World Builder from BranitVFX on Vimeo.

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Here’s a zinger. In 1950, the average dairy cow produced around 5,300 pounds of milk. Today, it’s up to 18,000 pounds of milk. That takes a heck of a lot of unhealthy, fatty growth hormones.

Because our food system is corrupted with pesticides, synthetics, dyes and chemicals, Philips began to look at different ways for people to become self-sufficient by farming their own vegetables and fish. Their solution? The stackable biosphere. They call the project Home Farming and currently, it’s in the research and development stage. The concept was first shown last October at the Dutch Design Week in the Netherlands.

After looking at different angles, the in-home biosphere made the most sense because it could be available for everyone, including apartment dwellers and other people who don’t have yards to grow vegetable gardens.

Its narrow design was developed to take up the least amount of space possible and allows for the stacking of mini-ecosystems to house fish and edible plants. Each unit balances the other with regard to water filtration and nutrient recycling. Amazingly, the system more or less runs itself.

I like the idea. It makes sense. It’ll save money and trips to the grocery store and we’ll know exactly what we’re putting into our bodies. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to morph into a three-toed frog due to years of chemical consumption.

Related Links:

Farmed salmon

Growth hormones

Cube me

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10 ceiling fans worth checking out:

Fanimation Centaurus

A sleek fan for lovers of contemporary style, this 60-inch, triple-blade, bent-wood fan offers a dramatic look in either black or satin nickel, and blade finish options include maple, cherry and mahogany. The fan also comes in a 52-inch straight blade.

EVO1 Prevail T retractable

This innovative, high performance retractable fan by Fanaway is functional, practical, and will save you time from having to dust the blades every week. When you don’t need it, just switch off the fan function and the blades automatically retract into a beautiful, suspended light fixture.

Minka Aire Artemis

This striking contemporary fan offers a sleek design with twisted translucent finish vanes and an integrated halogen light. The 58-inch, 3 speed wall-controlled fan comes in brushed nickel and an end cap for non-light use.

Candelier

A little kooky-meets-Gothic, the Candelier imitates the kind you might find in an old castle. It’s definitely unique, and a surefire way to break the ice at your next social gathering. Made by Casablanca, the fan features 48 genuine wax candles (fitted with a three-watt bulb) in different colors and heights that sit on top of a 3-blade fan. A must-have for the eccentric.

Limited Edition Custom Enigma

This is truly a head turner with its copper, blue and purple swirly finish – it’s art for your ceiling. Custom orders take up to 4 weeks.

Hunter 21617 Palermo

Energy Star rated 52-inch brushed nickel with 5 blades that come in maple or cherry. It boasts a quiet WhisperWind motor, 3 speeds, 3-position mounting system, remote control, and a frosted globe light fixture that uses a 22-watt fluorescent bulb. Hot buy!

Hunter Rainier

Perfect for stylish rooms, this 60” Amber Bronze fan comes with 5 blades and is available in honey oak and dark walnut. It’s also built with the quiet WhisperWind motor, 3 candelabra lights, and includes a remote control and lifetime warranty.

Westinghouse Vintage

This powerful 52-inch brushed nickel ceiling fan comes in antique brass, white and polish finish. Its versatile 5-blade fan is reversible with one side in rosewood and the other in light maple, giving you more design choices. The best thing about this fan is fewer parts equals a fast and simple installation process that takes only 15 minutes.

Air Shadow Retractable

This line of retractable fans from Fanimation offers 4 different styles from contemporary to traditional. The blades retract into the fan with the touch of a button, giving you the decorative option of a beautiful hanging light or light & fan combo.

Minka Aire Gyro with 2-headed fan

Here’s a super-cool fan (literally) that would be perfect in a game room, bar, barn-style home, or contemporary house. Available in a 42-inch sweep, the Gyro comes in Restoration Bronze with integrated halogen and a unique schoolhouse globe light.

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If you’re a first time home buyer and you’re not familiar with the buying process, there’s a little report you must have to move forward in the sales process once you make an offer on a home. Actually, it’s not a little report. It’s a big report and a possible deal breaker. It’s called an appraisal.

What is an appraisal?

An appraisal is needed to determine the value of the property. The bank needs this to verify the funds they’re lending equal the value of the home.

How do I order one?

Your lender or mortgage broker will set this up for you. They will call an appraiser, set the appointment, and let you know when the work is done.

Who pays for the appraisal?

The buyer pays for the appraisal. The cost for an average 1,800 square foot home is between $300 and $450. You can pay the appraiser directly or have them bill it through escrow and, if you choose the latter, you’ll pay for the appraisal when you close escrow. If you don’t close escrow because of some unforeseen event such as the pest report revealing that termites have eaten through the floorboards and the house is about to cave in, you still have to pay the appraiser.

What if the appraisal comes in over or under my offer?

Let’s say you find a house with a listing price of $300,000 and you offer $270,000 contingent upon the appraisal. The seller accepts your offer. Your lender orders the appraisal and the appraiser determines the value is $300,000. You just pocketed $30,000 in instant equity. Using the same scenario you decide it’s a hot market, houses are selling fast, and you really want the house. You offer $10,000 over asking price for $310,000. The appraiser values the house at $290,000. The bank will only lend on the $290,000. You have 3 choices with this scenario. You can pay the $20,000 difference out of your pocket, you can offer $290,000, or walk away from the deal.

A note to sellers — on the flip side of this coin is something most sellers don’t think of because it’s not written on the residential purchase contract. The contract has a box for the buyer to check that states the offer is continent upon the appraisal but there’s no box for the seller. You can hand write on the residential purchase contract that if the appraisal comes in over buyer’s offer then seller has the right to cancel the agreement. In other words, if the offer is $300,000 and the appraisal comes in at $320,000 you could renegotiate the price or cancel the deal and then change your listing price to $320,000. Really, if the buyer is protected by checking that little box, shouldn’t you be protected too?

What type of information is in the appraisal?

The appraisal tells the lender what type of neighborhood they’re investing in. What is the condition of the property? Are there any improvements; if so what are they? Are there any physical deficiencies or adverse conditions? Does the property conform to the neighborhood (style, construction, condition?) The appraisal highlights comparable homes (similar quality/size) that have recently sold in the area – otherwise known as comps, to find the value for the subject home.

Fighting for the appraisal to come in where you need it to be

Two and half years ago I wanted to take out a 2nd mortgage with a cash-out feature. When it came in $15,000 short, I had to come up with facts that would justify pumping the value up by that amount. I drove by the homes that were used as comps and found flaws in every one (the appraiser doesn’t drive by his comps – he uses his computer.) One of the homes (that significantly lowered my value) had been an REO and was on the market for over a year. I’d been in that house during an open house – it was in very poor condition.

I listed all the reasons why he should adjust that comparison up or remove it altogether. I also gave him facts and pictures to back up my case on the other comps as well, and guess what? My house appraised exactly where I needed it to be.

So, don’t give up if the appraisal falls short.

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Kathy’s Remodeling Blog is filled with tons of posts about remodeling, green remodeling, product recalls, and more. The link here will show you a kitchen remodel, which takes over many posts to see the project through, but is a great reference for some great remodeling, along with some real-life experience of project “don’ts.”

Oh, Bungalow has lots of great information on small home improvement projects, even some on gardening as well. Topics are virtually unlimited and include everything from porch swings and plumbing to dining rooms and drywall. The blog even has a blogroll filled with other DIY blogs.

The DIY Diva definitely adds a bit of funk and character to the subject of home remodeling — but she obviously knows what she’s doing, too (except for the sparkler post — no offense, girl). She’s got great perspective on how to plan out major remodels to help you see your way to the project’s potential.

From the Burbs: House and Home has great detail about the home improvement projects one couple is making to their bungalow in the ‘burbs. You can see their photos of before, during, and after on several projects, including installing a water line and sprinkler system, window replacement, exterior roof overhang removal, and more.

Mike & Angie’s Restoration Project is pretty much just as it sounds — a blog about a couple restoring their 1850s farmhouse. They show you snippets from their projects and tell you how it’s going, choices they’ve made, successes and failures on projects like landscaping, kitchens, painting, and more. Another great aspect of this blog is that they have pages for other things as well like “Home Projects by Area,” “Interesting Facts,” and “Pre-Purchase Pics,” which you might find helpful as well.

Our Casa Reveal is a very interesting blog about another old bungalow being remodeled. This couple obviously bought the house from some very flamboyant characters and have great pix of where they started (including an orange family room and a glass and ceramic tiled kitchen) as well as great slide shows of the process they took to accomplish some of the tasks on their DIY to-do list.

Simpson’s Folly is a blog by a man who, and I quote, lives to annoy his friends and family AND work on his house. His posts are very detailed and photos very clear. His most recent posts walk you through renovations to his basement, powder room, and bathroom.

This Young House is a fun blog about a young couple who’ve done all sorts of remodeling projects. They have a separate tab for How-To’s and one glance at it will show you that they have info on tons of remodeling projects like Pimp Your Laundry Room, Add a Dining Area to Your Living Room, and Refinish a Hardwood Floor. (This Young House JUST announced that the blog will not continue.)

Making it Lovely is a sweet blog about small renovations captured on the web by a woman transforming her Illinois bungalow. You can see lighting projects, removing a popcorn ceiling, home décor projects, and even her adventures with FLOR carpet tiles. Although she’s become a little obsessed with her latest project (2-month old baby Eleanor – and she’s so cute, who could blame her?), a peek through the archives will bring more renovation-related posts.

Old House Web is unique in that it has a staff of contributing writers with different specialties and perspectives on the remodeling industry. From projects to products and plans to pricing, you can find it all somewhere in this vast blog.

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If there’s one thing I’m known for it’s multitasking, and if there’s one thing I can appreciate, it’s furniture or other household items that can do the same. And I’m not just talking about my every surface that doubles as an occasional ironing board. One of my biggest rules about “stuff” coming into my house is that it MUST have a function (preferably one we’ll actually use). Bring me something that’s multi-functional and I’m sold.

On Small Space Style, a table was profiled that definitely got my wheels turning. This large, sleek table is simple in design and elegant enough for hosting a dinner party or just feeding your family every evening. During the day it’s used as an office desk and even has handy cubbies under the table top for storing books, papers, and other office supplies.

Upon first glance of this little bench/table/shelf unit, I nearly decided it wasn’t worth a second glance. Luckily, I did look back and once I saw what it looked like in a room setting, I must admit it’s really nifty and cute. It has two shelf niches set on the floor, topped with a long, narrow surface. You can use the surface as a bench or a table top.

With two units stacked on top of each other you’ve got a larger storage shelf, but alone you can still do so much with it. Each bench separately can make a unique Japanese-style dining table or work area. With a table top of laminated birch plywood and legs of aluminum, this simple design idea lends itself to much diversity in the home.

I’m sure you’ve all seen (and probably made fun of) the old-fashioned Murphy bed. But hold your mind open; there’s now a Murphy bed that offers sleek design for stow-away that not only hides the bed, it transforms the space into a whole other room plan. These are great for tight areas and homes with not enough bedrooms for guests, or a studio apartment. This Design & Comfort brand of Murphy bed looks like the standard version we’ve all seen before, but when you flip the bed up you see that a couch was hidden on the underside as part of the support for the bed and what were the legs holding up the foot of the bed is now a stationary shelf unit above the couch. Your guest room just became a cozy little nook in the living room.

While we’re all crazy for the latest fads in green living, remember that one of the best ways to become more eco-friendly is to find new uses for things we already own. These double-duty pieces of furniture are great, but so may be some of the pieces you already own, so take another look at them and see if you can’t unfold the mystery of what ELSE they may be able to do in your home.

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So you listed your home for sale and received a fair offer – great. But now it’s time to book all the inspections and hopefully pass with flying colors. And, with any luck, the buyer’s offer will align with the value on the appraisal report.

I wish it could be that easy. List your home, get your asking price, appraisal comes back perfect, and the inspection reports come back with an A+. But, in the real world it usually doesn’t turn out this way and discoveries made during the inspection process could cost you the sale or delay the escrow period.

The Inspections

• Chimney inspection
• Pest inspection
• Roof inspection
• General inspection

A chimney inspection can reveal cracks that need repairing or something as small as adding or replacing a chimney cap or screen.

Pest inspections can reveal termite damage, dry rot and mold. If your home has any of these issues, you can expect to pay thousands in repair costs and perhaps need a $2,000 to $3,000 fumigation tent. You could lose your buyer over any of these issues for fear of future problems.

Roof inspections will reveal damage from water, missing shingles, or it could suggest you replace the entire roof. Depending on the materials you use, a roof replacement can run between $10,000 (very low end) to $30,000 on a typical 1,600 square foot home.

General inspections are where tons of little things add up to cost a small fortune, especially if you’ve had work done without a permit. I recently bought a home and the repair work on the general inspection report came out to $3,500. The fence needed new posts, all the electrical wiring was reversed, there were areas of exposed exterior wiring, etc. In total, the seller’s out-of-pocket expense for all the repairs came to $10,300. That’s a chunk of change.

Photo credit: Element Construction

Things You Should Do Before You List Your Home

If your roof is older than five years, get a roof inspection and make any recommended repairs.

Get a chimney inspection and make any necessary repairs.

If you skip the roof and chimney inspection because you’re too busy to make that call, don’t skimp on the pest inspection. There’s a 50/50 chance the buyer will back out of the deal if there’s any evidence of termite damage, mold, or dry rot. The pest inspection is a few hundred dollars, which you’ll pay for twice – pre listing and during escrow, but worth the money. Make all necessary repairs – you’ll need to make these repairs anyway so do the job before you list your home.

Don’t hold back on the general inspection either. A buyer will think you did not take care of your home if there are pages and pages of recommended repairs. I know firsthand because I almost walked away from the house I was buying. The only reason I didn’t walk was because I love the area and the price was right.

The general inspection costs typically run $275 to $350 for an average 1,800 square foot house. In most cases the buyer pays for the house inspection so you won’t have to pay this fee twice (as in pre listing and during escrow.) Do the repairs yourself or hire a contractor – here again you’ll need to do the repairs anyway so do them before you list your home.

It’s Easier than It Seems

There’s an easy way to get all this accomplished. Pick up the phone and call a realtor. They are a great source of information because they usually work with one or two favorites, per inspection type, who are reliable and efficient. Get their contact information and book those inspections. After the inspections, call one of our licensed, pre-screened CalFinder contractors to do the repair work.

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The contractor is a different sort of breed than most of us and I can say this with authority, having lived with one (married one, bred with one, etc.) for the past 17 years. There are many things that contractors do that leave the rest of us just dumbstruck and sometimes annoyed. Personal digs aside, here are 10 things that top the annoying list of contractor habits:

1. Not having the ability to purchase the proper size pants. This particularly applies to plumbing contractors, hence the loving term “Plumber’s Crack” – it ain’t pretty and there’s not much you can do about it except steer clear. In fact, it may just be their very clever ploy to keep customers from interrupting their progress until the job is through and their standing erect.
2. Not showing up on any particular day. It happens, one day he’s there plugging along and the next – nothing. A good contractor will be in touch, though, to let you know if he won’t be there for a day or so. Typically the reasons for not showing up that are acceptable will include bad weather (for outdoor jobs), need to shop for supplies/materials, have another customer with an emergency or multiple customers that the contractor is splitting time between — although this should be admitted to the customer up front.


Photo credit: Redfin blog

3. Leaving a mess. It’s one thing when a contractor leaves a mess around MY house (after 17 years I’m pretty much used to it), but it’s another thing when you pay them and they leave a mess around YOUR house. A quality contractor should always clean up after themselves, be it from his lunch break or from your home improvement project.
4. Taking longer than expected to finish the project. Construction schedules are pretty much a joke and the only time a contractor will give you a definite finish date is when you demand one and they’re really just making it up to please you. The truth of the matter is that unexpected things happen all the time in construction that the contractor can’t control. Subs don’t show up when they should, bad weather holds up progress, special ordered materials don’t come in on time or come in wrong, or repairs reveal other house maladies that need to be dealt with. Try to be patient — alls well that ends well, and it will, eventually, end.
5. Going over budget. This is a household annoyance of mine, but my personal budget doesn’t really have anything to do with this. Many a construction project is finished for more money than the estimate was made for. This happens for lots of reasons just like in number 4. Sometimes customers change their minds about what they want, which can mean more expensive materials or added days on the job and sometimes it may mean the contractor supposed wrong about some of the material or labor costs associated with the job. An honest contractor will go over any changes to the budget with you as soon as they surface, though, so that you’re on the same page and won’t have any surprises in billing at the end of the job.



6. Demanding large sums of money before lifting a finger. It’s pretty standard for a contractor to ask for a deposit when starting any project. The amount will vary, but many will ask for enough money to cover materials’ costs before starting the job. This lets the contractor know that you are a serious customer and that should you cancel the job before it’s done the only thing he’s out of is time, since the materials are already paid for. What you do need to look out for is the contractor that demands final payment before the job is done — that’s a bad sign. Never give your contractor his final payment until the job has been satisfactorily completed and cleaned up after.
7. Showing up at un-Godly hours. Contractors are notorious early birds, often starting work before the sun comes up. Some, however are night owls, working well beyond some people’s bedtimes. In either case, it’s best to let your contractor know what the earliest is you’ll be willing to let them in in the morning and what the latest is that they can be tinkering around.
8. Being too loud. Obnoxious is bad, but loud usually means work is going on — and that’s good so don’t get too uptight. If there’s a reason why you can’t have excessive noise going on on any given day or time of day, just explain. This might cause delays if there’s nothing that can be done on the project until the lumber is hewn or the molding nailed or stapled by air-gun, so try to be flexible.
9. Parking their dirty truck anywhere they please. Sometimes a contractor will need to drive on the lawn to pull up heavy equipment or materials close to the house, but if damage is done to the lawn they should be willing to make any necessary repairs. The rule of thumb is that everything should be left just as they found it when the project is done (except for the improvements – they should be better than found!)
10. Putting his own family last. Okay, this one’s personal, but you know the story about the cobbler’s family, right? No shoes. Well, I should be happy — I DO have a house, but all the little finishing touches have been ignored because after working all day at YOUR houses, my Mr. Contractor-Man never feels like working on mine! I hope you’re happy! (Actually, as long as you pay him on his way home, I’m happy, too because, frankly, the annoyances you have to put up with in a contractor are nothing compared to the annoyances their wives live with. So don’t think of it as paying your annoying contractor, think of it as a consolation fee to their family.)

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They offer a rich and diverse group of collections from both famous and emerging artists, and you’ll find high-quality prints of the works of classic masters, contemporary originals, and children’s art — just to name a few categories.

This English classic, The Apple Gatherers, by Frederick Morgan, is so summery! It’s available as a Giclee print. The Giclee printing process delivers a fine stream of ink resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail. This print is produced on acid-free, watercolor textured paper.

Here’s an aspect of Art.com’s offerings really rang my bell: They have a team of professionals who specialize in anticipating trends, knowing the current — and next — season’s color palettes, and what the latest decorating trends are, too.

If you’re like me, you’ll agree that champagne is always in style — a trend that never dies. This Fine Art Print celebrates the French champagne house Taittinger and features Grace Kelly glimpsed through an elegant champagne flute. Can’t you picture this print in a powder room or dressing room? Tres chic.

You can search for prints from categories such as Art Styles, Subjects, Artists, and Collections. Within each of the main categories are subcategories that indicate the artist’s country of origin, whether the work is from a particular art movement, or era.

Here’s a Japanese classic by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). Mount Fuji is in the background in this fine art print of “The Great Wave of Kanagawa,” which was originally done as a woodblock print. This print is so popular that its description page shows a variety of recommended framing options.

And why not take advantage of Art.com’s custom framing and mounting services so your selection of a top-quality art print comes to you ready to hang on your wall? With all the frames and mats to choose from, you can personalize and add polish to your artwork, and at affordable prices. It’s so much easier to order your art print and framing services from one place, and the 100% satisfaction guarantee Art.com offers makes working with them a very attractive option.

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Truly, I am a sucker for a good deal. What I’m beginning to realize (in my wizened not-so-old age) is that sometimes a good deal can still be a bad buy. Not everything that you can get a bargain on is a smart choice for your home.

For instance, we have one of those nifty As-Seen-On-TV stores in our shopping mall. Since I NEVER order anything over the phone as a rule, I love this place because I can see all that glitzy stuff from TV in real life before I commit to it. Last year I bought that automated doggie toenail trimmer thingy for my mother-in-law because her dog has trouble walking if her toenails get too long yet she won’t let my mother-in-law use a regular trimmer. Long story short – not a bargain: it’s too big for such a small dog and it never gets used.

Here are 10 other inexpensive things you should avoid purchasing for your home:

1. Kitchen cooking utensils made from plastic. They’re temptingly cheap, shiny, and colorful, but they inevitably break under pressure. I’ve lost brand new cheese graters, can openers, spatulas, and garlic presses that just couldn’t take the beating that comes with my culinary skills. Metal and silicone may cost a little more, but are well worth the investment.



2. Used electronics. Unless the previous owner can set it up, turn it on, and show you every single feature is in working order you, just never know what you’re going to get. Even if you find a bargain at a reputable second-hand store and a salesperson can show you that it gets power, you may still come home to find out the item has other problems that just weren’t evident upon first glance. Photo credit: D’Arcy Norman
3. Cheap dishes. Most plates, bowls, and coffee cups that you can find a great deal on are not microwaveable. The contain clay or lead that allow the dish to get extremely hot in the microwave, causing you to burn your hand when you go to retrieve it. And of course, the lead can be a health hazard as well.



4. Specialty small kitchen appliances. No matter how much your kids might beg, things like those cheap, plastic-y slushy makers, peanut butter presses, sno-cone makers, and cotton candy spinners never work properly and chances are you already have quality small kitchen appliances that can do the same job and others as well. Photo credit: Dan4th
5. Exercise equipment. I can’t even begin to count the number of friends I have (myself included) who have bought new or used exercise machines because they found a great deal and thought it would motivate them to get in shape. True motivation comes from within, so if you truly want a workout, join a gym or sign up for classes – it’s much easier to stick with an exercise regime when you have others around you, sharing your goals and encouraging you. If you truly want an exercise machine, research what you want, find the right piece of equipment, and then shop for a deal.
6. Lamps. They come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and designs, but when it comes right down to it, most of the lights we use in our homes are attached to the walls and ceilings and come on with the flip of a switch. Table and floor lamps may be pretty décor, but they are inconvenient, need one MORE light bulb to change, and there never seems to be enough table top or floor space in the spot we think they would look perfect in.



7. Plastic kitchen storage containers. I used to love this stuff, but the more I learned about it the less I liked it. As a society we’ve grown to use every container in the microwave, regardless of whether it was made for that purpose or not and many containers can actually leak PVCs into our food by being nuked. Since then I’ve been hunting thrift stores for lidded Pyrex and Corningware. The best thing about these containers is that they go anywhere – the fridge, the microwave, and the oven. Photo credit: Collin Andersen
8. In-cabinet organizers. It seems like such a great idea to be more organized on any level, but too often the great deals on in-cabinet organizers turn out to be a bust. Often times you bring it home to find out that it a) is too small or too large to work in your cabinet, b) takes up so much room in the cabinet that you can’t get all of your stuff back in the cupboard or c) just isn’t as handy as you thought it would be.
9. Bath mats. I’m not saying bath mats are bad, but buying them in the spur of the moment can be. If you grab up a good deal on a bath mat, you’re likely to toss it on the bathroom floor only to find it’s too big, way too small, or doesn’t really match the colors of the room like you thought it would. If you’re in the market for a mat, take some measurements and know the minimum and maximum size it should be and take some towels or paint swatches with you to make sure the colors complement each other nicely.
10. Anything you didn’t already know you wanted. This is a hard lesson to learn. Great deals spring up all the time, but you have to be firm with yourself — spontaneously spending money on something you don’t really need is a waste. Make a list of things you need and want and when you come across great deals only consider things that can add a check mark on your list.

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