Window Comparison

This chart compares Wood Windows such as Ultimate Windows from Marvin, Vinyl Windows such as Generations windows from Simonton, and Fiberglass Windows Such as Integrity Windows from Marvin.  United Home Experts is a certified installer of all these windows.  You may request a free window quote here.

Wood
Windows		Vinyl
Windows		Fiberglass
Windows
Doesn’t Need Painting / Staining / Treatingcheckmarkcheckmark
Can Be Painted (if desired)checkmarkcheckmark
Rate of Expansion / Contraction (causing gaps)Worst Best
Available with tilt-in sashes for cleaningcheckmarkcheckmarkcheckmark
Thinest Frames / More Glasscheckmark
Highest Level of Beautycheckmark
Initial Cost$$$$$$$$$
Lifetime Cost$$$$$$$$$$$
Initial Beauty 1-10 (Estimated Homeowner Response)1058
Lifetime Beauty 1-10 (Estimated Homeowner Response)848
 # of Factory Exterior Color Options1955
 # of Factory Interior Wood / Color Options552
Insulation ValueGoodGoodGood
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Home Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center

Rhode Island Home Show : Providence, RI

Location:

One Sabin St. Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Dates and time:

Thursday, March 29: 3 pm – 9 pm

Friday, March 30: 3 pm – 9 pm

Saturday, March 31: 10 am – 9 pm

Sunday, April 1: 10 am – 6 pm

Admission:

Adult: $10.00

Senior, 65+: $8.00

Children under 15: free

Directions:

From the North:

I-95 South to exit 22A.  Follow signs to convention center.  Take first right after light.  Take next right, onto Exchange St.  Bear right between hotel and convention center, after next light.  You will arrive at the garage.

From the South:

I-95 North to exit 22A.  Follow signs to convention center.  Take first right after light.  Take next right, onto Exchange St.  Bear right between hotel and convention center, after next light.  You will arrive at the garage.

From the East:

Go I-195 West until it merges with I-95.  Take exit 22A.  I-95 North to exit 22A.  Follow signs to convention center.  Take first right after light.  Take next right, onto Exchange St.  Bear right between hotel and convention center, after next light.  You will arrive at the garage.

From the West:

Go route 6 East to the onramp for route 6 east and I-195 South.  Stay on road until it ends, stay left.  Go to Dean St. exit.  Stay left for when you reach the light.  Turn left onto Dean St. then take your first right onto West Exchange St.  Convention Center Garage ahead.

Parking:

Convention center has a garage.

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10 Great Ideas For Kitchen Cabinets

Interior cabinet organization is a must for every new kitchen. In addition to reducing clutter, having your items easy to find, will help make cooking more enjoyable.  Items should be stored in the first or last point of use,  being easily removed with out having to remove other items first.

Here are 10 of the most requested kitchen cabinet storage ideas:

1. Shallow Depth PantryPAntry

If there is a refrigerator at the end of a cabinetry run, a 9″ deep pantry mounted sideways is a better use of space than the typical 3/4″ end panel.  This pantry features a magnetic white board, pencil holder, coat hooks and a charging station.

charging2.  Electronic Charging Stations

Cell phones have become a standard feature for everyone – young and old  alike.  On the market are various types of chargers for a desk.  This model fits inside a cabinet, along with the keys and backpacks, to help prevent themfrom being forgotten on the morning rush out the door.

3.  Tray Dividers – Although not a new item, it is still a necessity for every kitchen.  These can be used for cutting boards in a basetrays cabinet next to the prep sink, or for cookie sheets above the tall ovens.

base spice4. Base & Wall Pullouts – Typically 3″ or 6″ wide, these spice/oil cabinets fit perfect in the small spaces that can occur in a kitchen plan.  The ideal location is right next to the cook top or range.

5.  Dry Food Storage  – The best use of this cabinet is full depth, full extension rollouts.  While some food pantrycompanies make door racks for smaller items, such as cans, they often can’t open all the way, due to adjacent cabinetry. Keep this simple by adding height adjustable rollouts and place all the dry goods in 1 location.

super6.  Super Cabinet – at 36″ wide, with the rollouts and door racks, all small and hand held appliances can be neatly organized in one spot.

7.  Recycle Bins – Compactors have fallen out of fashion with my clients.  Recycle bins arerecycle constantly being requested, with a minimum of two.  While the large city issued bins are typically stored in the garage, who wants to walk there very time there is a container to dispose?  An 18″ cabinet can handle 2 – 36 quart containers.

tiered cutlery8.  Tiered Cutlery Divider – Every day flatware and cooking utensils can be easily separated and kept handy to the eating area with this solution.  Especially useful for a kitchen with only the minimum of 7 drawers total.

9. Cookbook Recipe Organizer  – Keep your commonly used cookbooks free from flour with this cabinet storagecookbook and under cabinet rack.  All baking ingredients can easily be kept on these shelves.

spce10.  Spice Drawer – keeps all the smaller bottles and tins in one location.  Not an ideal solution if you purchase larger bottles, or buy in bulk.  Best location is in the prep area.

What are your favorite kitchen features?  Any special storage solutions that you are looking for?

Whether you are a gourmet cook, foodie or survivalist, you need a kitchen that works for you, your family and your home.  Creating a kitchen is a very personal experience. With an interior design background, and 15 years kitchen designexperience, Edeisa Kitchen & Bath Studio will provide detailed design solutions to compliment the style of your home. Whether you are working with an architect for an addition or within your existing space, we strive for the most appropriate layout. At Edesia we create and develop your plans, computer generated or hand drawn, elevations and details that will bring your dream kitchen into reality. Take advantage of our free consultation & estimate with competitive pricing. We service a 25 mile radius around Boston MA.

Edesia is the Roman goddess of feasting. We’ll get you cooking.

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Nashoba Valley Home and Garden Show Boxborough MA

2012 Nashoba Valley Home and Garden Show

Location: Holiday Inn Boxborough : 242 Adams Place.  Boxborough, Massachusetts 01719

Dates:

Saturday, March 3rd 2012: 10 am – 6 pm

Sunday, March 4th 2012: 10 am – 5 pm

From Providence, RI: Go North west on US-1 ramp towards Post rd, turn right onto Post rd.  Merge ont RI-37, then merge onto route 95 via exit 4B, merge onto route 495 via exit 6B, then take exit 2B to route 111 and turn left.  Hotel is on the right.

From Logan International Airport: Go on the Massachusetts Turnpike,route 90 West, heading towards 495 North.  Take exit 28, turn left at traffic light.

Admission:

Adults: $6.00

Seniors 60+: $5.00

Kids 16 and under: free

Miscellaneous Information:

Number of booths: 100

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Cost of House Painting

Painting your house is a great way to give it a bit more character.  If you have been thinking about changing the color and style of your house, you might be wondering how expensive it is.  So, how much does it cost to paint your house?paintbrush-pallet_94495

While the amount can vary, you can expect the cost to paint you home to fall somewhere between these values:

Table of Estiamted Painting Costs, in USD

Basic Painting

Normal painting

Fancy, complex painting

Small
Home

$2,000 – $4,000$3,000 – $6,000$5,000 – $12,000+*

Medium
Home

$3,000 – $7,000$5,000 – $10,000$9,000 – $18,000+*

Large
Home

$6,000 – $12,000$5,000 – $18,000$16,000 -$30,000+*

Huge home

$10,000 – $30,000$15,000 – $45,000$25,000 – $70-000+*

What’s in cost of house painting?

For a seemingly simple task, there is a lot that goes into the cost of painting.  A few things that go into the price of a painting job:

  • Type of product being used (latex paint, semi-transparent, solid stain etc.)
  • How tall the house is
  • Whether the house is mostly flat or has complex, curving or narrow spaces
  • The material you are painting on (wood, metal, masonry)
  • How easy it is to access all the surfaces of your home
  • How much prep work is involved
  • whether there are taxes, regulations, small business expenses, etc that boost the cost of owning a painting business

Is painting cheaper than siding?

Siding is usually more expensive than painting your home.  While painting can be done for only a few thousand, you shouldn’t expect to get any siding for less than $9,000.00.  Large homes can easily cost tens of thousands to side with paneling.

As an example, let’s take a medium-sized home with a little prep work.  Siding would cost $16,000-$24,000.  Painting a comparable house would cost $5,000-$10,000.  Of course, the price does depend on the complexity of the job.  If there is lots of damage to the structure of the home that needs to be prepared for painting, that drives the cost up. In that case it might be a little cheaper to just side the house.  But rotten wood is one of the few times that siding might be considered cheaper than painting a home.

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Firm Warnings From an Experienced Massachusetts Roofing Contractor

When choosing a roofing company in Massachusetts it is unbelievably important to do your due diligence. Roofing companies are notorious for shortcuts and various “cost saving” corners they will cut to save money on their bottom line.

Roofers Personal Warranties Are Useless

I would recommend always hiring a roofing contractor that has a warranty backed by the manufacturer.  I firmly believe that companies who do not have warranties backed by the manufacturer provide a useless warranty.  If I had a dollar for every roofing company that has gone out of business in Massachusetts in the last ten years, I would be a rich man. If a company goes out of business, what good is their warranty?  If a manufacturer is willing to stand behind the installer, you can be sure that they are laying down your roof properly.

Shortcut Artists are CriminalsSAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

I feel that a roofing company taking short cuts on your roof is no better than a criminal.  This is because they are promising you one thing, knowing full well that you will not typically see what is under the shingles and will cut corners to save a buck.

Roof Layovers Are a Bad Idea

One common shortcut that happens every day in Massachusetts is a layover of the existing roof.  Layovers do not solve any problems and will usually last a quarter of the time as correctly installed roof.

Skipping the Underlayment

Another common shortcut with roofers in Massachusetts is not placing underlayment on the roof decking.  To go along with this theme is roofers that will skimp out on underlayment or use cheaper alternatives for underlay.  The underlayment is an essential component of a proper roof system.  The proper underlay adds the extra protection your roof needs between the shingles and roof decking.

Roof Ventilation is Key

Ventilation is also a common shortcut for roofers in Massachusetts.  Some roofers will under ventilate, use incorrect ventilation, or use cheaper ventilating products.  When ventilation is not installed correctly, it can cause your house to generate too much heat and moisture.  This can cause the wood on your roof to buckle and form mold.  Improper ventilation is also a major cause of ice dams on a roof.

Roofing Contractor Recommendations

I recommend asking potential roofers lots of questions; ask for referrals, proof of insurance, and request a full scope of their intended work.  A roof is a very large investment and I would hate to see any customer get3 ripped off by a company taking short cuts.

Andy Egdahl is a Roofing Specialist for United Home Experts.

Comments

This is not good advice! In most cases the manufacturer’s warranty does not conver the leading causes of roof leaks – which happens to be contractor errors.
Rather than basing the decision on a warranty, I would suggest consumers do their part to ensure they are hiring a professional who will do the job correctly to begin with. If the roofer does his job correctly you won’t need any warranty.

Posted @ Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:32 PM by John

John, thanks for your comment. Let me clarify the first paragraph. There is a big difference between a roofing shingle warranty (which as you noted is virtually useless) and a roofing system warranty. There ARE in fact roofing system warranties that are backed by the manufacturer which include coverage for labor and workmanship (as you noted that’s most important). These warranties are not available to just anyone but are reserved for a select group of contractors who have gone through the necessary training and are enrolled in the necessary programs. Currently we can offer a full coverage roofing warranty that includes shingles, underlayments, flashing, labor, and workmanship.

Posted @ Tuesday, February 21, 2012 2:02 PM by Peter Martino

I do understand what you are saying but I would encourage all homeowners to thoughly read the warranty so they know what they are getting (and not getting). In some cases the manufacturer’s workmanship warranty will not cover costly items like disposal and metal work. Other warranties claim to only the cost of repairing or replaceing the defective shingle – and not any of the much needed system components. If the roofer does his job correctly, there is no need for this warranty – which does represent a cost to the homeowner. It’s my recommendation that rather than selling your customers on the fact that the manufacturer will back you up in the event that you screw up, why don’t you sell them on how you eliminate the risk of something going wrong to begin with.

Posted @ Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:12 AM by John

John, these are all excellent points and we agree 100%. The only problem is that every roofer that a homeowner meets with is telling them how great they are, and you know as well as I–that many roofers are absolute hacks and most go out of business in less than 2 years. Our approach is explain the intricacies of the installation AND back up our promises with a top notch warranty from a top-notch manufacturer.

Posted @ Thursday, February 23, 2012 11:09 AM by Peter Martino
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Worcester DCU Center Spring Home Show – Central Mass

Worcester Spring Home Show

Meet United Home Experts at This Year’s Premier Home Show at the DCU Center!

Looking to upgrade your home’s siding, roofing, windows, or doors? Visit United Home Experts at the Worcester DCU Center Spring Home Show and explore top-quality home improvement solutions from industry experts.

📍 Event Details

Location: DCU Center – Arena and Convention Center, 50 Foster St, Worcester, MA 01608

🗓 Dates & Times:

  • Friday, March 7: 4 PM – 8 PM
  • Saturday, March 8: 10 AM – 5 PM
  • Sunday, March 9: 10 AM – 4 PM

🎟 Admission:

  • General Admission: $10.00
  • Seniors: $8.00
  • Children 12 and under: Free

🚗 Parking:

Multiple parking lots are available nearby. The recommended garage is at 30 Major Taylor Blvd (corner of MLK Blvd). Please note that no validated parking is available.

⭐ Why Visit Our Booth?

  • ✅ Exclusive Show Specials: Take advantage of limited-time deals only available at the event.
  • ✅ See & Feel Our Premium Materials: View our top-tier siding, roofing, and window products up close.
  • ✅ Expert Consultation: Get professional advice on improving your home’s efficiency and curb appeal.
  • ✅ Giveaway Alert! Stop by our booth for a chance to win a free home improvement consultation and other prizes.

📌 Directions to the DCU Center

  • From the North: Route 12 South → Route 190 South → Route 290 West → Exit 18 → Follow signs to DCU Center.
  • From the East: Route 9 into Worcester → Left on Major Taylor Blvd → DCU Center is on your right after 4 lights.
  • From the South: Route 395 North → Route 290 East → Exit 16 → Left at ramp’s end → DCU Center is on your left after 3 lights.
  • From the West: I-90 East → Bear left after tollbooth → Route 290 East → Exit 16 → Left at ramp’s end → DCU Center is on your left after 3 lights.

💡 Get a Free Home Improvement Consultation

Don’t miss this opportunity to chat with United Home Experts about your next project! Whether you’re considering new siding, roofing, windows, or doors, we’ll help you find the best solutions for your home.

Want to skip the line? Book a free consultation in advance!

📅 Schedule Your Consultation Now

 

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Installing Vinyl Siding Over Wood Clapboard or Shingles

When first exploring a siding installation project many homeowners assume the best way to install vinyl siding is right on top of their existing wood shingles or clapboard.

So let’s answer the questions: “Is it a good idea to install vinyl siding over existing wood shingles or clapboards?”

There have been a few select cases in which we as a company were willing to do this, but it’s rare–probably less than 1% of our siding installations.  So our answer is typically “NO, it’s rarely a good idea to install vinyl siding over wood.” Why?

  1. Hidden Rot, Mold, and Deterioration
  2. Lack of Weather Protection
  3. Adds Thickness to Walls

1. Hidden Rot, Mold, and DeteriorationRotted-wall-under-vinyl-sid

1. Most likely there is more rot, damage, or mold under your existing siding than you ever expected.  Installing another layer of siding would not solve the problem and in fact make it worse. We’ve completed thousands of siding projects over the years and in most cases we find some amount of rot, mold, or deterioration that was undetectable from the surface. It’s not usually widespread (Although is some cases it is), but it’s enough that homeowners are usually shocked at what is found. The second reaction from homeowners is that they’re glad they didn’t just go over the old siding with another layer.

2. Lack of Weather Protection

2. When installing a layer of siding over another layer, you forgo the option to wrap the wall with a moisture protection barrier, also known as a vapor barrier. The most common product is Tyvek®, but there are other products like Typar®, and Everwrap®. Although thin, these products perform a significant duty in protecting your home.  A moisture barrier provides protection from outside moisture, but is breathable in order to let built-up moisture escape from your home.  In conjunction with wall insulation, moisture barriers also reduce draftiness.

3. Adds Undesirable Thickness to Walls

bad-windows-with-vinyl-sidiThe most common practice when installing vinyl siding over existing wood shingles or clapboard is to first put up rigid foam or fan fold.  These products are designed primarily to pad imperfections on the walls so the new layer of siding will lay flatter.  However,this means adding 1/2″ padding, and another 3/4″ or 1″ of siding to your existing wall.  It total you’ve added about 2″ of thickness to the walls which means your windows and doors will be set in more than usual.  Most people consider this a rather unattractive look.

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Northern Rhode Island Home Show Twin River

Location:

100 Twin River Rd. Rt. 146, Lincoln, RI

Hours:

Saturday, February 18th: 10 am – 8 pm

Sunday, February 19th: 10 am – 5 pm

Directions:

From Providence: Take 146N to Twin River Rd.  Exit in Lincoln, RI.

From Smithfield: Follow Rt. 146S to Twin River Rd.  Exit in Lincoln, RI.

Cost:

Admission: $8.00

Kids under 12 are free if accompanied by an adult.

Parking:

Plenty of free parking at the show

About The Show:

The Northern Rhode Island Home Show is now going on its fourth year, and it remains one of the premier new shows in the region.  Attendance has steadily been growing despite the economy.  The Northern Rhode Island Home Show is held at the Twin River Casino and Event Center and features over 200 booths and is sure to be a great draw for all those looking into homes.

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The Most Waterproof and Snow Proof Ridge Vent

This video demonstrates how the external baffle of Shingle-Vent II makes it a better protectant against water infiltration in comparison with several different styles of ridge vents. Architectural Testing Labs tested the consistent reliability of Shingle Vent II by installing each ridge vent according to manufacturers’ instructions on a 4-12 roof. They then monitored the roofs to see how much water leaked through each vent. The video footage reveals how the external baffle of Shingle-Vent II protects the attic from rain infiltration even under drastic wind conditions of 110 mile wind speeds. The external baffle deflects wind over the vent preventing rain infiltration into the attic, while other ridge vents allowed in 2-4 gallons of water. For example, the VentSure ridge vent leaked more than 2 gallons of water, the Roll Vent ridge vent leaked more than 3 1/3, and the RidgeMaster ridge vent leaked more than 3 1/2 gallons. The Shingle-Vent II, on the other hand, with its external baffle did not permit any water to leak into the attic.

In comparison with several different ventilations systems, the Shingle-Vent II ridge vent lets in less water and snow. In considering ridge vents, you may be wondering why having a ridge vent that is weather resistant is so important. If you install a ridge vent that is not weather resistant, water and snow that infiltrates your attic can cause damage there or elsewhere in your house, and you may not even know it is leaking until it’s too late. Be sure to thoroughly investigate your ridge vent options to confirm that you are making a worthwhile investment into improving your home.

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