A classic colonial transformation was the task at hand. Taking typical compartmentalized rooms and creating an open concept with expansive windows and updating all the finishes not only brought the outside in but also completely reconfigured the flow and sight lines of the home. Set in a tranquil and private setting made maximizing natural light and vistas a priority. The walk-out basement now has open unobstructed views of the sparkling in-ground pool and native landscaping. Contemporary finishes, new custom built-in murphy bed and media wall, as well as a renovated full bath, wet bar and home gym tie the renovation together seamlessly. The first floor overhaul consists of a true open concept kitchen, dining and living spaces. The kitchen was designed without upper cabinets allowing for panoramic outdoor views as well as open and airy work surfaces with tandem islands. A brand new mudroom was designed as the perfect transition between garage and renovated first level. Along with a brand new stair design, wall paneling, renovated powder room, flooring and new light fixtures throughout gave this outdated home a fresh facelift. The exterior's total modification was enhanced with a distinct new entry flanked by substantial stone columns and double height entry. All new siding, windows and spacious deck completed the total improvements and created a truly remarkable before and after project!

With family life and entertaining in mind, we built this 4,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3 full baths and 2 half baths house from the ground up! To fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, we constructed an English Tudor style home, but updated it with a modern, open floor plan on the first floor, bright bedrooms, and large windows throughout the home. What sets this home apart are the high-end architectural details that match the home’s Tudor exterior, such as the historically accurate windows encased in black frames. The stunning craftsman-style staircase is a post and rail system, with painted railings. The first floor was designed with entertaining in mind, as the kitchen, living, dining, and family rooms flow seamlessly. The home office is set apart to ensure a quiet space and has its own adjacent powder room. Another half bath and is located off the mudroom. Upstairs, the principle bedroom has a luxurious en-suite bathroom, with Carrera marble floors, furniture quality double vanity, and a large walk in shower. There are three other bedrooms, with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and an additional hall bathroom. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.

With family life and entertaining in mind, we built this 4,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3 full baths and 2 half baths house from the ground up! To fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, we constructed an English Tudor style home, but updated it with a modern, open floor plan on the first floor, bright bedrooms, and large windows throughout the home. What sets this home apart are the high-end architectural details that match the home’s Tudor exterior, such as the historically accurate windows encased in black frames. The stunning craftsman-style staircase is a post and rail system, with painted railings. The first floor was designed with entertaining in mind, as the kitchen, living, dining, and family rooms flow seamlessly. The home office is set apart to ensure a quiet space and has its own adjacent powder room. Another half bath and is located off the mudroom. Upstairs, the principle bedroom has a luxurious en-suite bathroom, with Carrera marble floors, furniture quality double vanity, and a large walk in shower. There are three other bedrooms, with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and an additional hall bathroom. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.

A classic colonial transformation was the task at hand. Taking typical compartmentalized rooms and creating an open concept with expansive windows and updating all the finishes not only brought the outside in but also completely reconfigured the flow and sight lines of the home. Set in a tranquil and private setting made maximizing natural light and vistas a priority. The walk-out basement now has open unobstructed views of the sparkling in-ground pool and native landscaping. Contemporary finishes, new custom built-in murphy bed and media wall, as well as a renovated full bath, wet bar and home gym tie the renovation together seamlessly. The first floor overhaul consists of a true open concept kitchen, dining and living spaces. The kitchen was designed without upper cabinets allowing for panoramic outdoor views as well as open and airy work surfaces with tandem islands. A brand new mudroom was designed as the perfect transition between garage and renovated first level. Along with a brand new stair design, wall paneling, renovated powder room, flooring and new light fixtures throughout gave this outdated home a fresh facelift. The exterior's total modification was enhanced with a distinct new entry flanked by substantial stone columns and double height entry. All new siding, windows and spacious deck completed the total improvements and created a truly remarkable before and after project!

With family life and entertaining in mind, we built this 4,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3 full baths and 2 half baths house from the ground up! To fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, we constructed an English Tudor style home, but updated it with a modern, open floor plan on the first floor, bright bedrooms, and large windows throughout the home. What sets this home apart are the high-end architectural details that match the home’s Tudor exterior, such as the historically accurate windows encased in black frames. The stunning craftsman-style staircase is a post and rail system, with painted railings. The first floor was designed with entertaining in mind, as the kitchen, living, dining, and family rooms flow seamlessly. The home office is set apart to ensure a quiet space and has its own adjacent powder room. Another half bath and is located off the mudroom. Upstairs, the principle bedroom has a luxurious en-suite bathroom, with Carrera marble floors, furniture quality double vanity, and a large walk in shower. There are three other bedrooms, with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and an additional hall bathroom. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.

With family life and entertaining in mind, we built this 4,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3 full baths and 2 half baths house from the ground up! To fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, we constructed an English Tudor style home, but updated it with a modern, open floor plan on the first floor, bright bedrooms, and large windows throughout the home. What sets this home apart are the high-end architectural details that match the home’s Tudor exterior, such as the historically accurate windows encased in black frames. The stunning craftsman-style staircase is a post and rail system, with painted railings. The first floor was designed with entertaining in mind, as the kitchen, living, dining, and family rooms flow seamlessly. The home office is set apart to ensure a quiet space and has its own adjacent powder room. Another half bath and is located off the mudroom. Upstairs, the principle bedroom has a luxurious en-suite bathroom, with Carrera marble floors, furniture quality double vanity, and a large walk in shower. There are three other bedrooms, with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and an additional hall bathroom. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.

A classic colonial transformation was the task at hand. Taking typical compartmentalized rooms and creating an open concept with expansive windows and updating all the finishes not only brought the outside in but also completely reconfigured the flow and sight lines of the home. Set in a tranquil and private setting made maximizing natural light and vistas a priority. The walk-out basement now has open unobstructed views of the sparkling in-ground pool and native landscaping. Contemporary finishes, new custom built-in murphy bed and media wall, as well as a renovated full bath, wet bar and home gym tie the renovation together seamlessly. The first floor overhaul consists of a true open concept kitchen, dining and living spaces. The kitchen was designed without upper cabinets allowing for panoramic outdoor views as well as open and airy work surfaces with tandem islands. A brand new mudroom was designed as the perfect transition between garage and renovated first level. Along with a brand new stair design, wall paneling, renovated powder room, flooring and new light fixtures throughout gave this outdated home a fresh facelift. The exterior's total modification was enhanced with a distinct new entry flanked by substantial stone columns and double height entry. All new siding, windows and spacious deck completed the total improvements and created a truly remarkable before and after project!

This existing home was originally built circa 1919, and was ready for a major renovation. As was characteristic of the period in which the home was built, the existing spaces were small and closed in. The design concept included removing walls on first floor for a thoroughly updated and open living / dining / kitchen space, as well as creating a new first floor powder room and entry. Great care was taken to preserve and embrace original period details, including the wood doors and hardware (which were all refinished and reused), the existing stairs (also refinished), and an existing brick pier was exposed to restore some of the home’s inherent charm. The existing wood flooring was also refinished to retain the original details and character. Photo Credit: Steve Dolinsky

This all white galley kitchen is crisp and bright. The backsplash is handmade porcelain white subway tiles with a crackle finish, which is a perfect accent for the white quartz counters and white cabinets. The bumped-out sink is housed in a furniture-grade valance and adds another dimension to the space. Storage is the name of the game in this kitchen, including convenient drawers under the range. Oiled bronze lighting and galvanized steel cabinet pulls complete this room’s sleek look. This farmhouse style home in West Chester is the epitome of warmth and welcoming. We transformed this house’s original dark interior into a light, bright sanctuary. From installing brand new red oak flooring throughout the first floor to adding horizontal shiplap to the ceiling in the family room, we really enjoyed working with the homeowners on every aspect of each room. A special feature is the coffered ceiling in the dining room. We recessed the chandelier directly into the beams, for a clean, seamless look. We maximized the space in the white and chrome galley kitchen by installing a lot of custom storage. The pops of blue throughout the first floor give these room a modern touch. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

With family life and entertaining in mind, we built this 4,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3 full baths and 2 half baths house from the ground up! To fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, we constructed an English Tudor style home, but updated it with a modern, open floor plan on the first floor, bright bedrooms, and large windows throughout the home. What sets this home apart are the high-end architectural details that match the home’s Tudor exterior, such as the historically accurate windows encased in black frames. The stunning craftsman-style staircase is a post and rail system, with painted railings. The first floor was designed with entertaining in mind, as the kitchen, living, dining, and family rooms flow seamlessly. The home office is set apart to ensure a quiet space and has its own adjacent powder room. Another half bath and is located off the mudroom. Upstairs, the principle bedroom has a luxurious en-suite bathroom, with Carrera marble floors, furniture quality double vanity, and a large walk in shower. There are three other bedrooms, with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and an additional hall bathroom. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.

This existing home was originally built circa 1919, and was ready for a major renovation. As was characteristic of the period in which the home was built, the existing spaces were small and closed in. The design concept included removing walls on first floor for a thoroughly updated and open living / dining / kitchen space, as well as creating a new first floor powder room and entry. Great care was taken to preserve and embrace original period details, including the wood doors and hardware (which were all refinished and reused), the existing stairs (also refinished), and an existing brick pier was exposed to restore some of the home’s inherent charm. The existing wood flooring was also refinished to retain the original details and character. The kitchen was completely renovated to introduce all of the modern conveniences, and the existing wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed to create an open kitchen / dining space. Photo Credit: Steve Dolinsky

This existing home was originally built circa 1919, and was ready for a major renovation. As was characteristic of the period in which the home was built, the existing spaces were small and closed in. The design concept included removing walls on first floor for a thoroughly updated and open living / dining / kitchen space, as well as creating a new first floor powder room and entry. Great care was taken to preserve and embrace original period details, including the wood doors and hardware (which were all refinished and reused), the existing stairs (also refinished), and an existing brick pier was exposed to restore some of the home’s inherent charm. The existing wood flooring was also refinished to retain the original details and character. The kitchen was completely renovated to introduce all of the modern conveniences, and the existing wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed to create an open kitchen / dining space. Photo Credit: Steve Dolinsky

About this Project: The home remodeling included a kitchen renovation, second floor space reconfigurations, and first floor addition. The purpose was to expand the existing kitchen and create a casual atmosphere by eliminating the formal appearance and unify the kitchen and family room. The homeowners were looking for a traditional kitchen that could be used for dining, entertaining, doing homework while providing ample storage space and a workstation area for bill paying. Demolition was necessary of the existing kitchen and partial exterior of the back of the house and excavation for the addition. The scope of work included new painted kitchen cabinetry and dramatic Cambria stone countertops, new tigerwood exotic hardwood flooring throughout the first floor, new recessed, hanging & under cabinet lighting, and painting of the first floor. The wall paint ushers in a vibrant yet relaxing feeling to the home. Painting existing trim and moldings throughout the first floor refreshes & updates the home. The hardwood flooring flows from the front door to the back door of the first floor and adds a cozy warmth to the home. The finished result is a stunning, warm, spacious kitchen for family and friends to gather. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testmonial: "I wanted to let you know once again how thrilled we are with the work J. Francis Company recently completed on our home. When we purchased the house we were not convinced that it could become our "home". However after all the work has now been completed we both easily refer to it as our "Home" and not just a house. Your entire team truly made the project - which is never easy - almost enjoyable (or at least as enjoyable a project can be while living without a kitchen!)! Not only was J. Francis extremely professional with respect to the actual construction (JK was absolutely fantastic!!) and the selection of finishes, but they also provided design ideas which we never envisioned. For example the concept of increasing the size of one of our son's bedrooms by taking space from our other son's bedroom was ingenious and in turn it created two equally sized bedrooms which are loved by each of our boys! All told, I would strongly recommend J. Francis to anyone looking for construction needs (in fact I have already made such a recommendation!)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photography © Steven Dietz

Artsy + Airy Open Concept Living - Working with an open concept space can have its advantages...spaces often appear larger, lots of natural sunlight, great for entertaining. However, often times, the caviot is that you have to commit to a concept and keep it cohesive throughout, which can present some challenges when it comes to design. Collectively, the entry, dining, living and kitchen were all open to the centered stairwell that somewhat divided the spaces. Creating a color palette that could work throughout the main floor was simple once the window treatment fabric was discovered and locked down. Golds, purples and accent of turquoise in the chairs the homeowner already owned, creating an interesting color way the moment you entered through the front door. Infusing texture with the citron sea grass-grass cloth wall covering, consistent with the fireplace/TV combo, creating one focal point in each space is key to your survival with an open floor plan. [if you would like 4 Simple tips on creating one focal point with a fireplace and TV click here!] A great layout and spacial plan will create an even flow between spaces, creating a space within a space. Create small interesting and beautifully styled spaces to inspire conversation and invite guests in. Here are our favorite project images!

About this Project: The home remodeling included a kitchen renovation, second floor space reconfigurations, and first floor addition. The purpose was to expand the existing kitchen and create a casual atmosphere by eliminating the formal appearance and unify the kitchen and family room. The homeowners were looking for a traditional kitchen that could be used for dining, entertaining, doing homework while providing ample storage space and a workstation area for bill paying. Demolition was necessary of the existing kitchen and partial exterior of the back of the house and excavation for the addition. The scope of work included new painted kitchen cabinetry and dramatic Cambria stone countertops, new tigerwood exotic hardwood flooring throughout the first floor, new recessed, hanging & under cabinet lighting, and painting of the first floor. The wall paint ushers in a vibrant yet relaxing feeling to the home. Painting existing trim and moldings throughout the first floor refreshes & updates the home. The hardwood flooring flows from the front door to the back door of the first floor and adds a cozy warmth to the home. The finished result is a stunning, warm, spacious kitchen for family and friends to gather. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testmonial: "I wanted to let you know once again how thrilled we are with the work J. Francis Company recently completed on our home. When we purchased the house we were not convinced that it could become our "home". However after all the work has now been completed we both easily refer to it as our "Home" and not just a house. Your entire team truly made the project - which is never easy - almost enjoyable (or at least as enjoyable a project can be while living without a kitchen!)! Not only was J. Francis extremely professional with respect to the actual construction (JK was absolutely fantastic!!) and the selection of finishes, but they also provided design ideas which we never envisioned. For example the concept of increasing the size of one of our son's bedrooms by taking space from our other son's bedroom was ingenious and in turn it created two equally sized bedrooms which are loved by each of our boys! All told, I would strongly recommend J. Francis to anyone looking for construction needs (in fact I have already made such a recommendation!)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photography © Steven Dietz

About this Project: The home remodeling included a kitchen renovation, second floor space reconfigurations, and first floor addition. The purpose was to expand the existing kitchen and create a casual atmosphere by eliminating the formal appearance and unify the kitchen and family room. The homeowners were looking for a traditional kitchen that could be used for dining, entertaining, doing homework while providing ample storage space and a workstation area for bill paying. Demolition was necessary of the existing kitchen and partial exterior of the back of the house and excavation for the addition. The scope of work included new painted kitchen cabinetry and dramatic Cambria stone countertops, new tigerwood exotic hardwood flooring throughout the first floor, new recessed, hanging & under cabinet lighting, and painting of the first floor. The wall paint ushers in a vibrant yet relaxing feeling to the home. Painting existing trim and moldings throughout the first floor refreshes & updates the home. The hardwood flooring flows from the front door to the back door of the first floor and adds a cozy warmth to the home. The finished result is a stunning, warm, spacious kitchen for family and friends to gather. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testmonial: "I wanted to let you know once again how thrilled we are with the work J. Francis Company recently completed on our home. When we purchased the house we were not convinced that it could become our "home". However after all the work has now been completed we both easily refer to it as our "Home" and not just a house. Your entire team truly made the project - which is never easy - almost enjoyable (or at least as enjoyable a project can be while living without a kitchen!)! Not only was J. Francis extremely professional with respect to the actual construction (JK was absolutely fantastic!!) and the selection of finishes, but they also provided design ideas which we never envisioned. For example the concept of increasing the size of one of our son's bedrooms by taking space from our other son's bedroom was ingenious and in turn it created two equally sized bedrooms which are loved by each of our boys! All told, I would strongly recommend J. Francis to anyone looking for construction needs (in fact I have already made such a recommendation!)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photography © Steven Dietz

Things To Know About Traditional And Structural Steel Home Construction Constructing a home is not an easy task. It requires a lot of planning. Traditional ways to construct a home would include stick framing, wherein the frame would be setup and the skeleton of the home would be created followed by building each floor and finally the roof. Another method is using concrete. Though this is widely used worldwide it is not used that prominently in US homes. Though the traditional methods of construction are good, a new and energy efficient construction method has come into being namely structural steel home construction. The advantages of structural steel for building homes are manifold. Firstly steel is very strong and in the construction business steel is used because it combines strength with flexibility. A home is prone to various types of stresses and steel because it adapts well to the stress levels is able to withstand these external pressures. In fact, the ability of steel to adapt is the main reason that it is preferred in earthquake prone areas. Big buildings and bridges are made of steel because steel is able to handle stress. Another advantage is that unlike wood steel is fire proof. Usually wooden homes are prone to fire hazards hence steel is a better option. Steel can exist for a number of years without causing any problems. If taken care of properly and if rust is prevented then steel structures can last for a very long time. Steel is environment friendly and steel can be recycled and put to use again and again. If you need to make renovations or if you need to change the whole building setup then you can do so easily as the steel can be recycled and redone to suit the changes you require. Structural steel construction has also come a long way. Earlier everything was done on site, but now the steel structure is fabricated in factories and just assembled on the building site. In fact, structural steel construction has advanced so much that the whole building is created in the factory and is setup on the building site using cranes. Structural steel construction has very low environmental impact and it is also very energy efficient. Structural steel construction is not just widely used in the residential arena but also in commercial, industry and military too. However, the biggest advantage that structural steel construction has over other traditional home construction methods is the time saved. If a traditional home construction method takes 6 months to build, the same home using structural steel construction would take only 3 months. You will benefit immensely by saving time. In conclusion, we can safely say that choosing a structural steel home is the better option as it will save time and money without compromising on quality.

About this Project: The home remodeling included a kitchen renovation, second floor space reconfigurations, and first floor addition. The purpose was to expand the existing kitchen and create a casual atmosphere by eliminating the formal appearance and unify the kitchen and family room. The homeowners were looking for a traditional kitchen that could be used for dining, entertaining, doing homework while providing ample storage space and a workstation area for bill paying. Demolition was necessary of the existing kitchen and partial exterior of the back of the house and excavation for the addition. The scope of work included new painted kitchen cabinetry and dramatic Cambria stone countertops, new tigerwood exotic hardwood flooring throughout the first floor, new recessed, hanging & under cabinet lighting, and painting of the first floor. The wall paint ushers in a vibrant yet relaxing feeling to the home. Painting existing trim and moldings throughout the first floor refreshes & updates the home. The hardwood flooring flows from the front door to the back door of the first floor and adds a cozy warmth to the home. The finished result is a stunning, warm, spacious kitchen for family and friends to gather. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Testmonial: "I wanted to let you know once again how thrilled we are with the work J. Francis Company recently completed on our home. When we purchased the house we were not convinced that it could become our "home". However after all the work has now been completed we both easily refer to it as our "Home" and not just a house. Your entire team truly made the project - which is never easy - almost enjoyable (or at least as enjoyable a project can be while living without a kitchen!)! Not only was J. Francis extremely professional with respect to the actual construction (JK was absolutely fantastic!!) and the selection of finishes, but they also provided design ideas which we never envisioned. For example the concept of increasing the size of one of our son's bedrooms by taking space from our other son's bedroom was ingenious and in turn it created two equally sized bedrooms which are loved by each of our boys! All told, I would strongly recommend J. Francis to anyone looking for construction needs (in fact I have already made such a recommendation!)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photography © Steven Dietz

This job was carried out in a terraced property in Llanelli which had a Victorian Tiled Hallway laid in a diamond pattern that looking worse for wear and in need of some attention. The clients were a young couple who had moved in two years previously and had only recently decided they wanted the floor renovated. This was earlier in the year, so I was able to pop over to the property and take a detailed look at the floor before recommending a course of action to renovate the tiles. Upon arrival the first thing we noticed was that the border had been laid with an inconsistent pattern, non- matching tiles had been patched in essentially filling voids as you can see in the images. The floor wasn’t terribly dirty however it wasn’t very clean either. I discussed with the client replacing the non-matching tiles, so the floor pattern was uniform however they decided against it and were happy to just to have it cleaned and sealed. We can usually source either reclaimed original tiles or some great reproduction ones, so most floors can be restored if needed. I worked out a quote for the work and they were happy to go ahead. If you have never been you should know that Llanelli is the largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire and famous for Rugby and the production of Tin. It is located on the Loughor Estuary, some 10 miles from Swansea and 12 miles from Carmarthen. With no tiling to do the first job was to protect the woodwork such as skirting and staircase with tape. Once done the process of cleaning began with the application of a 400-grit burnishing pad fitted to a buffing machine. The process is lubricated with water and the pad run over the whole floor two to three times to remove dirt and refine the appearance of the tile. Even after the first application of the pad we could see a massive improvement to the appearance of the tiles. To get right into the edges of the tiled floor we use a 400-grit handheld diamond block, this proved especially useful under the stairs where our buffer machine could not reach. During this process, the water turns into a fine slurry which is rinsed off with more water and extracted with a wet vacuum. On this occasion the floor was not dirty enough to require any chemicals, the use of water and the machine was enough to get the floor cleaned up. This job was very straight forward, and we did not run into any problems at all. After allowing the floor to dry out for 24 hours we returned to seal the tiles checking first that the floor was sufficiently dry first using a damp meter. Fortunately, the burnishing method uses a lot less water than a chemical clean, so I was able to get straight on with sealing. The client wanted a satin sheen finish, so I applied four coats of Tile Doctors Seal and Go which works well on Victorian tiles. The sealer really put the life back into the tiles and will protect them from staining going forward. It will also make the floor much easier to maintain and keep it looking good for much longer. I’m pleased to say the owners were very happy with the floor and recommended us to one of their friends who we also did some work for. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is an everyday tile cleaning product that is sealer friendly and not prematurely reduce the life of the sealer which can happen with many household cleaning products which are simply too strong. Adrian Iacono Swansea Tile Doctor