White, white, white. Why is it that people always default to white walls? My mother, an unabashed lover of all things colorful, and as an accomplished interior decorator, used to call this choice "chicken white". Buk, buk, Bawuuuuk!
Now, I admit, there are times when white is a specific design choice... perhaps a minimalist look is required. But more often than not, clients aren't ready to make a choice and say to themselves, "Just paint it white, we'll go back and paint it a different color later." Yet the later never comes and they live with white (or, if they're really feeling crazy, Navajo White!!) for the next twenty years.
But color, in paint at least, costs no more than white, so you owe it to yourself to take a risk and throw a bit of your personality on the walls! Be daring and spice up your space with a color that speaks to you.

The fasted growing segment of our population is people who are over age 65. One of the growing trends we have noticed in our market is an interest in In-Law apartments. Many reasons exist that make In-Law additions a viable and desirable option for families looking to ensure that an aging parent has a safe and comfortable place to to live in their older years. Additionally, having a multi-generational family under one roof  can bring a quality of life that can't be achieved in other ways.

When considering an In-Law space there are a number of factors that come into the decision making process. One of the first is financing. Often the parent is selling their primary residence and using part of the proceeds to create a new space. In some cases it can be a joint venture between the parents and children where the children may also take advantage of the construction to make some improvements to the existing home.

After financing is determined it is time to think design. There are a number of issues associated with designing an In-Law apartment and most of them deal with size. The first place to start is the zoning by-laws of the town you live in. Most towns have specific zoning to address In-law apartments (although not all towns call it the same thing). Most towns put size limits in terms of sqft. of the addition or space within the home. Additionally, many towns have language that ensures that an addition does not detract from the character and style of the house. Many towns also have a license or permit process that allows an In-Law addition to be used in that capacity, by a family member only, for a certain period of time and it must be renewed. The real key here is that towns do not want people building money making apartments on the side of the house which means that when the space is no longer being used by a family member then the kitchen must be removed and the space can be re-purposed. Because of issues like this it is important to have a future plan for the space within your home when it is no longer needed by a parent. In those towns where size limits are enforced design is even more crucial because you may have to design a space within 650sqft and in that space you need fit a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room and a couple of closets. While this is achievable, in many cases it is a substantial reduction is size from what a parent might be used to and at the same time a reasonably sized addition that must be sensitive to the existing house style so that the addition adds value in the long run.

Utilities are another important consideration both at the time of design/construction but also on an ongoing basis. In many cases parents are concerned about paying their fair share for heat and electricity. In order for that to happen it often means separate meters. This will drive up costs and is not permitted in some towns. We suggest that parents and kids work out a reasonable contribution to be made on a monthly basis that will cover additional utility expense as well as any tax increase the addition has created.

Among some of the other key considerations for an In-Law addition are planning for infirmity. While Mom or Dad may not need it now, there may be a time that grab bars and accessible features like a ramp will be welcome. This is not a big deal, especially if it is something that is discussed in the planning stage. Access between the addition and home is also important. Most parents moving into an In-Law apartment want to be with the family but also want independence which means considering where the connection(required by many towns)should be such that it creates access but affords privacy for everyone.

When done right an In-Law addition can be a great way for families to address the needs associated with aging parents. Open communication and good planning can make it fun, exciting and rewarding. We at Blackdog have a long history of expanding homes to meet changing needs and would love to work with your family.

Here at Blackdog we have always been about improving our industry. Did you know that in the remodeling industry, on average, only 52% of the people who hire someone to remodel their home are happy with the experience? We think this is crazy but, it is a reality. The real key to improving this situation is education so Blackdog has responded by creating free consumer seminars to help people learn the best practices that will lead not only to a great finished product but also a great experience. We are offering two seminars in January on the 18th and 19th. To find our more information or register to attend visit www.blackdogbuilders.com.

While we don't make the money that Matty in Morning makes we do have a fun little radio show called HOUSE TALK that we would love to have you listen to. Dave Bryan CRG,CAPS, often with Brenda Bryan CKD or another industry related guests opens the phone lines every Friday from 11am-12pm to answer questions or present information all about your home. If it is a maintenance question or a design dilemma or thoughts on future topics we can't wait to hear from you. All home related topics are fair game and we rarely get stumped! You can call in during the show @ 978 454-4980 or email us @ dbryan@blackdogbuilders.com. If you can't listen on Fridays we get rebroadcast on Sundays from 11am - 12pm so you can tune in then. We keep it fun and informative so if you have a home with an issue give us a try.

The quick answer to this question is based on the answer to two simple questions.

As a small part of my day job, I host a radio show on AM980 WCAP called ""HOUSE TALK". We  are on Fridays from 11-12 and then rebroadcast on Sundays. A fun and educational part of the show is having guests on the show from various home related business. I have had Dave Souter from Barons Major Brands a number of times and every time I have him on I learn something new. In a show we did a while back Dave shared with me the huge improvement in energy efficiency that has taken place in the refrigerator market over the last 10 years. In essence what Dave explained to me is that a fridge purchased today is about twice, yes twice as efficient as one purchased only ten years ago. I was blown away by this. Couple that fact with the fact that appliance costs have gone down over time and the consumer is looking at a win/win. Get a new better fridge that probably costs less that the one your are replacing and cut your electric bill in half! Not a bad deal. One caveat - in order for this to be a good move you need to avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage as your beer fridge! Let your appliance company take away your old appliance when they drop off the new one and the bulk of the fridge will get  recycled.

We had not participated in any prior Andover Day events and I can tell you that going forward we will make it a regular part of our schedule for the Fall. Despite the constant threat of rain we never got wet. Better than that was seeing all our past clients who dropped in to say "you guys built my kitchen 10 years ago and it still looks great" or "you guys built us a family room that we still love". Sometimes I forget about the many homes and lives we have impacted over the last 21 years and it was fun to have some many pleasant reminders. We even had a couple of people come by our booth to let us know that while they had not remodeled with us they had purchased a house that had a Blackdog project done by the previous owner. They went on to let us know that is was always something a Realtor highlighted when showing the home. Thanks to all those folks who stopped by to say hello.