Half Way through Summer!

4th of July is upon us this week and for me that means running around like a crazy person getting my daughter ready to go back to school (Yea year round schools!) trying to catch up on things that haven't gotten checked off the to do list yet and squeezing in those last few activities before our school year starts!  So this blog is short and sweet.  Simply put...stop by our facebook page to check out updated pictures.  The last few days I have been trying to release all those trapped photos of jobs and projects off the camera.  So Swing by, take a look and leave a comment!!  Just click on the link to the right ------->!

Hoping everyone has a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

Our Back Yard Retreat

As many of you read in a previous blog post The Armstrong house has been working out our outdoor space spruce up this spring!  I wanted to share with you all the relaxing retreat that is as close to done as it is going to get for now :)!  I am an ongoing project person so no project is ever fully complete, just complete for now...there are always new ideas to try, right!  Both Ryan and I have so many ideas and thoughts of what we want to do with our outdoor space I am not sure we will ever be fully done.

I am ashamed to share with you how this space looked as the spring began, but in order to truly appreciate how this looks now you must see where it began.  Our deck was in desperate need of some TLC, and this spring it got it.

With the deck not only defining our space but it being the back drop and "bones" of our space it needed a face lift.  We took our deck through the same process we use on all of our clients' decks.  With the trend in dark wood tones I decided the Mahogany color would give us the look and feel we wanted for our outdoor room.

Once the deck refinishing was complete it was time for my favorite part...the decorating!  There are so many great products in stores for outdoor spaces now.  Being "Martha Jr." there are so many great things you can make as well!  Our space is filled with things that have been made over the years and purchased.  With the goal of putting them all together to create a cozy, inviting and relaxing space where we can spend many summer evenings.

When setting up our space, I worked to try to create intimate seating areas that flow together into one space.  We live in your average track home suburban neighborhood, so space is not abundant.

The heart of our space is our dining area under the pergola; this is the first part of the space you enter from the house so it has to be welcoming and very inviting.  I originally planted two grape vines years ago to cover the top of the pergola not only for appearance but for shade as well.  Our deck has southern exposure so adding curtains to the pergola not only add to the feeling of the space but provide some extra shade from both morning and afternoon sun.  We updated our curtains this year with some wonderful ones that were purchased from Ikea.  Hanging a candelabra chandelier and some lanterns we had originally purchased for our wedding from the top of the pergola provide interest and a wonderful warm glow in the evenings.

In addition to the candle light, the specially designed outdoor lamp in the corning not only makes this feel like another room of the house but adds additional light to the space as well in the evenings.  Ryan wants me to point out the Red Smoker in the back of the picture!  Let's face it digging into a big pile of smoked ribs is the perfect way to enjoy the deck!

Setting up a two person seating area across from the grill and right by the new fountain (more on that in a moment!) provides not only an intimate conversation area but a place for people to sit and chat with the grill master as we cook up some delicious grub!

When Ryan and I met we instantly bonded over a mutual love of Estes Park.  This year I decided to bring the sound of the brook that runs by our favorite place to stay to our backyard by creating this fountain.  I purchased a large urn, went to my favorite home improvement store to buy a fountain pump and used an over abundance of river rock by the side of our house to create a fountain in an afternoon and for only $42.

After removing and old and dilapidated hot tub we were left with a cement slab that we have transformed into a small patio and area for our chiminea. With two zero gravity recliners, aka Lazy Boys for the outside, a small side table, planters of petunias for pops of color and a small beach umbrella for a little shade this place is perfect to kick back and relax!  The two lanterns hung from the umbrella not only give the area more interest but are quite nice in the evening!

With a fire burning, the sound of the fountain, the warm glow of the candles and my patio containers and hanging baskets of flowers, and a beautifully refinished deck this is our favorite place to relax and unwind.  Heck since I work from home and now that everything is wireless I may just make this my new office this summer!

Tips For a Smooth and Successful Relationship With Your Service Professionals

Having worked with many homeowners, different personalities and many different situations I began thinking last night about some of our most successful jobs at The Superior Finish.  As I am very analytical I started thinking about what made those jobs so smooth and successful...the funny thing is as I thought about what those jobs had in common I found that some of those very things also made some of the Real Estate transactions I worked with in my years in Real Estate some of the most successful also.
Below are a few tips on working with any service professional!

-"Knowing that communications will be flowing freely throughout the project tends to lessen homeowner anxiety and makes getting through the remodeling process a little easier."-www.bhg.com

For years in real estate the one saying I heard over and over and eventually used over and over is Location, Location, Location.  Well I am switching this unbreakable "Law" to Communication,communication, communication.  Communicate with your service professional, a good service professional will communicate back with you.  This not only lessens the homeowner anxiety, this lessens your professionals anxiety as well.  A good professional worries about providing a great service and having an happy client as well.  Let your service professional know what it is your are looking for, if they are playing guessing games you both could end up in a miserable situation.  If you have questions, ask.  Don't be afraid to send an email or pick up the phone. When everyone is on the same page the likelihood of a happy transaction is significantly increased.

-"You certainly hear stories of homeowners springing for pizza after a long day of work, but this is hardly a necessity. In most cases, your contractors will appreciate calm, respectful communication and the occasional compliment just as much as they would a slice of pepperoni." -Servicemagic.com "The Power of Acknowledgment" by Jon Nunan

While on the same wave as communication how you communicate is just as important as how often you communicate.  You professional should communicate with you in a professional friendly manor and to have a successful and efficient transaction or project the homeowner should strive to communicate the same way.  There is that old saying "you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar".  Work with your service professional as a team member, and speak to them as such.  The truth is you are at team, they are doing the work, you are the one with the vision on the project.  If you are short, rude, condescending and unprofessional you will immediately put your professional on guard.  Instead of concentrating on getting the job done they are worrying about your next interaction and often times trying to avoid it.  This can often lead to the professional mirroring the same tone and communication style as you portray leading to a very tense situation all the way around.  If your professional starts off communications with an unprofessional, unfriendly and rude manor from the get go question if this is the right professional for you.

-"Many of the problems that occur during building and remodeling are simply out of your contractor's control. The renovation contractor you hire has very little say in what materials his or her suppliers have in stock, what the weather is going to be like, and who calls in sick; blaming your contractor for such issues is not only unfair: it's counterproductive."Servicemagic.com "What to Do When a Job Goes Wrong" by Jon Nunan

Those professionals who take pride in their work and are looking out for the Homeowner's or client's best interests get just as frustrated with glitches beyond their control.  Those professionals make decisions in the client's best interests and that may not always be the most immediately gratifying decision.  We sometimes have to postpone a job due to poor weather conditions, a job will get delayed due to unseen poor workmanship by a previous professional and we want to get the job done.  More importantly we want to do the job right, and if the conditions hinder the job getting done right it is better for our client to postpone or for us to take our time to do it right.  This happens in many professions, if your service professional is trustworthy they will let you know if there is a problem and that the unpopular decision is for the best.  An untrustworthy person will push through just to collect a check and you will end up with a less than stellar result.  This isn't to say that you should not hold the professional accountable if the problem is clearly a result of their actions.  Everyone makes mistakes, a trustworthy professional will do what they can to make it right and going back to communication if the the communication lines are open and respectful then your professional will be more apt to go out of their way to right any wrongs.

-"The easiest way to create a good environment during remodeling projects is to treat those working on your home with the same respect that you'd treat anyone else you've invited into your house. Sure, these folks are getting paid to be there, but that doesn't mean hospitality won't make a difference. Personal space is a must for you as well as your hired crew; just as you wouldn't stand over an artist, hard at work at his easel, and ask "Why did you make that brushstroke?", you have to give your crew the freedom to do their job."-Servicemagic.com "The Best Way to a Smooth Remodeling Project" by Jon Nunan

You hired your professional for a reason, what ever that reason may be.  If you have communicated clearly, the lines are open in both directions and are respectful the service professional will be hard at work to complete your project or transaction and make you happy.  Hoovering while work is being done does not only hinder the process but can be dangerous as well.  It can be dangerous for you as well as the professionals doing the work.  If you are out hanging out in a work zone the crew can be worrying about your safety and not focusing on the job at hand.  Many home improvement projects involve tools that can cause injury if full concentration is not used.  There is often debris, tools and supplies that can easily be tripped over.  If you would like to see how a project is going approach the lead person on site and tell them you would like to take and look and let that professional get the area safe for you and them.  We have run into a few homeowners who have offered to "help" on a project, again we are looking out for your best interests.  Most liability insurance will only cover the people working for the company, if you are out there with a tool and something goes wrong the professional will not be covered, the damage will not be covered and you are not covered...everyone will be in a real mess.  We love when homeowners do come out to chat, again it's that communication thing, and there are lots of great homeowners out there that we love to get to know.  Just let your professional know when you would like to come out to make sure the area is safe for everyone.

- Finally many professionals are constantly working against a predisposed judgement of their profession.  There are a lot of great Lawyers, Sales people, CEOs, Insurance professionals, and contractors out there.  Almost every profession has a stigma.  Give your professional a chance to show they are one of the good ones without automatically assuming they are just like everyone else.  If the communication lines are open and everyone is respectful you could end up being extremely happy.  If you have a good relationship with your professional you might be surprised with how they will go "the extra mile" for you.  A good professional will do the job and will do it right.  A good professional with a positive relationship will in Disney's words "Bump the Lamp" for their client(http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2000/03/20/editorial5.html), In short go that extra mile for their client even if the client may not necessarily notice right away.

The Outdoor Space Remodel

There really is something about Spring, just watching the earth come alive again reinvigorates the soul.  For my husband and I this means it is getting closer to evening meals on the deck, lounging after a long day in our matching zero gravity outdoor recliners by the outdoor fireplace and hopefully some wonderful Family gatherings.  That being said in order to get to that point...we even need to make a few upgrades :)!

We have fully embraced the trend of outdoor living spaces!  Why not after all, what else can you do to your home that adds instant square footage without a 6 month building project.  Having just "retired" from a 16 year real estate career, I saw home buyers gobble up homes with outdoor living space.  This IS Colorado after all, we do have an average of 300 sunny days a year.  Many people are just like us and jumped right in to designing their outdoor living space years ago and just like us they too brushed off Winter's dust, started looking at their space and thought "hmmm this is starting to look a little shabby, I think we need to remodel".  That brings me to our household's latest project...the outdoor living space spruce up :)! 

Our own deck has just gone through a face lift, let's face it...it was looking a little saggy :).  Now I am looking to spruce up some of the the things that make our deck and patio our Summertime retreat.  This is not a "Yard Crashers" makeover, but just a few things to help make the space pop.  Yesterday we made our first trip to Ikea and purchased new curtains for our Pergola, today I found this picture on one of my favorite sites, Marthastewart.com, and I just HAD to share.



Ryan and I LOVE lanterns!  The warm light, the outdoorsy and sometimes rustic feel.  We even love them when the candles start to melt and drip all over our guests during our wedding!  We have quite a few lanterns left from said wedding that will be gracing our newly refinished Pergola this year (with glass votive holders inside now :)).  If you are looking for a great way to add a little something extra to your space this year, maybe try setting your sights a little higher and hang a few lanterns!  I have seen some great ones at many local retailers lately!

Hello all and welcome to The Superior Finish Blog!  I am Lindsay Armstrong co-owner of The Superior Finish.  My goal with this blog is to share information about the company but also information for homeowners.  I love to learn, I love tips and tricks.  I believe a day without learning something is a wasted day!  I hope everyone learns a little from our blog!