Author Archives: vlm

People often ask us what finish paint they should use. Generally speaking there is a paint for everything. You can paint vinyl and even glass. On a basic level the sheen (or shine) of a paint is a bit confusing to some people. So we are going to breakdown this mystery for the average person to understand.

Flat or Matte Finish Paint:
. Flat paints are generally used in low traffic areas and ceilings.
. They have the least shine of all the paints (Flat being the lowest).
. They are generally the cheapest paints and the lowest in durability although they have gotten much better in recent years.
. Both paints are the easiest to touch up down the road.
. Best paint sheens for walls with many imperfections

Eggshell Finish Paint:
. Less shine than satin but more then flat and matte. Think of the surface of an actual egg – that’s the finish.
. A little more durable than a flat or matte.
. Great for walls that are in good to moderate shape.
. Our personal preference for kitchens.

Satin Finish Paint:
. Very easy to clean but touching up later on can be tough. Sometimes resulting in repainting an entire area.
. Great for bathrooms and super high traffic areas like mudrooms.
. Not the best for walls that have many imperfections. Imperfections will be enhanced.

Semi-Gloss or Gloss Finish Paint:
. These are the most durable of paints.
. Not meant to be touched up.
. Mainly for trim, doors, cabinets and staircases.
. Not the sheen choice for walls since it reflects light and makes every imperfection stand out.

Let’s look at tips for winterizing your home. Winter Is Coming. Well, not just yet. But Fall is! With getting the kids back to school and getting ready for the holidays it seems to creep up on us quickly. There are a few things that you can do yourself or call a pro to avoid some potential problems and save some money before the winter really hits.

Winterizing Your Home, Tip #1 – Clean your gutters:
Cleaning the gutters can avoid problems such as ice damning or gutters overflowing causing water to pour against the foundation. This can cause basement leaks or foundation cracks as water freezes and is easily avoidable. Investing in gutter guards is always a good option along with making sure that downspouts pour out away from the house. It is generally recommended that downspout pour out 10’ from the foundation.

Winterizing Your Home, Tip #2 – Outdoor Faucets:
Remove any hose connections to any outdoor faucets. If a hose is left connected it can freeze and burst the faucet causing severe problems if not caught immediately. This sort of thing usually happens overnight or even worse when you are not home! Anti-freeze faucets are a great upgrade to protect from a potential issue.

Winterizing Your Home, Tip #3 – Hanging Branches:
Have hanging branches cleared away from the home before disaster strikes. As snow and ice build the potential for damage or injury increases. What may look like a pretty tree close to your home may not be so pretty when it comes through your roof.

Winterizing Your Home, Tip #4 – Protect your Air Conditioner:
The outside fan for your air conditioner is called the “condenser”. Covering it over the Fall and Winter months will keep it out of the elements and prolong the life of your unit.

Winterizing Your Home, Tip #5 – Seal Gaps and Cracks in Masonry:
A foundation crack or missing mortar in brickwork lets water in between the joints which can freeze causing the water to expand. This can cause major damage that can be avoided with little effort if taken care of early on. This is typical on chimneys. It is a good practice to inspect a chimney at least once a year to avoid costly repairs.

This Haddonfield Kitchen Remodeling job turned out to be exactly what the clients were looking for! It’s bright, open and looks as if it has always been there in this 80 year old home. The cabinets are by Saint Martin Cabinetry with quartz counters. The Shaw clay fired farmhouse sink really stands out with the sink base pushed forward. A 12 foot long bank of custom depth wall cabinets were added to an empty wall with some glass panel display doors. In place of their breakfast table we even built them a table from the cabinet material and installed a quartz top to match. The original yellow pine hardwood floors were refinished back to the original color which was a nice change from the dark floors these days. What really tops this kitchen off is the marble mosaic tile backsplash that almost has a floral pattern. We are very proud of this project and can’t wait for the lady of the house to see it! She has been away for the entire project! I’m sure we can all agree that this guy deserves the “Husband Of The Year Award”! Check out our youtube video to get a full walkthrough!

Haddonfield Kitchen Remodeling Job Highlights

• Saint Martin Cabinets
• Quartz Countertops
• Clay Farmhouse Sink
• Custom Matching Table
• Refinished Hardwood Floors
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Haddonfield Kitchen Remodeling Job Photos

Haddonfield Kitchen Remodeling Job Video

“Thank you so much Mike. You run your business like a Swiss clock which is unusual in construction businesses. Whenever I hear of someone who needs work done I always mention Ideal Remodeling…They won’t regret it!”

Project: Exterior Renovation and Kitchen Remodel

“There are not enough words for me to say just how thrilled we are with the work that was done on our home. I showed Mike a picture of what I wanted. His skill, knowledge and craftsmanship led to the finished product. It feels like it’s been there forever and the absolute perfect fit to our home. We highly recommend Mike to anyone looking for home renovations, just a pleasure to work with and his attention to details is impeccable!”

Project: Front Porch Addition

“We are very pleased with the project thus far and we can’t wait to show off your work to our friends and family this summer. I sincerely believe that we could not have chosen a better contractor.”

Project: Kitchen Remodel

“We have used Mike and his team for multiple projects and are consistently happy with both the final product and the service. They are respectful of our time and always make sure everything is top-notch. We strongly recommended Ideal Remodeling!!”

Project: Bathroom Remodel

“We hired Ideal Remodeling to finish our basement and cannot say enough good things about them. We are two fussy people and having them in our home was an absolute pleasure. Without listing every positive adjective, attention to detail, cleanliness, excellent workmanship and results would name just a few. We are looking forward to Ideal completing more projects in our home.”

Project: Basement Remodel

“Dear Mike, Just wanted to tell you what a wonderful experience this has been working with you. Your excellence and fine attention to detail far exceeded our expectations. We felt from day one that you treated this renovation the same as you would your own, this is very, very rare! Since being in this home we have had our share of home improvements, up until now we have never experienced your level of professionalism with you and your crew. Michael, we can’t thank you enough for every beautiful detail, as well as all the much needed responses to my endless uncertainties. You and your crew gave us a place of beauty and comfort to our home. It will be our privilege to refer you to anyone and everyone who is in need of an honest, creative, talented contractor (and many other positive adjectives!) as Ideal Remodeling!”

Project: Basement Remodel