Replacement Windows Save Energy, Money, and The Planet

Pomona Valley - Chino - Riverside County - North Orange County - Remember the days when the smudge pots added even more smog to the skies around Mt Baldy and Big Bear.  There was a reason for those smudge pots.  Save the orange crop from FROST!  Uh huh!  It gets cold in those neighborhoods in the late Fall and Winter.  So here is the story of a couple who had a plan to save some money, carbon based fuel, and even the planet Earth.  (Names and places have been changed to protect the innocent.)

 

My husband and I like to think of ourselves as pretty handy people. We both like to make things and we take pride in saying that we did something around the house without professional help. Any household repair, large or small, finds one or the other of us hammering, plastering, gluing, wiring or sewing whatever needs fixing until it is nicely done. It seemed natural, therefor, when we decided to change out all the large single paned windows in our house for double insulated windows, that we would consider doing it ourselves. 

    You have to understand that, besides being proud of our self-sufficiency, we are frugal folks. As charming as our little house was, it leaked hot air out and cold air in during the winter and was unbearably hot in the summer, despite our liberal use of fans. We needed some way to improve our energy efficiency and reduce our monthly utility bills, even if it meant making a sizable investment in the short term. Plus, we really wanted whatever improvements we made to the house to increase it's value when the time came to resell.

Double insulated windows have two or three panes of glass with insulating air space in between. Higher end double insulated windows have a layer of inert gas, like argon, between the panes, increasing the energy efficiency even more. The most energy efficient windows sport a special coating called "Low-E" that contains metal particles and significantly reduces heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.

    Internet research encouraged us that double insulated windows were easy to install even for the beginner. We found precise directions to complete the project from taking the initial measurement all the way through to adding the finishing touches to the trim. We took time to look closely at our budget and balance that with our needs. We have eleven windows total in our house, but we figured that it would be best to tackle the six largest windows first , since they represented the biggest energy drains.

    We measured all of our windows carefully, as instructed in our DIY guidelines. Fortunately, it looked like all we needed were replacement windows, which more or less fit right into the existing frames. We didn't want the extra mess and expense of replacing the outside and inside trim, which installing full frame windows would have involved. We started to get excited about our new project!

    We had fun pricing windows and looking at all the beautiful options available. We realized that installing the new windows would not only drop our utility bills way down, but it would significantly improve the value of our home. It seemed like a better and better idea all the time.

    Then we began to scour our schedules to find blocks of time sufficient to accomplish what was shaping up to be a pretty big task. Scheduling didn't look good. We figured that, given our lack of expertise, we would need at least one full day per window to complete the job. With my husband working full time during the week and my schedule full of caring for our baby, working part time and taking care of the daily household tasks, all we really had were weekend days to devote to our window project. Even then we would be sacrificing precious family time for at least three weeks. Suddenly our DIY adventure was losing some of it's appeal.

    I started to research the possibility of finding a reasonably priced handyman or contractor in our area, "Just in case!" I told my husband. Reluctantly, he agreed. To my surprise and delight, my cursory search for "handyman + Inland Empire" (we live in beautiful Claremont, California!) turned up a YouTube video! I watched it and knew at once that I had to contact the contractor that was featured in the video.

    Julio Canton is an accomplished General Contractor with over thirty years of experience under his tool belt. His video portrayed him as knowledgeable, friendly and easy going, and the work that it featured on an extensive remodeling job was impeccable. I called Julio for a consultation and he was able to accommodate us right away.

    Even our initial phone consultation was encouraging. "Replacement windows can save you between 10 and 25 percent per year on heating and cooling if you have single-paned windows. They can also make your home more comfortable, quiet, and attractive," Julio told me when I called. "It's one of the easiest ways to increase the value of your home, too," he added. Julio also assured me that, with so many new options available in double insulated windows, he was sure he could help us find something that would meet all of our goals and still stay within our projected budget.

   Although I share my husband's zeal for juicy DIY projects, I have to admit that the prospect of turning over this particular task to the capable hands of Julio Canton and his experienced crew makes me sigh with relief. My husband, on the other hand, seems pretty disappointed. I'll just have to remind him that we still have shelves to hang in the baby's room and the raised beds and irrigation system to design and plan for next summer's garden. That should cheer him up a little!

    If you have a DIY project that turns out to be bigger than you bargained for or even if you have more repairs around the house than you're willing to tackle yourself, give Julio and his crew at JC Construction a call. They can bring their expertise to any project no matter how big or small, and the consultation s always free! JC Construction, is fully licensed and does custom home construction, room additions, patios, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, carpentry, handyman services, concrete work, sky walks, framing, drywall, door hanging, office tenant improvement, and, of course, window replacement and repair. 

    Check out Julio's YouTube video to see the quality of his work.  Give Julio a call today at 909-268-2762 to set up your free consultation. With what you save in time, money and peace of mind, you'll be glad you did!

 

This story is a fictional account of very real circumstances.

Building a Backyard Patio - DIY or DI-JC Construction in Chino

    In today's unsure economy, expenses like home improvement tend to become secondary to more essential needs. The Do-It-Yourself movement is growing in direct response to people's desire to enjoy life's little luxuries without breaking the bank. That's great for those who are handy with a hammer, but what can a frugal homeowner do who doesn't have a flair for building things? Professional contractors are also stepping up to work with consumers to fit home improvements into their tightened budgets.

    Summer's gone and the nip of Fall is in the air, but the urge to barbeque only hibernates as the cool weather sets in, and is sure to appear again with the first breath of Spring. Now is the time to think about making the patio the perfect place to invite friends and family for all the best parties when the time comes to crank up the grill again.

    Building a patio can be a major home renovation, but it is possible to do it yourself with proper planning and guidance. There are many issues to consider before taking on such a large project, and the DIY option is not for everyone. For some, the prospect of planning, designing and engineering a patio that will pass inspection and merit the permits necessary to go ahead with the construction is a daunting enough task. The building of the patio itself is way beyond their scope.                     Laying the foundation, framing, wiring, dry walling and finishing are all skills that require real expertise to do properly. 

    Then there are those who love a challenge, are gifted with tools and have the time and energy to dedicate to a process that could take weeks or months, depending on the degree of change to be made. For these people, the money they save in doing it themselves and the satisfaction of knowing that they created something from nothing makes all the hard work worth every bead of sweat. There are environmental benefits, as well, since many DIYers use recycled and reclaimed materials in their projects.

    For the dedicated DIY enthusiast, myriad resources are available and more are popping up all the time as the DIY movement grows. The internet is rife with information on every kind of DIY project and provides step-by-step instructions that are easily understandable by even the least experienced builder.

    For those who would rather spend their free time with loved ones through the winter months than wield a hammer in the cold weather, hiring a professional contractor to do the job is the way to go. The benefits of this approach include an assurance of high quality workmanship and lasting results.

    One such general contractor is Julio Canton of JC Construction, who has over thirty years of experience in the construction industry. "I work with people to find out exactly what they want and need and what their budget is," Julio says. "We can usually come up with a plan that works for them. My team can do almost all the work, but if I have to contract out, to a designer or an engineer, for example, I always go with the best!"

    Evidence of Julio's handy work in building a deluxe patio within particular customer specifications and budgetary needs can be seen on his YouTube video. 

 

    Whether doing-it-yourself or hiring a professional, building a new patio and barebque area is not a dream that needs to be put on hold until the economy sees an upturn. There's more that one way to have your barbeque and eat it, too! 

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To find out more about the professional construction services provided by JC Consruction and for a free consultation and estimate, 

call Julio Canton at 909-268-2762 .

How To Choose A Great General Contractor

You're looking for a general contractor to help with a room addition, build you a custom home, or help with an outdoor patio, kitchen or bath remodel. The hardest part of this search is knowing who to trust. You want the job done right, on time, and in budget. But you have heard the horror stories. You may have even experienced them. JC Construction has been building homes and helping folks with home remodels, patio installations and even handyman work for 30 years in the Inland Empire area. Our past clients are our best references. Please ask and we will supply as many referrals as you like.

If you are interested in creating a custom home from the ground up or a tear down and rebuild, or if you are adding a second story or a room addition, JC Construction can help you from the first day of planning. We will create the plan with you. Or, if you have plans in hand, we can give you a quote that you can be confident will be accurate in cost and time.

We are also happy to take a look at your smaller projects. If you need a wall built, repairs to your home or patio, concrete work, carpentry, doors hung or windows installed, we are ready to quickly answer the call. Many of our customers are installing more energy efficient windows, doors, or adding insulation to bring down their energy costs or contribute to reducing carbon in the atmosphere. These are projects that we are excited to participate in.

Then there are those little things here and there that just seem to pile up. Dry wall repair, window repair, door not closing, old doors that need replacing. Give us a call and we'll come take care of all those irritating issues and they'll no longer stare at you as you pass them. No job is too small.

For the larger jobs, we know that sometimes it just isn't clear what the costs are likely to be, and you just want someone to consult with you on getting some reality in the idea. Will new double-pain windows cost $10,000 or $2000. Will our dream patio cost $2500 or $25,000. We will provide you with a no cost consultation to discuss your project at the earliest stages of your planning.

We are also very expert at doing tenant build-outs for commercial rental spaces. If your business needs someone to come and create 400 - 20,000 square feet of office and storage space, or as little as adding a dividing wall, we can provide you with everything from layout plans to finished and ready to move in.

Please give us a call for all your contractor needs. We are a licensed general contractor and do most of the work with our own staff. We do hire subcontractors for some work, but only use companies that we have come to trust in 30 years of doing this kind of work.