At Home Living 102916

CONSTRUCTION

Financing a new home

Saturday, October 29, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Avoid the pitfalls when building your dream house, page 6 n n n n

Jamie Kidd on spider invasions, page 2 Mushrooms in your toilet?, page 3 Gathering and storing seeds, page 5 A home with a backyard view, page 7

homes.cjonline.com JAKE GATCHELL/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

2 | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com

Without spiders, world would be insect-ridden Incy, wincy spider went up the water spout.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.

Incy, wincy spider went up the spout again.

I think people are a little mixed up. We sing nursery rhymes to young children about spiders, and we read “Charlotte’s Web” to every first-grader. Who didn’t fall in love with Wilbur, Charlotte and even Templeton, the sneaky rat?

And yet, people are afraid of spiders. You know the fear: Lying in bed at night, staring up at the ceiling, and there it is — an enormous spider. It’s really only a halfinch or smaller in size.

You’re certain that it’s going to crawl directly over you and drop in for a meal. Some of you hol-

Jamie KiDD

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Master Gardener Brownie Brown will present “Pruning and Winterizing Trees” at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. The program will focus on pruning times and techniques to keep trees and shrubs safe and healthy. jamiehan@ksu.edu

ler for help; others get a boot and begin swinging at the tiny creature only to flatten the texture on your ceiling.

We have gotten so frightened by stories of spiders biting us that we’ve lost the idea that maybe spiders have a reason to be here. Without them, we would very likely be overrun with insects invading our spaces. They’re instrumental in controlling the “bad” insects that destroy our flowers and crops. We don’t have enough chemi-

cals to do what spiders do naturally.

Kansas spiders Spiders are arthropods.

Their skeletons are on the outer most layer of their bodies. Spiders feed solely on insects and other arthropods. You’re not an arthropod. Spiders aren’t interested in eating you.

Most spiders don’t bite, and others only bite if trapped or tormented.

Their bites can hurt, but most often the pain is no more than an ant bite or beetle pinch. The feared tarantula isn’t poisonous

and isn’t any more dangerous than a bee sting.

Here are some of the most common spiders in Kansas: n Cobweb spiders live in dark corners around the house. They generally have a bulbous body and create messy webs with sticky threads. These are the webs that “freak you out” when you walk into them leaving your front porch in the morning.

You also can find dust on their old webs in the attic. n The banded garden spider is large and strikingly colored with black,

yellow and sometimes red bands. The spider is harmless and creates a spectacular web in bushes, doorways, windows and tall grasses. I call it the “stitch” spider, because it looks as if she used a zigzag stitch in the middle of her web. n Wolf spiders are active hunters that run rapidly to catch their prey.

They don’t produce a snaring web. Most are gray or brown with a stripe or pattern and can be quite large.

Some wolf spiders bite if bothered. n Jumping spiders stalk and pounce on their prey.

Their bodies are hairy, black and may have brightly colored spots on the abdomen. Their movements are quick, with short, sudden jumps that can be about 2 inches, or many times their body length.

Arthropod alert

There are only three poisonous spiders in Kansas: n The brown recluse spider varies in color, but its unvarying marker, regardless of gender, age or size, is the dark violinshaped pattern on its top.

The neck of the violin points toward the abdomen.

They like to live in warm, dry, poorly lighted, undisturbed areas with little or no air circulation, such as under beds, in closets, behind drawers, under or behind boxes, and in clothing that has been unmoved for long periods. They can live up to 2 ½ years and are generally inactive from September through March. n Black widows cre-

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homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | 3

Fungus among us

Mushrooms near your toilet?

Leaky toilet tank or damaged wax ring may be problem

By C. Dwight Barnett Tribune News Service

Q: It’s alive in the bathroom, and I’m a single mom scared to death. We just moved into this house not long ago. This is our first home, and you name it we’ve seen it. Mice, fungus, wasps, ants.

Most of the mice are gone, killed the ants, and bees are dormant. One big problem remains. There are mushrooms growing behind my toilet. Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

A: I have seen mushrooms growing near the base of a toilet, on overhead garage

door’s wooden panels, on fence posts and living trees, and in crawlspaces. A mushroom is actually a fungus that grows on wet or damp wood or in a location with high humidity. I would keep children and pets away from the growth until it’s removed.

Simply pluck the mushroom off the floor or wall while wearing rubber or protective gloves. Wear a painter’s mask to prevent breathing in any loose fungal spores. Once the fungi have been removed, you can inspect the floor or wall for decay damage.

When near a toilet, the de-

cay problem could be caused by a leak from the toilet tank or a damaged wax ring that is used to seal the toilet bowl to the collar on the sewer pipe. Stand facing the toilet bowl and try to rock the bowl back and forth. If it is even slightly loose, the toilet’s seal will need to be repaired or replaced.

You also can check the flooring or wall with a sharp tool or screwdriver or visually inspect the flooring from a basement or crawlspace.

If the toilet needs to be removed for repairs, I’d recommend hiring a professional plumber. Once the toilet has

been removed, the damaged flooring or wall studs can be replaced with materials of a similar type and size. If the sewer pipe is to be left uncovered during the repairs, the opening should be stuffed with rags or wads of paper to prevent sewer gases from entering the home or from dropping in debris that could eventually block the sewer.

C. Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 268, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or e-mail him at d.Barnett@insightbb.com.

4 | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com

Design leaning toward modern country-inspired themes

By Cathy Hobbs Tribune News Service

From slip covers to painted floors and reclaimed wood, there may be no clear style that can define what some may consider countryinspired decor. In fact, these days, there is more of a push in design involving infusing country elements with a modern edge.

The result: furniture often handcrafted by artisans as well as decorative ele-

ments that are often vintage or even salvaged.

Salvage yards often can be a treasure trove of fabulous finds, from old doors to furniture, kitchen cabinets and more. When looking to buy salvage, here are some basic tips that can assist in your search. n Go online. In many instances, a salvage yard will have photographs of their inventory online, so you can pre-select before making a trip.

n Compare pricing. Many businesses that sell salvage are reselling items that have been donated, while others are reselling items that they purchased. Yes, you will likely snag a bargain either way, but it helps to know your bargaining power. n Visit on delivery day.

Nothing beats an opportunity to secure new merchandise before it is snapped up.

One of the main appeals of country-inspired furniture and accessories is its old,

vintage, if not unusual look and feel. When looking for decor opportunities, consider using old items in unusual or unexpected ways.

Looking for ideas? Try these modern country-inspired tips. n Old doorknobs come in different shapes and sizes and can be used for everything from door pulls to creating an interesting wall feature in which you can hang dried herbs, lavender or floral arrangements.

n Mason jars remain useful in a number of different ways, and they also can be repurposed and used in home decor.

Some ideas include painting Mason jars muted colors or rubbing them to make them appear old. You can wrap portions of the jar with twine, or fill with moss and top with a succulent, using the Mason jar as more of a vase. n Dried flowers aren’t the only option for those looking

for a more country-inspired decor. Other ideas include hanging dried herbs or lavender. The look is organic and attractive as well as fragrant and long-lasting. n Succulents aren’t only hardy; they’re also versatile. Try placing succulents on a small bed of stones or embedded in moss for a modern look. Succulents look especially attractive when paired with natural elements, such as wood and branches.

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Kidd: Arthropods Gather seeds promptly for success mostly harmless

GARDENING

By Maureen Gilmer Tribune News Service

Gather seed while ye may — dispersal is in high gear this time of year. Everything that bloomed over summer has been pollinated, causing seeds to form within the flower ovary. As the dry winds of fall kick in, the seeds have matured and their dry capsules pop open.

This is when the seeds inside are at their point of perfection.

Whether from the wild, from the family garden or out in the landscape, they’re nature’s free gift. These tiny packets of life are dormant and waiting for spring to come.

Gather them now to store and plant next year before

weather and wildlife cull the crop naturally.

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Gathering

You must be prompt when gathering seed, because timing is everything. Each plant depends on a certain vector to help its seed be dispersed.

A windstorm can carry away wind-dispersed seed before you can gather it.

Birds and rodents seem to have a sixth sense for when seeds mature enough to become edible. If you don’t beat them to it, you won’t get any seed from prairie coneflowers or hollyhocks.

For this reason, seed gathering is ongoing this time of year as each plant reaches

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ate webs, are black and have a distinct red hourglass-shaped spot on the underside of the abdomen. They are shy, nocturnal and not aggressive. They may take a lot of provocation before biting. n Yellow house spiders are small and usually found in breaker boxes or in or under motor chambers of appliances.

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Seeds with wind-based dispersal typically have light, fluffy fibers that are able to help them scatter on the slightest breeze.

Control measures

Sanitation is critical in successful spider control.

Remove webs and egg

sacs. Vacuum behind and under furniture. Clean and declutter storage areas.

Control moisture and humidity.

Eliminate their food source — other insects.

Use chemicals containing pyrethrins. Sticky cards along baseboards can help.

Spiders are one of nature’s ways of keeping the insect population in check.

So before you freak out the next time you see a spider, remember Charlotte was a lovable spider and we all cried when she died.

Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.

6 | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com

Avoid new construction pitfalls Research builders, plan for unexpected costs when constructing residence

By Shanna Sloyer Special to The Capital-Journal

Many potential homebuyers are discovering the national real estate shortage and the rising cost of homes are making finding the perfect home in the area they desire for their family nearly impossible.

It can make sense to consider new construction instead. The advantage of building is homeowners can design their dream house and build it in a location they love.

According to Scott Hughes, a lender with Silver Lake Bank in Topeka, the process of financing new construction begins almost identically to the process of taking out a residential loan on an existing home.

“There is an application, and we also collect information to verify income, assets and liabilities,” Hughes said. “We will verify that you have the required down payment and pull a credit report to verify good credit scores.”

Before approving a loan on new construction, the lender also will want to see copies of the building plans; a cost estimate or bid from a general contractor; and a set of specifications for the home, which lists the type of framing, insulation, roof, heating/ venting/air-conditioning system, flooring and other finishes the builder plans to use.

Approval for a construction loan is completed after the lender receives an appraisal on the proposed house, and once there’s a final, executed contract between the general contractor and the borrower.

“A construction loan is set up as a line of credit.

Since the borrower will only need portions of the loan funds throughout construction, they will make draws on the line of credit for work completed. The process should take six to nine months to complete the construction of the home, barring any delays,” Hughes said.

After the first 30 days of construction, a first draw is usually requested to pay for excavation, concrete foundation and early plumbing costs. The general contractor prepares an itemized list of expenses and provides the borrower with copies of the invoices to be paid, which the borrower in turn submits to the bank.

A draw is made on the loan to pay the invoices, and the process repeats itself each month until construction is complete.

The bank will require the general contractor and any subcontractors to sign lien waivers for work completed, stating they have received payment.

Although in some cases the general contractor will hold the loan during construction and then turn it over to the client at completion, most lenders prefer the homebuyer carry the loan in their name throughout the building process.

During construction, the borrower only pays accrued interest on the portion of the loan that has been used to date. Once the house is complete, the construction loan is turned into a permanent, traditional mortgage loan.

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JAKE GATCHELL/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Chad and Rachel Wells and their children stand on the porch on the new home they are building. The advantage of building a house rather than buying one is homeowners can design their dream house and build it in a location they

Rooms begin to take form at the Wells’ new home. Scott Hughes, a lender with Silver Lake Bank in Topeka, recommends interviewing at least three builders and taking a look at homes they’ve built before signing a contract.

Those building new homes need to be confident in their plans before breaking ground. Major changes to house plans during the construction process can equal major expenses.

homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | 7

A decorative hanging adorns the privacy fence in the yard.

Dozens of potted plants line the edge of the atrium at the James and Karen Bosch home. “I see something I’ve never seen before, something unusual, something that catches your eye, and I buy it,” James said.

An array of flowering plants flourish in a bed in front of the privacy fence at the Bosch home, while other plants sit on or hang from the fence.

A hummingbird moth feeds on flowers in the Boschs’ backyard.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY TRISH WILLIAMS/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

The sliding-glass doors at the James and Karen Bosch home give the homeowners a wide view of the plants and flowers in their atrium and yard.

Couple gets a clear view of flowers from inside home Topeka yard also contains a small fairy garden, decorative hanging

By Dianne Lawson Special to The Capital-Journal

The entire first floor of James and Karen Bosch’s home has no windows. Instead, the couple has large sliding-glass doors that allow them to see from inside their house the myriad of plants and brightly colored flowers in their atrium and yard.

When they bought the home, the open-air, stepdown atrium had a dirt floor.

They built a wooden floor in the atrium that was at the same level as their house.

A Japanese maple tree already was planted in the earth, so they built the floor around it, leaving a space for the tree to grow. All the other plants in the room are in pots.

The couple loves brightly colored annuals, and they have a wide variety of them scattered around the perimeter of the atrium. Included are dragon-wing begonia, dracaena and caladium.

“I see something I’ve never seen before, something unusual, something that catches your eye, and I buy it,” James said.

Many of their plants are much larger than average because of the care they receive.

“I fertilize a lot,” Karen said. “We water every day with a hose.”

In the center of the atrium is a round metal table and four chairs, but the couple said they don’t sit there much. They don’t need to sit outside to see the plants.

Three large sliding-glass doors on three sides of the atrium allow them to see the atrium from three rooms inside the house.

The yard, behind a pri-

vacy fence, is full of plants, statues and other yard art.

“I have 90 some pots,” Karen said. “I use container pots, because there are no weeds.”

“You’ve got to have annuals for the color,” James said.

“I appreciate begonias. They are strong plants. Nothing bothers them. They’re fairly drought-tolerant.”

One of the touches in the yard is a small fairy garden.

“I came out one day, and it was bare on one side,” Karen said. “I asked my 4-year-old

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8 | Saturday, October 29, 2016 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com

Seeds: Small jars great for storage Continued from 5 its optimal point just prior to dispersal.

Gathering seed at the right time also ensures you’re getting the most viable seed crop. Viability is the percentage of seed in a batch that is actually alive and prepared to grow. As gardeners, our goal is to maximize viability rates with all seed gathered, stored or purchased.

The challenge is knowing when to harvest seed.

Too early and they might not mature enough to sprout, too late and they may be killed by rot. This demands you go out and check often during these fall months to catch your favorite plants at this optimal dispersal point. That way you get an easy to harvest seed crop with optimal viability.

Gift ideas

There’s a lot of seed out there to be had, and when you stock up on seed for great plants, it’s easy to create holiday gifts for gardening friends and relatives.

Give them away in little decorated jars or print and assemble handmade envelopes from Internet patterns.

Because seed is small and light, there are lots of ideas for bringing these progenitors of your favorite plants into the gardens of others across the country or across the world. Seed is a natural diplomat for stimulating gardeners and fundraising plant sales.

Harvesting

For lazy gardeners, the best way to harvest seed of your favorite perennials is to

allow the last flush of bloom to go to seed. Just when capsules are mature, cut the stalk and place top-down in a clean white plastic bucket or a brown paper bag.

Let the stalks gradually finish opening all capsules in a warm dry place. Once fully dry, just shake out seed and store.

Sometimes there’s a lot of chaff mixed in with your seeds. Once dry, pour onto a plate and separate out the seeds so they’re clean and ready to store. For separating larger quantities, go to YouTube and search for videos on winnowing seed. It’s a very ancient technology that speeds the process considerably.

Storage

Saving seed in small jars and tins evolved for those

who suffer mouse or bug predation of stored seed where they live. These are impenetrable and essential. But after a while, your seed stock builds up, causing storage and access problems in small spaces.

Sandwich-sized zipclose freezer bags are ideal for storing in tight-lidded plastic under-bed boxes.

Store bags like files or roll yours up like enchiladas.

Mark each with a Sharpie telling date collected and plant type.

Finally, the best place to store seed is under your bed, because if it’s comfortable for you, it’s OK for seed viability. This universal location in every home ensures absence of light and rodents, and conditions are absolutely dry and temperatures even year-round.

Garden: Backyard’s flowers attract wildlife Continued from 7 granddaughter, ‘What have you done?’ She told me that the fairy told her that she didn’t like the sedum there, so my granddaughter took it out. I told her, ‘Don’t listen to that fairy.’”

Neighbors, friends and family members like to see the couple’s garden.

“It’s so soothing,” James said. “Everyone thinks it is just work, but there are rewards.”

The privacy fence allows space on which to put plants or hang plants and wall art.

The small amount of yard outside of the privacy fence on the side of the house contains knockout roses, SunPatiens, daylilies, a purple smoke tree and other plants.

In the front yard, outside

of the privacy fence in the front yard are King Tut hydrangeas, knockout roses and luna hibiscus.

Because of all the flowers, the yard attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and hummingbird moths. Birds also like the yard and American goldfinches, cardinals, mourning doves and wrens frequent it.

“I love wrens,” Karen said. “They have such a personality.”

Nestled among the plants are several statues and other yard art.

“Friends asked, ‘How do you get your plants so big?’”

Karen said. “I told them, ‘We’re just caretakers. The Lord’s the one who gets the glory.’ I feel the closest to the Lord when I walk among this.”

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Pitfalls: Budget for overruns Continued from 6 Hughes encourages prospective builders to do their homework before they begin the building process to stay within budget and avoid these common construction pitfalls: n Beware of unqualified or inexperienced builders.

Hughes recommends meeting and interviewing at least three builders.

“Get references, and go see homes they have built.

Make sure you have good communication with the builder. This is a big investment that you are trusting to someone. Make sure you complete your due diligence on the builder,” he said. n Plan for cost overruns and contingencies.

Expect to leave room in your budget for unexpected costs that may arise.

The general contractor will plan for allowances in bid costs for items such as flooring, cabinets and countertops. If a homebuyer chooses items that exceed the bid allowance, it can cause costs to go up significantly. n Avoid making changes during construction.

Major changes to house plans during the construction process can equal major expenses. To avoid upping your costs, be confident in your building plans before you break ground. n Plan with the future in mind.

Although it’s hard to imagine that you’ll ever sell your dream home,

keep resale value in mind as you plan. While an indoor swimming pool or one bedroom on the main floor of your home may be perfect for your lifestyle, unique or unusual features can decrease the resale value for future buyers when it’s time to sell. n Keep communication open.

Poor communication between the borrower and the contractor can result in unnecessary costs.

“Make sure you’re comfortable with the general contractor,” Hughes said.

“That person is the ultimate make-or-break in a project.”

Shanna Sloyer is a freelance writer from Topeka. You can reach her at ssloyer@yahoo.com.

NO MORE LIPSTICK SMEARS

To remove lipstick or lip balm stains from fabric, scrape off any excess (try a piece of tape to pick up smaller bits), treat with a prewash stain remover and launder.

If the stain is still there, try the process again or try sponging the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent and launder again.

Always make sure to remove any lipsticks or balms from pockets before tossing a garment into the laundry.

WWW.GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM

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