We recently partnered with WPC for a charitable food drive benefiting  the FISH Food Banks of Pierce County.  We were able to raise of $1,100 worth of groceries.  For more information have a look at our Philanthropy page.

With Fall upon us it is a good time to start thinking about the things you need to do to prepare your home for the harsher winter months.  With winter comes rain and snow and if your home and yard is not properly prepared it could spell disaster.  Here is a short list of some things to consider when preparing your property for winter.

Make sure your gutters are cleaned out and ready for heavy rain.  A clogged gutter can lead to overflows which can result in flooding that could damage your home.  Always be sure to use the proper safety equipment when cleaning your gutters – especially if you have waited until the fall to do so when roofs can be wet and slippery.

Check your exterior drains for proper drainage and make sure they are diverting water where they are supposed to.  If a drain is not functioning properly it could result in unwanted erosion and even trigger a small landslide in bad weather.  Be sure all drains are clear of debris and are dispelling water properly.

An often overlooked item going into the winter months is clearing areas of slippery surfaces.  Moss and mold can build up on decks and walkways and when it rains this creates a slip and slide like surface that can be very hazardous.  Make sure to treat these areas with a mold or moss killer and scrub it if you have to so you can minimize the slippery areas.

Do you have a fireplace you like to use during the winter?  The fall is a good time to make sure it is clean and functioning properly.  If it isn’t you still have time to get a professional out to clean it prior to the holidays.

There are a lot of things around the house you can easily overlook when going into winter but hopefully some of these ideas will help you prepare for the colder months.

Fence Specialists General Manager Herman Hardtke was recently interviewed for a radio podcast on the website Living the Country Life as a consultant on how to clean a vinyl fence.  Living the County Life is a website that features many “how to” articles and tips for life in the country.  Be sure to check out the vinyl fence cleaning radio interview and let us know what you think!

Vinyl Fence Cleaning Interview.mp3

Its no secret that times are tough for alot of people right now but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice when it comes to decorating a home.  It just means that we have to re-think how we do it.  Here are the top 5 of a list of 40 tips on how to save money on decorating your home:

1. Use free stuff you already have
2. Set a Budget
3. Start with the Front Door/Entry
4. Utilize existing furniture
5. Redesign your furniture layout

These are just the top 5 on a list of 40 great ideas from Freshhome.  Here is the rest of the list:

http://freshome.com/2010/08/27/40-best-money-saving-decorating-ideas-for-your-home/

Looking to hire a contractor but not sure how to find a good one through all the bad ones? If you watch any home improvement shows you most likely have heard many horror stories about bad contractors.  The key to making sure this does not happen to your is to do your homework before hiring one.  Here is an excellent short and sweet guide to helping your through the process of hiring a contractor:

http://freshome.com/2010/08/27/7-essential-tips-for-hiring-a-home-general-contractor

Are you looking to improve the look of your home’s exterior but don’t have the money to spend on a contractor?  Consider these five simple steps that you can do yourself to add to the curb appeal of your property.

1)Wash/Clean the Exterior: This is perhaps one of the most affordable and important things to do to improve the curb appeal of your home.  From the drive way to the actual siding you can clean things up and make a big impact on the way your home looks.  The entry to your home is the most visible so be sure to rent a pressure washer and clean up your driveway, walkways and paths leading to your home.  You can even use a pressure washer to clean the siding of your home but make sure to read up on how to so you don’t strip the paint.

2)Painting: Did you clean the exterior of your home but still feel it is not enough? Next on the list, and still very affordable, is painting.  Painting your home can have a huge impact on its overall look and can be very gratifying.  Paint, however, is not always cheap and if painting your whole house is on the list, it may be outside the budget.  If so, consider only dressing up the trim on your home.  Eye catching and clean trim around the doors and windows can make a huge difference.

3)Landscaping/Pruning: Next up on the list is landscaping and pruning.  The decor in the front of your home can really add to its appeal and make if feel unique.  You would be surprised how affordable landscaping can be if you keep your eye out for good deals and sales.  If you have a lawn in the front of your home invest in some fertilizer and keep it green and mowed.  This can really help the rest of your house stand out against the vibrant green color of a well maintained lawn.  Also, don’t forget to keep your plants and shrubs properly trimmed and pruned.

4)Decorate: Still not feeling like you have done enough to your property to make it stand out? Try adding some decor to the front of it.  A simple bench on the edge of a lawn or a swing on the front porch can add charm and give the feel of “there’s no place like home”.  Have a pathway leading up to your front door?  Consider lining the edge of it with decorative stones or adding a bird bath along it.  Simple decorative changes can really add appeal and make a difference.

5)Lighting: If you are improving your homes overall look you may also want to consider how it will look at night.  Lighting can show off your hard work but you want to make sure it is the right type of lighting.  Have lights down on the street?  Consider keeping your eyes peeled for a sale at your local hardware store and upgrading the fixtures.  You can also purchase outdoor rope lights for a low price and use them under overhangs or a along a pathway to add accenting to your property.

As you can see there are a lot of ways to improve your property’s curb appeal without having to hire someone and spending a bundle.  There are many resources on the internet that can help with ideas as well and looking for sales is the right way to save big money on improvements.

When it comes to building fences for sporting applications there is a different standard in durability and function than regular fences.  If you are looking for a contractor to install an athletic fence here are a few things to consider before moving forward.

What will be the main function of the fence?  Are you going to be using it to enclose a field or will it be used as a backstop?  These are important questions because different needs can call for a different gauge of wiring.  For example, a backstop fence would use a much thicker gauged wire than a basic outfield homerun fence.  The larger gauge wire means it will take longer to wear down and will have a better chance of standing the test of time.  A homerun fence, on the contrary, sees little wear, is more of an enclosure and would not require as heavy of a gauge of wire.

Additionally there are some aesthetic offerings that can be applied to sporting fences as well.   For example, if you are enclosing a sport court that is on your property you may want to use a vinyl coated chain link fence rather than a traditional galvanized fence.   This will give your fence a cleaner and more professional look which may mesh better with your home.  Which leads us to our next topic, fence coating.

If your fence is located in an area that is constantly exposed to moisture, like here in the northwest, it is a good idea to make sure it comes with a protective coating.  Sports field fences in particular are at a higher risk for water damage because of the continuous exposure from sprinkler systems.  To prevent this you can have your chain link fence coated in aluminum prior to installation.  Be sure in inquire with your contractor about the various protective coatings that can be added to your chain link fence.  It could mean the difference between a rusty, brittle fence and a long lasting one.

If you are considering a fence for a sporting application be sure to contact us today.  We have the experience required to get the job done right and have worked on both private an municipal sporting fences.  To learn more be sure to visit our athletic and sports fence page.

We were recently interviewed by “Living The Country Life” for an article on Vinyl Fence care and cleaning tips.  We are excited for the article to come out and we should be seeing it sometime in August.  When it is published we will update you.  Until then feel free to check out www.livingthecountrylife.com for tips and articles on country living.

Have a blog or magazine that you would like to interview us for?  Contact Fence Specialists at sales@fencespecialists.com or give us a call at (253)531-5452 today!

The line between needing a construction permit and not needing one can sometimes be pretty blurry.  If you neglect to do your research you can find yourself in sticky situation should the authorities find out or when it comes time to sell your home.  Even the smallest of remodels require permits as well as things that have nothing to do with building like removal of large trees.

Make sure you cover yourself and do the proper research before engaging in any sort of construction project.  More details for the city of Tacoma permit requirements can be found here:

http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?nid=153

And if you aren’t in the city of Tacoma just go to your city or counties web page and do a quick search for “building permits” or give them a call.

Take a look at our commercial featured on Youtube!