Fire damaged houses spike in the winter for a variety of reasons so here are some tips to avoid fires this winter season as well as general tips for the year.

• Avoid placing combustible objects (example: trash, newspapers and rags) away from your fireplace, stove or heater. 
• Make sure that portable space heater have a UL mark on them because this means that the heater has a safety switch that turns the heater off if it tips over.
• Your fireplace needs a secure screen that will prevent sparks from flying out in to the room.
• Make annual maintenance repairs to your chimney and have it cleaned because the build up of creosote in the chimney can catch fire and cause major damage to your home.
• Grease fires are some of the most common fires so please keep your stove clean so that grease can not build up and ignite.  If you have a grease fire, do not spray water on it for this will only spread the fire.  The safest option is to evacuate the house because it takes a lot of baking powder to extinguish a fire.  If the fire is only in the skillet, cover the skillet with a lid but be careful when using a glass pan because that can break from the pressure of the heat.
• As always, smoking inside causes many potentially dangerous situations.  Always check your furniture for smoldering cigarette butts and be sure that cigarettes are fully extinguished when done smoking.  Do not smoke late at night when you could potentially fall asleep with a lit cigarette.

Please be safe this year.

    Here at CSI we are wishing you all a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.

    We have just uploaded the photos of the house on 44th Street we are remodeling.  The photos are of the house before we started working and during the demolitioning and framing.  The website is proving a little difficult to configure but we will soon have albums for our different houses that we remodel.  Right now, we have started the basic process of framing and deciding how the layout will be in the end, but we are taking some time to figure out how we are going to decorate the kitchen and bathroom.  We want to make these parts of the house our strongest selling points for buyers and therefore we are paying extra attention to them. 

    Just a week ago we received a call from a couple that had driven their car into the back of their garage.  They had called us because we had done a job for them about ten years ago.  They also wanted us to look at their roof because of the storm that had passed.  We decided that the roof was damaged by hail and now they have a new roof on their house that has ensured there will be no leaks in the future and has updated their house.  With just a couple coats of paint we will be done with their house and moving our carpenter to a new job.    

     After the storms that ran through the plains states, we have been putting on new roofs for many people lately because of the hail and wind damage.  It is sometimes difficult to notice hail damage but it is a good idea to take a look at your roof after every major storm that blows through.  What you need to look for are small dents in the shingles and the vents.  Also, look at the fascia (the metal or vinyl sheets that are just below the roof on the exterior walls of your house) and make sure that that has not also been damaged by hail.  If you do this now, you won't run in to any trouble if you ever want to sell your house and you could put a stop to potential leaks in your roof well before there is damage to the rest of your house.  If you do think that there is possible damage to your house, then please call us at (405) 427-1300 and we will take care of you.

    As we attempt to step into this new decade, with only a year and a half to spare, we will keep you apprised of all the projects we will be working on including the new house we have bought and are now remodeling.  This house is located at 3605 NW 44th St off of Portland and it truly gives us a chance to show off our creativity and ability to modernize houses.  To look at our past remodels, you can visit our realtor's website at www.lindajstewart.com and look for 1534 NW 34th Street and 1617 NW 34th Street, OKC, OK which are now up for sale.  We will try to post some pictures of that on this site itself as well.  That is all for today but look forward to future posts.

General tips for hiring contractors include:

• Get a written estimate. Compare services and prices before making a final decision. Also, read the fine print. Some contractors charge a fee for a written estimate, which is often applied to the cost of subsequent repairs. 

• Check references. Contractors should be willing to provide names of previous customers. Call several former customers who had similar work done to make sure they were satisfied with the job.

• Ask for proof of insurance. Make sure the contractor carries general liability insurance and workers' compensation. If the contractor is not insured, the homeowner may be liable for accidents that occur on the property.

• Use reliable, licensed contractors. Call your local Better Business Bureau to inquire about a business before signing a contract.

• Insist on a written contract. A complete contract should clearly state all tasks to be performed, all associated costs and the payment schedule. Never sign a blank contract or one with blank spaces. Make sure the contract clearly states who will pay for all materials and will apply for the necessary permits or licenses. Have a lawyer review the contract if substantial costs are involved, and keep a copy for your records.

• Get guarantees in writing. Any guarantees made by the contractor should be written into the contract. The guarantee should clearly state what is guaranteed, who is responsible for the guarantee and how long the guarantee is valid.

• Obtain a local building permit, if required. Permits may be required for site work other than demolition and for reconstruction. Contact your local government for permit information.

• Make final payments only after the work is completed. Do not sign completion papers or make the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction. A reputable contractor will not threaten you or pressure you to sign if the job is not finished properly.

• Pay by check. Avoid on-the-spot cash payments. The safest route is to write a check to the contracting company. A reasonable down payment is 30 percent of the total cost of the project, to be paid upon initial delivery of materials. Federal law gives consumers a three-day "cooling off" period for unsolicited door-to-door sales of more than $25.

• If necessary, cancel a contract in the proper manner. This should be done within three business days of signing. Be sure to follow the procedures for cancellation that are set out in the contract. Send the notification by registered mail with a return receipt to be signed by the contractor.

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