Not Just Carpenters, but Local Craftsmen.

by: Allison Q Guido, CS

Craig and I were fortunate to get to take a few days off over the Fourth of July holiday. We headed to head to central Vermont. As we took our Giovanni to some of the sites like Sugarbush Farm, Simon Pearce Glass, Danforth Pewter, Long Trail and Harpoon Breweries, the Windsor Farmers market, Frozen Memories homemade ice cream and Edgewater Farms I started thinking about how great it was to spend a vacation seeking out small local companies that are making things by hand.

I was so excited to see the skills and talents of these hardworking craftsmen and to be able to support them. We were able to visit the small, local businesses everyone is so hot to talk about these days. These are the companies and people who work in the companies that Small Business Saturday was created to support. They are the Americans making things at home, and giving hope to their employees and neighbors. In a world where we hear so much in the news about outsourcing, it was awesome to be able to stand in a small factory and see things being made.

2011 Team Outing

Then I realized that in many ways my team at Almar is just like all of these fine craftsmen. The skill level and dedication that the Almar team brings to each and every project is outstanding. Just like these various artisans the carpenters and tradesman I work with everyday are building and creating something unique and special.

In remodeling every project is different. There is no “cookie cutter” package. Each renovation is specially designed to serve each homeowner’s unique needs. Every home we work in is that “small factory.” And Almar is lucky enough to have some of the most talented people on the south shore to do that for our clients.

June 2012 Educational Team Meeting

When I sat down to write this blog I didn’t intend for it to be an editorial about how great Almar is, but I did want to share my realization of how special and talented the Almar team is. In a day and age where there is so much focus on locally made, grown, support local businesses I guess I always attributed that to farmers and craft makers but I didn’t fully realize how many other professions also fit that mold.   I have always been proud of my carpenters and remodeling team, but I am just a little more proud of them today as I think about the impact they are making and the legacy they leave behind at each home Almar Building & Remodeling has renovated for the last 53 years and counting.

Reducing Musty Smells in Basement

Utilizing your unfinished basement can be a great idea for adding living space to your house without taking on an addition project. We have had clients finish their basements to make:

· In-Law Apartments
· Wine Cellars
· Family/Playrooms
· Gyms
· Movie Theatres

Entertainment spaces Many people don’t want to finish their basement for fear of trapping a musty smell in the carpet. When finishing your basement one product Almar often recommends is Dri-Core. Dri-Core is a subfloor system that is slightly raised off of the concrete. Because it is slightly raised off of the floor it allows for some air flow between the concrete and flooring. The Dri-Core moisture management system allows any seepage or moisture to channel freely under the Dri-Core subfloor panels to keep floors both warm and dry.

Now Dri-Core doesn’t mean you don’t still need a good foundation system. It is not intended to protect again flooding, but rather normal basement moisture. And depending on your home we might still recommend installing a dehumidifier so that the space is as comfortable as possible.

How do Dri-Core subpanels prevent moisture? Dri-Core’s website states, “DRIcore has an integrate high density polyethylene membrane bonded to the underside of the panel which
provides an excellent moisture barrier. DRIcore has also been designed with Air Gap technology that encourages constant air flow and evaporation of surface moisture emitted from your basement concrete floor.”

So if as you start planning your basement renovation give Almar Building & Remodeling in Hanover Ma a call 781-826-2577 and we can go over all your design and product options to fix your specific wants and needs.

Almar Building & Remodeling Co Inc, was started in 1959. For over 50 years our third generation family business has been serving homeowners on the South Shore Ma (Hanover, Pembroke, Scituate, Hingham, Norwell, Duxbury, Cohasset, Hanson, Abington, Rockland, Plymouth and more) For more information about on how you can work with Almar Building on your upcoming
Renovation (Addition, Kitchen, Bathroom, Basement, Sunroom) then please give
call us at 781-826-2577

http://www.dricore.com (photos utilized from the Dri-Core website)

http://www.almarbuilding.com