety of measures, including the heart and the wallet, the kitchen is arguably the most important room in a home.

To Use Gas or Electric?

S

tove technology has certainly advanced from the days of cooking on wood stoves. See the pros and cons of electric and gas stoves below:

Gas: A chef’s favorite range, the gas-powered stovetop allows you the ability to easily adjust the heat quickly from low to high settings. You can even operate in a power outage as you can simply strike a match to light the range. On the other hand, installation is more complex if gas needs to be piped in and the potential for a gas leak exists.

Electric: Just plug in and cook. Electric stoves are easy to use with just the turn of a knob or push of a button. They also usually have a place to store pans in the bottom of the range, and the models with the ceramicglass cooking surfaces are stylish. While cleaning can be easy, some spills not addressed immediately, like sugar, can become tough to remove. They do cook slower and if the power goes out, you might go hungry.

Kitchen AND the Open Floor Plan

T

he integrated kitchen/dining area is an ongoing trend following in the footsteps of the open floor plan. No longer do designers and architects immediately wall off the dining room from the kitchen, and during remodels, those walls are likely the first things to come down. In general, the area feels more spacious and conducive for chit-chat at dinner parties.

Banner’s Cabinets ✓ Attention to detail

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DECORATIVE CABINETRY

BATHROOMS 299 Watauga St, Newland, NC 28657 828-733-2031 • bannerscabinets.com

KITCHENS

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Custom Kitchen Cabinets At The Intersection Of Function, Style And Craftsmanship Are Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Function

T

he kitchen is a high-traffic area where many moving parts need to coalesce.

Each time, you walk in there you are likely to open a cabinet for one reason or another.

Cabinets must hold up to spills, toe-kicks and, in general, rough treatment. In the end, they play a huge role in a frustration-free experience in the kitchen.

Style

W

hether you are looking to paint cabinets a certain color scheme or showcase the grain and character of an exotic wood species, kitchen cabinets are capable of contributing to any style, theme or concept. Selecting the accompanying hardware is an important decision, too. The hardware not only adds a contrasting pop, but they are a tangible component to a set of custom cabinets.

Inspiration & Craftsmanship

Superior Quality Brands & Handmade Custom Cabinetry

Craftsmanship

W

hat you could pull off the shelf at a big-box store doesn’t compare!

The attention to detail and craftsmanship displayed in high-caliber cabinet shops across the High Country and beyond is exquisite, bar none. All you have to do is call up a woodworking shop to get started on a design specifically suited to your individual needs and kitchen layout. You’ll be pleased with the craftsmanship.

Planning Custom Kitchen Cabinets

A

lot of planning goes into custom kitchen cabinets. Your kitchen and appliances must be measured, and molding profiles, stock and finishes must be selected. What type of door styles, hardware and drawer slides do you want? What about an island? Do you want cabinets made out of a particular type of wood or a composite material that is suitable to paint? Expect to pay more than you would for stock cabinets at a big-box store; custom cabinets for a typical kitchen can cost more than $10,000.

This process doesn’t have to be difficult. A little communication goes a long way. Kitchen designers and general contractors are on hand to engage with both the homeowner and cabinetmaker. If you want to handle the process on your own, just pick up the phone. Cabinetmakers would love your business, and you’ll probably enjoy poking your head into their creative workshop.

PRECISION CABINETS, INC. www.precisioncabinetinc.com Full Service Design Center On-Site Showroom Inspiring Mountain Homeowners Since 1994

828.262.5080 1324 Old Hwy. 421 South, Boone, NC

Summer 2018 |

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Remodeling Stonewalls

Second Phase of Facelift Now Finished Co-owners Scott Garland and Tim Heschke continue to build Stonewalls’ fine reputation since their 2016 purchase of the classic restaurant. ers have undergone the work in stages. Before purchasing Stonewalls, Garland in particular built a tonewalls cemented itself vast amount of experience workas a Banner Elk staple in ing at fine dining establishments the small town’s local food around the country. While attendscene over 30 years ago when ing Avery County High School, he it opened in 1985. When Avery participated in the school’s culiCounty native Scott Garland and nary arts program and became business partner Tim Heschke the first graduate to attend and repurchased the restaurant in 2016, ceive a degree from the Culinary they continued to build onto the Institute of America. He then went classic restaurant’s fine reputaon to complete a degree in hotel tion through several phases of and restaurant management with construction. a double major in club and resort Both men bring to the High administration from the University Country a pedigree of fine dining of New Haven. experience. Garland is pleased to Owners Scott Garland and Tim Heschke Garland used this education set down roots where to create a fine portfolio he grew up and Heof expertise and takes schke is settling into the care of all things front mountains after growing of the house related. His up in Iola, Wisconsin background includes and living and working managing restaurants throughout the Midwest. at country clubs and They are excited to be a hotels, including the part of elevating Stonedining room at the Inn walls to its next chapat Biltmore, located on ter. Shortly after taking Asheville’s Biltmore Esownership, they began tate. His most recent the task of bringing the experience comes from building forward in time Caesars Entertainment’s to meet the desires and Horseshoe Casino in needs of twenty-first downtown Cincinnati, century diners. Not only where he managed banhave they redesigned quets and special events Scott and Tim wanted to create a sophisticated, contemporary the space beautifully, in the ballroom. While but their special touches there he had the not-sotake on a mountain lodge, and no detail was left to chance. make Stonewalls an exsmall task of overseeing Each piece of the design lends to that theme, from the planed perience in true guest a venue that spanned a chocolate and black stained poplar wall paneling in the bar to satisfaction. quarter of a city block the twig chandelier casting natural-appearing shadows onto the and had around-theUpdating a nearly forty-year old building birch wallpaper outside the bathrooms, Stonewalls has captured clock capacity to serve a requires careful plana design that is both modern and inviting. sit-down meal for 1,400 ning, and the new ownguests.

By Angela Raimondo

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In March 2017, the building underwent its first phase of major renovations, completely redesigning the bar and dining room and rebuilding the kitchen. Now, a full year in business later, Stonewalls is completing the second phase of its facelift.

It was during these years working for before moving back to Central Wisconsin. went its first phase of major renovations, such prestigious establishments that Gar- He spent the next 16 years in the indus- completely redesigning the bar and dinland sharpened his eye for details. Ev- try, as both chef and food and beverage ing room and rebuilding the kitchen. Now, erything he has chosen for renovation at manager, working at hotels, independent a full year in business later, Stonewalls is Stonewalls has been done with intention restaurants, and a golf course. In 2012 he undergoing the second phase of its facenot only for an excellent guest experience, returned to school and received his Bach- lift. They shut down for a few weeks this but for the betterment of the establishment elor’s degree in Restaurant and Hospitality past March to replace the building’s proitself and its staff. Every individual change Management from New England Culinary pane system with cleaner, more efficient and upgrade has a purpose, and taken all Institute. He and Garland met in 2014 natural gas. They also used this time to together they showcase the high caliber when he served as Hospitality Supervisor redesign the guest restrooms, which carry the rustic-chic feel of the building down experience guests may count on, whether at Horseshoe casino.

In March 2017, the building under- to the very last detail. During this stage of to enjoy a glass of wine from the bar’s the remodel they also state-of-the-art tap sysinstalled LED lighting, tem or to dine on the which provides a soft, patio around the brand warm glow while also new outdoor fireplace. serving as very energyHeschke focuses efficient. Every facet of his attention on the what they have done heart and soul of throughout the buildStonewalls, the kitching is thought out with en that prepares and the guest in mind. Their serves their top-rated commitment to being prime rib, steaks, and good stewards to both chicken dishes. He their clientele and to the started working in earth shines through in kitchens at the age of their design choices.

16 as a dishwasher at Phase two of their the local golf course. construction project After high school he atalso focuses on the tended a culinary arts building’s exterior, and program in Milwaukee, The custom designed bar features purse hooks installed at every stool and a footrest made changes will be comand then stayed for six from a reclaimed plumbing pipe expanding its entire length. plete by the 2018 years to work as a chef Summer 2018 |

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summer season. To better deal with the snow and ice of Banner Elk winters, they installed heated sidewalks, eliminating the need for salt. Not only is this more environmentally and footwear friendly, the upgrade increases guest safety during winter months by eliminating the possibility of black ice outside their doors. During this portion of the exterior renovation they discovered that the building’s downspouts ended under the concrete without properly draining, which was starting to cause some water issues for the building. Contractors had to dig up the entire drainage system and then replace it with French drains that now carry the water away from the building and will not risk pooling under their new sidewalks.

Dining alfresco on a beautiful day in the mountains can make a great meal even better. Stonewalls has always provided limited outdoor seating with tables and individual umbrellas.

Now, they are expanding this area and building a large awning that offers guests even better protection from unpredictable weather. A custombuilt, natural gas, boulder firepit has also been added so that guests may further enjoy the outdoors even when the temperatures get a little chilly. All together, these changes create exceptional outdoor dining ambience for guests who prefer to enjoy the restaurant’s mostly locally-sourced food and drink menus outdoors.

Once stepping through the doors, guests are greeted with a welcoming neutral palette in soft tones of grey.

The decor combines well with gorgeous black-and-white Jason Penland photography adorning the walls, all of which feature scenes taken within 60 miles of the restaurant. Here guests can unwind over a perfectly prepared steak and craft beverage of choice.

The feel is quite contemporary, never stuffy, and locals, resort guests, and tourists alike will all feel at ease in either jeans or slacks. Upstairs is a private dining room with a seating capacity of 50. While similarly styled to match the main dining area, the colors here are a bit more vibrant and warm. In place of black-and-white photography, color prints of Penland’s works were chosen. The contrast to the muted colors downstairs provides a distinct experi40

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ence, which is what Garland wants to provide anyone reserving this space for a special occasion.

To honor their place in the High Country, Garland worked with as many local artists and craftsmen as possible as they transformed the once burgundy interior into its current, sleek look.

Bradley Underwood of Rustik studio crafted the tables in the bar from one continuous piece of wood. Pottery accent pieces from Pond Branch Pottery and Michael Rutkowsky serve as eye-catching art near the host area and on the walls. J.A.C.K.S Glass & Mirror created the custom LED mirrors used in the restrooms. The list of local vendors used to create the beautiful space, both indoors and out, is quite impressive and serves as a testament to the quality of work found right here in our community.

The owners wanted to create a sophisticated, contemporary take on a mountain lodge, and no detail was left to chance. Each piece of the design lends to that theme, from the planed chocolate and black stained poplar wall paneling in the bar to the twig chandelier casting natural-appearing shadows onto the birch wallpaper outside the bathrooms. Stonewalls has captured a design that is both modern and inviting. They carry this rustic, mountain elegance throughout, combining elements such as reclaimed barn beams with a marble bar, for instance.

With a commitment to preservation, Garland strove to re-purpose anything possible. He wanted to not only maintain the building’s heritage wherever possible, but to also sustain their commitment to the environment. Under his guidance and direction, along with the artisans and contractors who assisted his vision, Stonewalls has been transformed. Old brass light fixtures were updated with fresh paint and new bulbs. An old church bench, taken from the Methodist Church in Linville, got refinished and now provides seating at the bar’s custom-made tables. A replica of this bench can also be found upstairs in the private dining room. This blending of new and old tells a story, and Stonewalls serves as a testament of what High Country heritage looks like when it’s transformed into something fresh.

While guest experience was cerSummer 2018

Old brass light fixtures were updated with new bulbs.

A sophisticated, contemporary take on a mountain lodge

Black-and-white photograpy by Jason Penland.

An old church bench and custom-made tables.

Black stained poplar wall paneling in the bar area.

tainly central to updates made to the restaurant’s aesthetic, the owners were also dedicated to choosing energy-efficient and green options wherever possible. They chose LED lighting everywhere they could, including the Edison bulbs in the bar area, which only look like old-fashioned incandescent lighting. The kitchen underwent a full update to bring it up to code, which Garland and Heschke learned required fixing many violations that had been grandfathered into the previous owner’s tenure with the building. Garland cautions hopeful restaurant owners to contact the Board of Health prior to purchasing a space, particularly if the building is older, as Stonewalls was built over 35 years ago. He recommends having a contingency plan to handle what could amount to operating delays and exceeding the budget to make unexpected and costly repairs.

Fortunately, Stonewalls new owners found a contractor who completed the entire dining room and kitchen repairs and upgrades in just six weeks, beginning in March 2017. To offset time lost for their employees and to keep the process on track during this first major phase of construction, staff were able to cleanup after the crew left for the day. That step not only helped the employees continue to earn a paycheck with the restaurant closed, but helped lower construction costs and stick to the tight schedule. The restaurant reopened in April 2017 to a brand new kitchen and dining room, and guests loved the investment. After just one year in business, Stonewalls doubled the revenue from the preceding year.

During this time, the kitchen was outfitted with brand new, energy-efficient refrigeration and a more water-conservative dishwasher.

These choices will help the restaurant reduce its carbon footprint while lowering operating costs. They also installed a non-slip epoxy floor system that stays much cleaner than traditional flooring and withstands the constant hightraffic associated with a commercial kitchen.

The entire system was designed with cleanliness in mind, “Newer than new and cleaner than clean,” Garland quips as his motto. This attention to detail has paid off— both health inspections since the makeover have resulted in 100 percent passage.

When asked to choose Stonewalls’ crowning gem, Garland proudly shifts focus to the custom designed bar. Here guests will feel the effects of small touches, such as purse hooks installed at every stool and a footrest made from a reclaimed plumbing pipe expanding its entire length. Behind the bar, where bartenders pour local craft beers and a selection of fine wines and mixologists create perfect craft cocktails, is installed a customized Perlick Modular Bar. All

A custom-built, natural gas, boulder firepit has been added so that guests may further enjoy the outdoors even when the temperatures get a little chilly.

They added LED lighting everywhere they could, including the Edison bulbs in the bar area, which look like old-fashioned incandescent lighting.

Stonewalls expanded their outdoor seating area with a large awning that offers guests even better protection from unpredictable weather.

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Vendors To honor their place in the High Country, Scott Garland worked with as many local artists and craftsmen as possible as they transformed the once burgundy interior into its current, sleek look.

General Contractor

Hagie Drywall and Construction Design, Soft Goods & Upholstery

Pottery Accent Pieces

Pond Branch Pottery Michael Rutkowsky

Custom Covering & Design

Custom Bar Stools

Tile, Stone, Granite

Custom Dining Room Chairs

Classic Stone

Patio and Fire Pit

A Cut Above Landscaping

Custom LED Mirrors

Jacks Glass

Window Treatments

Appalachian Blind & Closet Back Bar Design and Cabinets

Distinctive Cabinetry

Live Edge Tables

Rustik Studio

Wall Photograph

Jason Penland Custom Framing

The Art Cellar 42

Charleston Forge

Shelly Williams Furniture

Heated Side Walks Exterior Lighting

Quality Electric and Custom Controls Interior Light

Pixie Mountain Electric Pluming Renovation

Randel Forbes Pluming

Gas and Piping Work Harmon Fuel Piping Flooring

A Flooring Outlet Painting

L & L Painting

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The twig chandelier casting natural-appearing shadows onto the birch wallpaper outside the bathrooms is another example of how no detail was left to chance as the owners created a sophisticated, contemporary take on a mountain lodge for their restaurant. plumbing and electrical chases are built directly into the structure, and can be accessed through removable panels on the bar’s front, providing easy, lift-off access to service utilities and beverage lines.

As a local to this area, Garland remembers when Banner Elk was the number one dining destination for local restaurants. He wants to do his part to put the town back on the map, and Stonewalls is certainly leading that charge while working with other restaurant owners who have the same vision for the town. “We all get along really well,” says Garland. “In today’s society, most people eat out three or four times a week and we as restaurant owners want to share that with everyone— we’re not competing with one another.” Stonewalls certainly provides a fashionable dining experience, and Garland has paid homage to the role the restaurant played in the last three

decades of the town’s history by preserving the warm, inviting feeling guests remember from its earlier days. “Banner Elk is ready to put its best foot forward again, including Stonewalls,” he says of the reinvestment and overall town improvement after the economic recession nearly a decade ago.

The spirit of cooperation found in its local restaurants makes Banner Elk worth turning off Route 221 and spending some time exploring all it has to offer.

A third-phase of renovation is expected in the future, but is at least two years away. The owners plan to redo the roof and install solar panels as part of their dedication to running an energy-efficient restaurant. They will also redo the parking lot at this time, making guest experience exceptional from the moment they drive into the property all the way to the last bite of their meal and departure. t

11 miles from Boone on Highway 105 South Mon-Sat 10am - 5pm • OPEN ALL YEAR • 828-963-6466 5320 Highway 105 South • Banner Elk, NC

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High Country HOME Mag a zine

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Artistry In Wood Is Created By Bradley of Rustik by Underwood

N

estled in the quaint town of Banner Elk, there is magic happening in a special wood shop where relics from the forest are being brought back to life. Artistry in wood is created by Bradley of Rustik by Underwood. Bradley Underwood’s unique talents turn slabs of distinctive woods into beautiful unique pieces of furniture. Transforming colorful natural varietals, such as Black Walnut, Ambrosia Maple, Rainbow Poplar, and Wormy Chestnut, Bradley’s masterful skills create beautiful pieces for your home to last a lifetime.

Each piece is custom designed to your specification, size, and color options to magically blend into your home décor and provide one-ofa-kind solutions to your decorating needs. Not only is this exquisite furniture option unique and beautiful, it will last a lifetime and never go out of style. Rustik provides the ultimate piece to enhance your home, be it a dining room table, coffee tables, end tables, desk, or benches…

Even rustic barn doors, kitchen counter tops, staircases, or anything your imagination can frame.

A must see in Banner Elk, be sure to drop by the Rustik studio and see where he is currently making the magic happen, creating custom functional art. In the showroom are several finished pieces to choose from along with a myriad of treasures like custom mirrors, burl bowls, and laser wood engravings …. Behind the showroom is the wood working studio area where all pieces are handmade. You may pick out the wood you desire to create an artistic yet functional piece to add to your home and treasure a lifetime. Come on in and talk to Bradley as he welcomes his clients to take part in the design process.

Bradley Underwood’s workshop is located at 65 Orchard Lane, Banner Elk, where he builds custom pieces. He invites clients in to his workshop to choose the wood, and brainstorm designs that will fulfill their expectations . . . “building functional art.”

Custom, Hand-Crafted, Artistic, Natural Edge Wood Furnishings

(828) 394-9663 | info@RustikByUnderwood.com | 65 Orchard Lane, Banner Elk, North Carolina Please visit RustikByUnderwood.com or facebook.com/RusticbyUnderwood Summer 2018 |

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See What Can Be Done About Radon Gas, Moisture and Mold

With Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions ing radon tests, Hastings decided to become nationally certified and started offering testing and mitigation in 1994.

“There was no one else in the area offering radon testing or mitigation, so we decided to fill that niche,” Hastings said.

curring gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. As it turns out, radon is found in fairly high conlean and Dry Environmental Socentrations throughout the western part lutions has been a staple of the of North Carolina, as well as Eastern High Country since the business Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. first opened its doors as Radon Control “Radon is a serious probServices, Inc. in 2000. lem in Avery, Ashe and WaSince then, owner John tauga Counties, we record Hastings has expanded some of the highest levels what the business has to in the state,” said Hastings. offer. While radon mitiga“We installed our first radon tion is still at the forefront of mitigation system in 1994 what Clean & Dry Environand have installed over mental Solutions does, the 4,000 systems since then. company also implements While some homes are more solutions for keeping your difficult than others, we have basement or crawl space as a 100% success rate at lowmoisture-free as possible, ering levels to below the EPA mitigates mold, and installs threshold of 4.0 pCi/L.” carbon fiber strapping to Radon is unhealthy at strengthen cracked or bowhigh levels and is the secing foundation walls.

John Hastings, owner and operator of Clean & Dry Environmental ond leading cause of lung Hastings, who has a BS Solutions, has been a High Country business owner since 1989 cancer behind cigarette from Clemson University and when he started Closer Look Home Inspections. smoking, according to the an MBA from ASU, started United States Environmental out his entrepreneurial busiAfter testing several houses, Hast- Protection Agency. Radon is even unness career by founding Closer Look Home Inspections in the High Country ings started to find many that had high healthier than second hand smoke. The in 1989. In response to clients request- levels of radon, which is a naturally oc- EPA estimates approximately 20,000

By Nathan Ham

C

Workers install these radon mitigation units that funnel air from basements and crawl spaces through these pipes and use fans to force the air outside the home safely and efficiently.

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Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions Staff (L-R) Jason Moss, John Hastings, Dan Markovich

deaths each year are attributable to radon exposure.

“We have tested houses in the Blowing Rock area that are at 100 to 150 pCi/L, the highest we have found was 256 pCi/L,” Hastings said. “We successfully mitigated those levels down to under 2.0 pCi/L.” Boone, West Jefferson and Jefferson tend to have lower levels of radon while Linville and Beech Mountain areas typically fall in the middle range of radon readings. Blowing Rock tends to have the highest numbers in the High Country. It is important to note, however, that no matter where you live in the High Country, testing for radon is a good idea.

“You can’t rely on what your neighbor’s radon levels are,” said Hastings. “We have tested houses next door to each other with vastly different results. Everyone should have their home tested.”

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions can professionally test

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions will clean mold and mildew out of basements and find solutions to help keep as much moisture as possible out of these spaces.

Summer 2018 |

your home or office with a continuous radon monitor for $150, or you can purchase do-it-yourself test kits for roughly $20. They also provide free estimates for installing radon mitigation systems.

Prices for most radon mitigation systems range from $1,200 to $2,500. These systems can be installed in both residential and commercial properties. Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions has successfully mitigated radon levels in apartment complexes, shopping centers, office buildings and thousands of residential homes.

So how do you remove radon gas from your house? Clean & Dry’s professional crews will install suction piping under your basement floor or crawl space plastic which will be connected to an in-line radon fan and exhaust piping to create negative pressure under the house to lower the amount of radon entering the home.

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Questions On Radon Q: Who is at risk?

A: Radon can get into any type of building— homes, offices, and schools—and result in a high indoor radon level. Anyone exposed to high levels of radon is at risk. The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend that all homes be tested.

Q: What is considered an unsafe level of radon?

A: If you have a radon level at or above 4.0 pCi/L, it is highly recommended that your home be fixed

John Hastings holds one of the fans that will be used in radon mitigation units. “We installed our first radon mitigation system in 1994 and have installed over 4,000 systems since then. While some homes are more difficult than others, we have a 100% success rate at lowering levels to below the EPA threshold of 4.0 pCi/L.

and homeowners came to Hastings asking him what to do about wet crawl spaces, leaky basements and cracked foundation walls. After in-depth research and intensive training, his company began offering high quality solutions to these common high country problems.

Dirt crawl spaces can have several issues that lead to moisture buildup, mainly from water seepage and high humidity under the house. This can lead to the growth of mold and mildew as well as providing the ideal environment for rodents and insects.

Clean & Dry Environmental Solu-

tions can create encapsulated crawl spaces that will not only help eliminate moisture but also remediate mold, fungus and other bacteria that attract insects and rodents and improve the quality of air that you breathe. According to Hastings, 60 percent of the air you breathe in your home comes from your crawl space or basement.

“All houses suck air in. Heat rises and you’ve got bathroom and kitchen vents pulling air up. All house are drawing air in from somewhere and if your windows aren’t open, it’s coming up through cracks and vents in the floor from under the house,” Hastings

Q: What does Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions do to reduce high radon levels?

A: We can install a radon reduction system at your home or place of business. Radon reduction systems work to reduce radon, and even very high levels of radon can be reduced to acceptable levels. Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions has successfully mitigated many homes with radon levels above 100 pCi/L!

Q: How much does it cost to test for radon?

A: Do-it-yourself test kits cost around $20.

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions can professionally test your home with a Continuous Radon Monitor (CRM) for approximately $150.

Q: How much does a radon reduction system cost?

A: Costs for radon mitigation systems run from $1,200 – $2,500 for standard systems, but please call for a specific quote for your home. We always give FREE estimates and GUARANTEE all of our systems to work.

Encapsulating crawlspaces involves installing high quality liners to keep moisture from building in the crawl spaces.

It will also improve the quality of air you breath inside your home.

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Questions On Moisture Q: Why is my crawl space so damp?

A: There are many causes of wet, damp crawl spaces including improper exterior grading, high water tables, inadequate waterproofing, leaky water heaters, clogged guttering and downspouts, etc. Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions can identify the source of the water issue, design a solution to solve the problem, and properly execute the plan to prevent further issues and make your crawl space cleaner and drier.

Q: What is involved with encapsulating my crawlspace?

A: Creating an encapsulated crawlspace is a newer technology that greatly improves the air quality in your home, eliminates costly structure problems, and eliminates the environment in which mold, fungus, bacteria and insects thrive.

We install high quality crawl space liners and odorless vapor barriers to stop moisture from entering the crawl space from the ground. A crawl space encapsulation project is not complete until all access points are completely sealed so that you can control the environment. The end result is clean air with no source of contamination coming from the conditioned crawl space.

Q: Why is my basement so wet?

A: There are many causes of wet, damp basements including improper exterior grading, high water tables, inadequate waterproofing, clogged guttering and downspouts, etc. Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions can determine the problem and fix your basement once and for all.

Q: How will you fix my basement?

A: We customize every solution depending on the moisture issue. Interior liner and baseboard systems, waterproofing footer systems, and subfloor drain and sump pump systems are just some of the solutions we offer.

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions will provide free on-site estimates and guarantee all of their work. Here Hastings shows some of the liner material used in crawl spaces.

said. “So, we can install a thick plastic liner on the crawl space walls and floor which, combined with a commercial grade dehumidifier, keeps the moisture level low and the air quality high in the home.”

Similar services are also provided for basements. They can install interior wall liners, sub-slab baseboard water removal systems and sump pumps.

Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions is a local family-owned business offering the best solutions available in the High Country. They stand behind their work 100 percent.

“Our crews are clean, neat and professional. They won’t stomp around your house in muddy boots – they are top-notch guys. They are well-trained and do high quality work,” he said.

Depending on the size and com-

plexity of the job, installations can take a half day to several days. For radon mitigation work, once the work is complete, Clean & Dry will retest the home to ensure levels are acceptable.

Hastings estimated that they install an average of 300 radon mitigations each year.

Crawlspace and basement jobs typically take a full day or more to complete, again depending on the size and complexity of the job.

For a free quote and to find out more about the services Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions offers, give them a call at 828-265-9534. Clean & Dry Environmental Solutions are certified Mold Remediation Contractors, nationally certified Radon Mitigation Specialists, and certified Guardianliner® encapsulation installers.t Radon Mitigation Specialist (FL Certification No. R2377 and RB2380) NRPP Residential Mitigation Provider (ID 100138) NRPP Residential Measurement Provider (ID 100173RT) Certified Mold Remediation Contractor Certified Installation Teams PO Box 2873 Boone, North Carolina 28607 Phone: 828-265-9534 www.CleanDrySolutions.com

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7 Ways That an Arborist can serve you Arborists offer a variety of services from creating sweeping views and

healing distressed trees to removing hazardous trees and cleaning up storm debris. Tree service companies employ knowledgeable and skilled professionals. Before you consider doing the work yourself, consult a certified arborist and save yourself from a potential trip to the emergency room.

You Can Trim Your Trees for a View Clearing for a Sweeping View

A

view can add enormous value to your property or home in the mountains. But not every home is built on a meadow.

This is where an arborist comes in. Tree service companies can enhance the view or outright make one by selectively clearing trees on your property.

Be Proac tive: Protec t Your Investment

I

n most cases, it’s better to be proactive than reactive. An arborist can visit your home and point out hazardous trees surrounding your home – think diseased or dead trees, those with dangerous limbs or roots of a big tree compromising a home’s foundation. Cable bracing might be possible to save a tree you adore. Consider reaching out to an arborist to potentially save you money down the road. You probably won’t regret it the next time a 100-mph gust of wind blows through during winter.

Windbreaks, Privacy Fencing & Beauty

T

he last two bullet points are bordering in the realm of landscaping, but they are essential amenities that tree services can offer. Trees can provide windbreaks and privacy fencing to your property. They can also beautify your property and home. Check with an arborist who can recommend and plant the proper trees for your exact situation.

Emergency Tree Service

T

rees might look perfectly healthy but have structural defects that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Perhaps saturated soil and windy conditions create the “perfect storm” for a big tree to uproot and fall. Maybe storm debris is blocking your driveway and you can’t make it too work in the morning. Many arborists offer emergency tree services that even some forethought can’t prevent.

W

Planting

hile arborists are famously labeled as “tree surgeons” and are visible in the aftermath of storms, they are also defined as cultivators of trees and shrubs. Consider hiring an arborist to help you plant trees, so they’ll be standing for generations to come.

Stump Grinding and Pruning

S

tump grinding and pruning are just a couple more services that arborists offer. They have the proper equipment to safely grind stumps and prune trees that are way out of reach even for a basketball player or those standing on a ladder.

Heal Your hemlocks & distressed trees

A

number of Western North Carolina arborists specialize in protecting and preserving Eastern Hemlocks, which have been ravaged by the hemlock woolly adelgid, a non-native insect that can kill a mature Hemlock in as little as a few years.

Consider calling a certified arborist to figure out treatment options to help the hemlocks on your property. Of course, they can also provide services to heal other distressed trees.

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McKee Tree Service Serving Avery, Watauga & the High Country since 1974

www.mckeetreeservice.com

828.898.3615

828.295.7230

A beautiful garden is not by chance.

Services Include: 1SVOJOH 5SFFT BOE 4ISVCT t 5SFF BOE 4UVNQ 3FNPWBM t 5SFF 'FSUJMJ[BUJPO $SBOF 3FNPWBM 4FSWJDF t *OTFDU BOE %JTFBTF $POUSPM '3&& &TUJNBUFT BOE $POTVMUBUJPO Estimates and consultations are free, so call today to find out how we can help add to the beauty and value of your home.

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Transformation

This Linville Ridge home has breathtaking views of Grandfather Mountain and is one of the crowning achievements of Dacchille Construction.

Dacchille Construction

Transforming Your Dream Home into Reality

B

ill Dacchille, owner of Dacchille Construction, has seen a little bit of everything in his lifetime.

From growing up seeing his father working in the construction business to being a ski gear sales representative for two decades and then starting his own

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By Nathan Ham construction business in 2004, there has been a lot that Bill has been a part of.

“You can’t get from New York City to Boone, North Carolina unless the Holy Spirit brings you here. God had a plan for

Summer 2018

me, I just didn’t know it at the time,” said Dacchille.

Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, Dacchille permanently moved to the High Country in 1981 and was part of the Sugar Mountain Ski Patrol. Skiing was also a passion for Bill as he started hitting

The living room and kitchen areas feature the styling of a classic French Chateau with the modern day appliances and amenities.

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BEFORE

AFTER

The complete transformation of the main living room at the Linville Ridge home involved new flooring, new ceiling beams and the installation of a 3,000-pound fireplace hood that came shipped from France. The floor was constructed from pieces of flooring from a French Chateau that the owners purchased and shipped over from France as well.

The House Before Remodeling Began

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the slopes at the age of 13.

Dacchille earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in mechanical engineering before completing his MBA. After being in the ski business for 20 years, Dacchille decided it was time for a change.

“The ski business was good to me, then I got married and started having children. When my boys were probably ages six and ten, I realized I needed to be home more. I needed to get off the road,” Dacchille said.

That’s when home construction started calling his name again.

“When I got out of the building business the first time, I swore that I’d never get back into the building business again. So of course 20 years later, I get back into the business again in 2004,” Dacchille joked.

Bill said that they started off doing a lot of modular homes.

“It was a unique niche that no one was filling significantly at the time. It was a very cost-effective way to do things,” he said.

Not long after that, however, the housing market and the economy both hit a recession that made life tough on most every builder across the country.

“When the recession hit, I had to make a decision. Do I stay in business or go into something else? I had watched my dad make it through recessions, and I knew if you could make it through, on the back side of the recession, you will come out stronger,” said Dacchille. “During the recession, I started doing a lot more remodeling business. New home projects died and remodeling kept us going. They were not profitable years, but I was able to keep my crews and that’s what counts. When you have good guys you’ve got to

The fine stonework craftsmanship is on full display along the wall of this living room. keep them. It’s not easy to find good craftsmen.”

One of those good craftsmen, Keith Grogitsky, just happened to meet Dacchille when the two came together to construct the Foscoe Fishing Company building on Highway 105 roughly 10 years ago. Keith is now one of four project managers that Dacchille has working for him.

“If you ever see me on your job with a hammer and a saw in my hand, I had better be bringing it to one of our crews, otherwise we are both in big trouble,” Bill joked. “I am the business end of the business. That’s what I do. I work with the clients, I work with the inspectors, I work with the banks and the subcontractors. I make sure all of that goes on as it should.”

Right now, Dacchille says they are working on 10 different projects across the High Country, none bigger than this one currently going on at Linville Ridge.

“I feel like this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects because it’s so unique. It’s the biggest job we’ve ever done,” said Dacchille.

They have been working on this house for three years and other than a few walls and the front door, everything has been completely transformed.

“We left the perimeter of the house, but we went section by section, took it down, and rebuilt it to the new plan,” Dacchille said.

The owners wanted a unique design that Grogitsky has been hard at work fitting to their desires.

“They wanted a brand new, 300-year-old French Chateau,” Keith laughed.

The ceiling beams inside are all at least 250 years old and many of the furnishings are that old as well. One of the fireplaces that Grogitsky helped build has a 3,000-pound concrete hood

Most of the cabinetwork included hand-carved designs.

This library was shipped from France and was built into the walls.

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The crew hoists beams up to the ceiling (below).

All of the ceiling beams in this house are at least 250 years old. Business owner Bill Dacchille (right), has been doing construction projects in the High Country since 2004.

that was shipped to the site and Keith and the crew had to hang it on the wall.

Most all of the furnishings and every inch of the floor came shipped from France in containers.

The flooring came from a French Chateau and had to be pieced together like a puzzle to fit each room. Once the pieces were fit together, the crew had to pull every inch of it back up so they could then put the mortar down to hold the floor pieces in place. Some of the floor tiles are rough while others are very smooth, indicating the tiles that served as walkways for many years in the French Chateau.

Some of the wooden furnishings were made from European Brown Oak. To be

able to match them with cabinet construction and other décor that Grogitsky had to build, Keith said they had to take white oak and cover it in a stain made from black tea and vinegar.

“It takes a couple of coats to make that age in the wood look just right. The tricky part is when you put it on, it comes out lighter. You have to wait a couple of days to actually have the full effect of it,” he said.

As the project has gotten closer to the end, Grogitsky said that the owners even flew him to France once to show him some of the finishes and how they envisioned it looking in their transformed home.

With this project and many others like it, owners have to decide whether remod-

Keith Grogitsky, one of the project managers for Dacchille Construction, stands next to a finished door with the library shelves in the background.

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eling a home or building a home is the better fit for what they want.

“I maintain that at least 90 percent of the time, if you like your location and like your view, we can tear it mostly down and rebuild cheaper than we can start from scratch and build new,” Dacchille said.

“The cost of building new is higher than it has ever been in my experience. So remodeling can be a better value.”

Landscaping features, driveways and retaining walls that are already in place would cost a homeowner many tens of thousands of dollars as part of a complete new project. Septic systems and wells add even more.

“I am a home builder, I would prefer to build a new home than to do a smaller remodel project, but the fact of the matter is I can’t tell you in good conscience that I can build you a new home for less money than I can remodel this home,” said Dacchille.

Whether you choose to remodel a home or build from scratch, it all starts with having a great design and plan in place. If the owner wants to tweak a few things, that’s certainly possible.

“What I have learned is, if you get a good architect, someone who is creative, you can do some amazing stuff,” said Dacchille. “Architects come up with a plan, the owner says they want to tweak that just a little bit, so our project managers and the owner work together to come up with exactly what they want it to look like.

There is, however, such a thing as trying to make too many changes.

“Homeowners that watch what we call ‘un-reality’ cable home shows, we charge extra” laughed Dacchille. “Nothing gets

done in two weeks for nothing. There’s a lot more to every process to do it right. You can do something poorly in that period of time. I want the homeowner to have input, certainly, but sometimes we have to point out to homeowners that a simple change mushrooms into this giant chain reaction.”

Dacchile believes that a homeowner seeing a 3-D rendering of their design from an architect is one of the most important aspects to building a home or remodeling a home.

“The least expensive way to make changes is on paper before we start building. Once we start building, changes get expensive. I tell people to please take the time to work with a good architect and go through the plan,” he said. “I tell people all the time to send me a picture. If you will send me a picture I promise you we can make it look exactly like that. We just need a picture of what you want because I can’t imagine what you’re imagining.”

As the economy has improved, so has the building business. For Bill, that means more projects and more work.

“We’ll do small stuff, we’ll do big stuff. We’re not afraid of anything. If you can show us some plans and some pictures, we can build it,” Dacchille said.

Bill estimates that they have been involved in close to 20 projects in Linville Ridge alone and have several projects in line all across the High Country. He estimates that anyone that wants a large project done now will have to wait until 2020 before they can start on it.

“We’ve got a couple of years of backlog right now.

During the recession, sometimes I would be trying to figure out what we were going to be doing Monday on Sunday night,” says Bill.

Dacchille sees each project that they work on as not just a remodel or a renovation, but as a transformation, taking one thing and turning it into something very different.

“When somebody walks into our finished project, they shouldn’t be able to tell where we added. If they walk in and say ‘there’s the old house and there’s the new part,’ then we have not done our job right,” Dacchille says. “When you walk inside a project, you have to walk in the door and the first thing you see has to make you say ‘wow.’ That’s a cardinal rule for me. We’ve got to

This bathroom features a beautiful view of Grandfather Mountain right from the tub.

This office area features another massive stone fireplace.

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The crew at Dacchille Construction can transform just about anything you can imagine with some pictures and a plan. would like to have something on the roof have a ‘wow’ factor. We are a higher end complete the project in eight months.

“When you start off with a 1960’s ranch like a deck. builder, it costs more to do what we do, “We often try to understand what could we understand that. You better walk in and house, you never know what you’re going to run into,” Dacchille said. “Envisioning happen in the future. If you ever want to say ‘wow.’”

Dacchille and his crews have been the project is the easy part. We have to go put a deck on the roof, we put structure there so there is a plan for that,” he said. involved in numerous other large-scale make it happen.”

A couple of other challenges that kept Bill says they kept the original hardprojects, including a remodeling of a house in Beech Mountain the required wood flooring from the house on the first the crews on their toes included having adding a second floor and turning a one- level and a few of the other original fea- an exact date for project completion.

“They had a drop dead date to be in floor brick house into the three-story law tures as well.

One challenge to this project was hav- the building. The old building that they office of Reeves, DiVenere and Wright.

The Beech Mountain project started in ing to build a stairwell in the middle of the were moving out of was being torn down, so we had to barrel through rain or shine,” 2014 and finished up sometime in 2015, building. said Dacchille. which included having Turning a brick ranch to do some work during house into a three-story the winter. office building begs the “Working on Beech question: What happens Mountain in the middle to the brick? That’s where of winter is extra spethe skilled work of Bill’s cial. That gave us a little crews really shined. unique challenge,” Dac“Being able to cover chille said. that brick adequately In addition to addto make it go away is a ing a second floor to the challenge. You don’t just house, there were some slap mortar on that brick really creative renovaand expect it to disaptions done to the house pear,” Bill said. that included a special If you drive by that “trap door” in a storage law office now, you room that allowed for the Architect Hunter Coffey chose Dacchille Construction to build his personal would never know that home owners to check residence shown here. Since that time, Hunter & Bill have collaborated on building was ever a oneon their furnace without many of these projects - Visit Hunter Coffey’s website at: www.hpcarch.com story brick home in such having to go outside in a small space even with the winter time.

“This stairwell had to meet fairly re- its challenges.

In a half bathroom, Keith was able to “Being able to build something that take a rock wall and a piece of live edge strictive fire code,” Bill said. “We had to tree wood and placed it behind the sink create a separate stairwell and when we looks as good as that does and meet all to make it look like it was floating. Bill said got to the concrete floor in the basement, the requirements is never easy when your that this is something that they have done we only had a couple of inches of floor. space is so confined,” Bill said.

Samples of the work done by Dacbefore and it always turns into a fun piece We had to create a whole footing system chille Construction can be found on their under the stairwell.” for them to construct.

Bill added that the stairwell goes all website at www.dacchilleconstruction.

At the attorney’s office, Bill and his crew started with an old brick ranch-style the way to the roof, providing roof ac- com/. house in April of 2016 and were able to cess should the owners decide they 58

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AFTER

BEFORE This small brick ranch-style house was transformed into the three-story law office of Reeves, DiVenere and Wright in Boone.

Work began on the project in April of 2016 and was completed in eight months.

AFTER

BEFORE The crew finished this Beech Mountain project in 2015, adding a whole floor on to this house as well as some other really creative features for the home owners.

AFTER

BEFORE A current remodeling project in Beech Mountain. Updating the house for the winter weather on Beech is an important aspect of this project.

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Mountaineer Landscaping Custom Landscaping to Turn Your Yard Into the Garden of Your Dreams

T

hree decades ago, High Country story is one of adversity, strength, convic- day as a local realtor, her love for making things grow often led her to find peace husband-and-wife duo Wayne and tion, endless love and unwavering faith.

In the beginning, Wayne sold plants and tranquility in her own tiny garden in Terry Brewer set out to make the world a more vibrant and colorful place from a small garden center in the park- the evenings. Eventually, Wayne noticed one garden at a time. Just as they do ing lot of a Texaco gas station on Beech her affinity for the craft. By 1992, Terry joined the business and they with the plants in their greenwere working side-by-side on houses, they’ve patiently and landscaping jobs. wholeheartedly nurtured their “I would come home and family, and their business, over work by the front porch light in the years. my garden, and Wayne saw that The Brewers started their I could really make ‘em grow. I business, Mountaineer Landwas going to the books for refscaping, from the ground up in erences and studying, and he the mid ’80s. Their hard work saw that I had a pretty good feel and commitment have taken for it,” Terry said. “So he asked them from humble beginnings me to start doing the flowers for to a successful operation that his business — and let’s not forserves locals, summer residents get, he needed office help. That and visitors to North Carolina’s whole winter I studied and studBlue Ridge Mountains yearThe greenhouse portion of the store is filled with countless ied so that I’d be prepared and round. varieties of flowers and plants ready for planting. able to help.”

Now married for 42 years, Wayne and Terry have built a life together Mountain with his partner, Jim Gale. At While the reference books helped her doing what they love to do, learning and the time, Terry worked selling properties learn more about the flowers she was plantgrowing every step of the way as partners and homes in the High Country. ing, Terry said it was learning from Wayne’s After putting in her hours during the expertise that made her the capable garden in business, in marriage and in life. Their

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Step through the front doors of Mountaineer Landscaping’s full-service garden center and floral shop today and you’ll find yourself in a garden of dreams. A stroll through the adjacent greenhouse will take you into a world filled with countless varieties of flowers and plants that encompass every color in the rainbow. the Brewers offer high-quality landscape ideas and find out what they like,” Wayne designer she is today.

“There’s not enough information in design services that are second-to-none said. “Sometimes we take them to other yards to show different possibilities, and books,” she said. “He shared his experi- in the High Country.

When a homeowner approaches them help their imagination open up to the imence and knowledge with me, and over for a landscaping project, Wayne and ages for their own property. Once we get time we became a landscaping team.”

Step through the front doors of Moun- Terry begin a comprehensive process on the same page as the customer, we taineer Landscaping’s full-service garden to which they bring invaluable expertise, can do just about anything they want.

“Terry and I work as a center and floral shop today team, taking their ideas and and you’ll find yourself in a ours and putting them togethgarden of dreams. A stroll er. We do our best to create a through the adjacent greendesign plan that will meet all house will take you into a of our customers’ desires.” world filled with countless vaThe Brewers agreed that rieties of flowers and plants they enjoy having the homthat encompass every color in eowners with them as they the rainbow. complete each project, even Peruse through the storewhen they’re planting and front and you’ll find a sea of working in the gardens. whimsical yard art, high qual“We work with them every ity furniture and one-of-a-kind step of the way,” Wayne said. home décor pieces. There’s “Even if they can’t be there even an entire room dedicated while we’re working, we send to items used in creating fairy gardens — popular planters Along with flowers and plants, you’ll find a sea of whimsical yard them pictures and emails.”

Wayne and Terry love to that incorporate small-scale art, high quality furniture and one-of-a-kind home décor pieces. see their customers happy, furniture, figurines and embellishments that have become a favorite years of experience and an unparalleled whether they’re approving the finished product at their home or they’re leaving level of customer service. among gardeners of all ages.

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There’s no job to large or small for the professional team at Mountaineer Landscaping to undertake with the equipment and manpower to get the job done.

Terry Brewer in her greenhouse at Mountaineer Landscaping

Terry Brewer’s garden at her home near Newland.

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love.

“In the store, our customers are thrilled with their purchases when they’re getting into the car, whether its plants and flowers or garden décor,” Terry said. “We help them by selecting the perfect things for them. We try to be as warm, inviting, informative and helpful as we can.”

Working closely with customers allows them to develop new friendships every day.

“We really enjoy the relationships we have with our customers. We get to be close friends with them,” Wayne said.

“They know they can depend on us. We may not see them every day, but they know they can call us anytime.”

The two say they make a good team because they complement each other with different talents and individual knowledge, and they realize it takes both of them to get the job done right.

“When you’re working together, there are different views and thoughts in your mind. It draws you closer as you share your visions,” Wayne said. “If I go on a job by myself, I think, ‘What would Terry do? How would she do this different than I would?’ I always have two perspectives when I’m working on a job.”

Terry said Wayne is exceptional with people and she really appreciates his character.

“He’s taught me how to deal with our customers, other people and life circumstances with a lighter heart. Wayne’s personality is welcoming and open,” she said. “You don’t often see him when he isn’t smiling or laughing. I’m blessed to call this man my husband.”

Husband and wife agreed that gardening and growing have always been a part of their lives. They believe they are truly blessed to be able to do what they love, and to do it together.

“I think it’s just the way we were raised. I was raised in the mountains and have always loved nature,” Wayne said.

“I love being outdoors and I think it’s just part of who we are.”

“It becomes something special when you’re making something grow, whether it’s your family, your marriage or your garden.”

Now that their favorite season is underway, the Brewers

say they look forward to working with other people who share their interest in gardening.

“Perennial collectors are like antique collectors. You go from nursery to nursery until you find something wonderful. Then you wait for it to come up in the spring,” Terry said. “It’s like seeing your children come home to visit. When the plants come up, you’re so excited that they’ve made it through the winter and look forward to the beautiful blossoms.

“Everyone that loves their garden is going to get in there and get rid of the weeds. Its therapy to spend time weeding and deadheading. Then you can sit back while you’re having dinner out on your deck and look at the flowers, benefiting from all your hard work. You know you have made something wonderful happen.”

The Brewers said they have a lot of advice to share with folks in the area, but the most important thing to remember is that the High Country climate is very unique. In planning out a yard, Terry advises gardeners to take into consideration that not every plant will thrive in this environment.

“When people come in the store and they want to plant shrubs they’ve never seen before in Florida, we get out the zone map and show them what hardiness zone they are in and which plants are compatible with it,” she said. “We don’t want them to buy something up here that’s going to die when they take it home.

“Height, spacing, light, colors and different textures are important in your garden. It’s important to plant flowers at the appropriate times so you can enjoy them in full bloom.”

Following those suggestions will allow each plant to in the garden to stand out individually with stunning charm, with plants blooming all the way across the perennial bed and bringing blossoms throughout the summer.

The Brewers invite you to stop by Mountaineer Landscaping in Linville and enjoy a walk through their greenhouses and store, where their staff members are also a part of the family.

“We wouldn’t want do to this job without them,” Terry said.

“The team at the store and in the field are knowledgeable and determined to provide the best information and support possible to help you build the garden you’ve always wanted.”

They’re definitely busy this time of year, but the love they share for each other and for growing beautiful things keeps them going as they carry out their dreams.

“We’ve always loved to share beauty and make things pretty, haven’t we?” Wayne said to his wife. “That’s why I’ve got you.”t

Examples of Wayne Brewer’s landscaping work. “We meet our customers, get their ideas and find out what they like,” Wayne says. “Once we get on the same page as the customer, we can do just about anything they want.”

Height, spacing, light, colors and different textures are important in your garden.

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Southern Charm in the High Country

HOME ·

215 Boone Heights Dr., Boone · 66

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bbandminteriors@gmail.com ·

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GIFTS

www.thebeeandtheboxwood.com ·

828.386.6212