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StearnsDesignBuild

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So far StearnsDesignBuild has created 204 blog entries.

Smart Choices for Bathroom Flooring

By |2022-08-18T07:58:09-07:00January 30th, 2015|CTA Consultation|

Tile may be the traditional bathroom choice for most, but it’s not the only flooring type that performs well in a wet environment. Like any other flooring, bathroom flooring should be chosen with style, durability, and comfort in mind. A bathroom floor must be able to handle moisture and humidity from daily use and the appearance of sudden leaks.

Check washing machine hoses

By |2015-01-13T17:22:20-08:00January 13th, 2015|CTA Consultation|

This is something that most people ignore until a hose breaks… when they are gone on vacation. We have seen some horrific floods caused in this way. Of course when you are leaving for any period of time, it is a good idea to shut the water to the washing machine off. When inspecting the hoses, turn the valves off and pull the washing machine away from the wall.

Changing AC filters

By |2015-01-13T16:21:15-08:00January 13th, 2015|CTA Consultation|

It is our recommendation that you change AC filters once a month when you are leaving your system on all the time, so you will see this task on our list for most, but not all, months. Changing out the AC filters will extend the life of your system, allow it to operate more efficiently, and even help keep the house clean.

How to Choose the Right Siding for Your Home

By |2014-11-21T19:26:12-08:00November 21st, 2014|CTA Consultation|

Like many building products in existence, choosing the right siding for your home is never as easy as Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Each siding material comes with its own set of features and benefits, both from a sustainability point of view, price, climate appropriateness, and aesthetics. Sadly there is no category wide certification program to use as an overall guide. The first decision for choosing a siding material should come down to what is most suitable and allowable in your market or area of residence. Here is a list of commonly used siding for green-built homes.

Therapeutic Landscape Network

By |2014-11-13T20:22:05-08:00November 13th, 2014|CTA Consultation|

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Naomi Sacks, who runs the Therapeutic Landscape Network. She is currently working on a PhD in Architecture here at TAMU. But her accomplishments exceed that of many who have long had such academic di...stinction. Her book, Therapeutic Landscapes: An Evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces, is available on Amazon. Though Naomi's focus is on landscape design in institutional settings, I look forward to learning as much as I can about her approach and applying it to the residential setting.

Biophilia

By |2014-11-04T17:25:59-08:00November 4th, 2014|CTA Consultation|

To the extent that we seek “green” or sustainable solutions, it is not enough to consider the resources that we use in building, we must consider our relationship to all resources. We must design homes that put us into relationship with life’s resources so that we can become aware of our part of a process of dynamic balance.

Wood, Plastic or Composite: A Customer’s Guide to Decking

By |2014-10-23T14:21:42-07:00October 23rd, 2014|CTA Consultation|

Composites are the new face of deckingThe most notable changes in the decking market have come with the creation of synthetic decking materials. Most synthetics require less maintenance than wood, but are far from perfect. They are more expensive than basic wood decking materials and although much more weather proof than wood, they are not immune to weather damage. No decking is perfect, but the variety of natural wood and synthetic products on the market today are providing both home builders and home owners a longer list of possibilities and options than ever before.

Do you use Houzz.com?

By |2014-08-18T16:36:08-07:00August 18th, 2014|Community, CTA Consultation|

Have you been to Houzz? Houzz is a social media website dealing with home design ideas, from furniture and fabrics to custom and homes and remodeling projects. Houzz is a place for homeowners to browse a database of more than two-million photos of residential interiors and exteriors. Home owners can browse photos by room, style,

Best Energy Retrofit

By |2013-08-17T14:45:57-07:00August 17th, 2013|CTA Consultation|

green building Which is the least expensive energy retrofit? A.  Installing solar panels B.  Replacing existing windows with high efficiency windows C.  Installing energy star appliances D.  Sealing air leaksWhich has the highest ROI? A.  Installing solar panels B.  Replacing existing windows with high efficiency windows C.  Installing energy star appliances D. Sealing air

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