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The Perfect Weekend for that Perfect Christmas Tree

Gaspar’s Construction and Handyman have teamed up year after year with SASG (Seattle Area Support Groups) for their annual Tree Sale.  This year our Handyman crew installed their racks for holding the trees.  They complimented our technicians by telling them that it is the best set up they’ve ever had. Everything is level and plumb.  I know what you’re thinking but our guys just can’t help making things just right.  If you’re in the Seattle area and out for your trip to purchase your Christmas Tree, make the trip special by supporting this great organization that helps so many in our area.

SASG is located at the corner of 17^th Ave. E. and E. Thomas St. on Capitol Hill.  There are plenty of great places for a cup of great coffee close by and shopping is just down the hill.  Make a day of it!

303 17^th Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98112.  The sale runs to 9:00 p.m. on December 23^rd.

For information or if you are in need of help from SASG click here.

Merry Christmas!

Add some wow factor to your shower

 

This shower has Glass Accent Tiles that are approximately 10″ high.  This glass accent tile from Pental is the Bamboo Stripes line and is a great,  affordable way to add some style to your shower. 

The Big Show!

Thanks to those of you who visited or met us at the show this year.  See you there again soon!

67th Annual Seattle Home Show:
February 19-27, 2011

Qwest Field Event Center

Remodeler’s Expo

Seattle Remodeling Expo – Thanks for visiting us at the show…see you next year!

Just about ready for the show!

January 14-16, 2011 at the Washington State Convention Center

Every year, the Gaspar’s team rallies to get all our updated projects, services, and products together in a showcase to display at the Seattle Remodeler’s Expo.  Once again we’ve got the premier location right inside the front door.  Over the last couple days, we’ve pulled together what we think will be the most interesting new products and design ideas for everyone to see.  Great pictures of our projects from the last year, color boards with products from each project, displays of our favorite cabinet lines, it’s all there as eye candy for realizing your dream…or just stimulating your ideas a little closer to reality.  Rich, Cathy, Sarah, Jen and Paul will be on site starting Friday, January 14th all the way through to closing on Sunday at 6:00.  Then the troops roll back in to take it all down and start planning for next year.

Project Spotlight – The Year of the Basement

Spotlight on Capitol Hill Basement Rescue

Gaspar’s Construction has seen the affect of everyone tightening their budgets yet still wanting that space or update that will give them some new pleasure or comfort.  Our blog has been studying this and we are seeing a trend toward finishing or fixing up previously unused existing spaces.  Done right, this approach costs much less and provides instant equity.   We are completing a great example of the possibilities.  See the Project Spotlight Page for what we’ve discussed so far and how this project is turning out.  All our other previous project Spotlights are there for you to see too.

Washington Business Alliance Education Committee

Gaspar’s Construction is a member of the Washington Business Alliance (WBA).  With a strong desire to ensure a quality, affordable education for her grandchildren, Cathy Gaspar has joined the WBA education committee. 

The WBA is an alliance of businesses that brings an entrepreneurial approach to solving our states greatest challenges in education, healthcare, transportation, the environment and fiscal governance.  We promote understanding, collaboration, and advocacy of solutions that foster long-term business growth and community prosperity.

The business values that drive us:

1. Understand the viewpoints of key constituents, research facts and best practices, and communicate our findings.
2. Collaborate with others involved in solution generation, and facilitate open forums to build consensus on goals and strategies.
3. Advocate strategic policies that foster long-term results, and assist with shorter-term opportunities that support our vision.
4. Accomplish what we set out to do.

We envision:

1. A quality education system that graduates students ready to fill the jobs of the 21st century.
2. Innovative research and development that attracts talent and creates compelling technologies to generate new, high-paying jobs.
3. An integrated, sustainable transportation system that efficiently moves people and freight with reduced environmental impact.
4. High quality of life that results from a strong economy, environmental stewardship and enhancement of our natural resources.
5. An affordable healthcare system focused on preventing illness and promoting active, healthy lifestyles and individual accountability.
6. Economic growth and state fiscal management that enhance the business climate and enable communities to thrive.

Visit the Washinton Business Alliance at http://www.wabusinessalliance.org/

A Sliding Shower door, for Grown-ups!

As a designer, I am always on the hunt for alternatives to the very standard and very affordable and very dull shower curtain.  Yes, I love glass shower enclosures: frameless, hinged, pivoting, even fixed panels without doors-all are beautiful and functional options.  But because of the less-than thrilling hardware choices and bad memories of hitting my head on the cheap 1970′s glass tub enclosures, the option of a sliding door has always slipped to last on the list.

Until now.  Through our glass subcontractor I was introduced to a sliding shower door system that can free-span wall to wall, has a minimal bottom track and operates like greased butter.  It is made by C.R. Laurence and is comparable in price to a classic fixed panel and hinged door system.  There are in several available finishes and its geometry accommodates a good range of design styles.  So now I have a new arrow in my quiver and will post a picture of the results once we install one!  Happy house dreaming everyone.

Posted by Isaac Spinell, Gaspar’s in house Architect. 

On the Level: FAQ’s on Finishing Your Basement (Part 2)

This year Gaspar’s Construction and Gaspar’s Handyman are doing a lot of affordable improvements in basements while people search for more usable space in their existing home.  Check out part two of this series on questions about remodeling or finishing out your basement.

Vist the “On the Level” page for the entire story and other from Mark Hughes/Production Manager.

Cold Medicine

It has happened again.  I blinked and summer was over!  Fall has been pretty forgiving so far, but it’s beginning to get restless out there and time for winterizing our homes is fast running out.  Our upcoming newsletter will have an extensive discussion of everything that can be done to fully and properly winterize your home.  Here, though, I wanted to mention a few things that YOU can do NOW (or this weekend) to give yourself a DIY running start in preparing your house for the coming La Niña winter cold.

1. Replace those furnace filters!  If you use your furnace’s fan all summer to move air around your house like I do, by now it has trapped and killed more dust bunnies than it can hold.  In order for furnaces to run at their peak efficiency, their airways need to be as clean as possible.  A new filter costs a few bucks and takes a few minutes to install.  Make a note of your filter size, then pick up a new one (or three) now.

2. Unless you have the self draining / frost free hose bibbs on your house, you’ll NEED to cover those things with the latest in foam technology: the $4 foam hose bibb cover available at every hardware and home improvement store in America.  For best results, do this BEFORE the fist big freeze (trust me!!!).  If you have the newer frost free bibbs, make sure to disconnect your hoses from them or they can freeze.

3. It’s no treat, but just go do it: CLEAN those gutters and downspouts!  Its dirty, it’s messy, it’s up on a ladder, and if it’s raining it’s even more fun, but really, cleaning your gutters now will save you a major headache when winter shows its face.  If you have clogged gutters when it freezes, the ice can cause all kinds of problems, not the least of which is damaging the gutters themselves.  Don’t wait until this job goes from irritating to emergency.

These are 3 of the big deals on most winterizing lists that you can take care of on your own and save some money in the process.  Remember while you are cursing up on a ladder, that we do these things as ounces of prevention because if we don’t, we pay a much greater price.  Happy fall and rest easy this winter (I’m sure you’ll hear me grumbling from the top of my ladder this weekend too!)  And if these are things that you just don’t want to do, or you have a gutter that’s a hundred feet up there, or not sure what how to get it done, then just call our service department.  They’ll show up with the perfect ladder and leave your yard clean too.