As a financial planner and a new-ish home owner, I’m always on the look out for ways I can furnish our house without breaking our budget.  Home Depot and Lowe’s are both within a ten minute drive, and so the opportunity to spend big is never far from reach!

However, I’ve learned that, in addition to online stores, we have quite a number of under-the-radar home supply and decoration options here in Lancaster County.  I’d like to share some of the options that I’ve discovered, and encourage you to share other opportunities that you know are out there, as I’m sure there are more.

Craigslist, which can be Lancaster County-specific, is a good first option for finding things that you can go inspect in person and pick up.  You can search for just about anything, and if Lancaster doesn’t have what you’re looking for, Craigslist will suggest other local areas that may.  I purchased the pavers for our backyard patio on Craigslist – and received two year old, almost perfect condition 6”x9” trapezoid-shaped pavers for 40 cents each.  I found comparable, but not identical, pavers at Lowe’s that were listed at over 2 bucks a piece.

The Lancaster Restore, a division of Habitat for Humanity, is a great option.  My wife and I frequent here monthly.  When contractors are working on houses, often they’ll salvage building supplies and then re-sell them through the Restore.  You wouldn’t know it by driving by on Route 30, but the place has an enormous inventory.  Everything from light fixtures, to drawer knobs, to windows, to toilets.  We scored ten 1’ sheets of backsplash tile for our kitchen for $5 a piece.  Similar ones were selling at Home Depot for $10-15.  We also purchased toilet paper dispensers for $2 and a medicine cabinet for $15 – which after the rehab of a bottle of spray paint looked brand new.

And my personal favorite: Wolgemuth Auction.  This is a monthly auction held every second Thursday at a simply gigantic property in Leola.  Both new and used building supplies are sold here, as well as returns from Costco and other local big box stores.  With auctions, you have to carefully inspect what you’re buying – but there are some serious deals to be had.  So far, I’ve purchased a brand new solid wood interior door for $5, a brand new stainless steel sink for $17, a brand new bathroom vanity for $17, ten boxes of new bathroom tile for $30, and a “lot box” for $1 which ended up containing three brand new digital thermostats, six 5-gallon drywall buckets, miscellaneous electric wiring, plumbing tools, and three door knobs.  Wolgemuth has everything from power tools to hand tools, kitchen cabinets to wicker furniture, insulation to lumber, doors to windows, and just about everything in between.  But – it is auction, and at times things sell for more than what you can get them at retail price, so you need to be weary of what you’re buying.  What’s that saying in real estate, Jeff? … Buyer Beware.

There are tremendous opportunities and deals available right here in Lancaster PA that can allow you to furnish your home without breaking your budget.  The trade off is convenience, and requires a little patience.

There is no doubt that summer has been here with a vengeance for the past month. Many homeowners are frustrated at this time of year to see their beautiful lawn declining. Figuring out what to do to change that situation is a hard task. With so many issues on lawns in summer, where would you even start?

Hindsight is 20/20: If you are a lawn enthusiast like us, you got extremely spoiled in 2009. Last year, we saw lawns lose a little bit of color in the month of June, but the ample rainfall kept things lush and green all the way through the hottest time of year. This is definitely not the case in 2010. Our area has seen regular temperatures for the last month in the 90’s, which is more typical of August weather, than June and early July. This heat coupled with a lack of regular rainfall has stressed out grass plants, and let to even more problems.

The Miracle Serum: The most crucial element any plant needs to survive is water. Without the right amount of it, it will stress the plant out and kill it. Most lawns are able to survive periods of 4-7 weeks of drought conditions, by going into dormancy. The blades of the grass lose moisture, and turn a straw-brown color. Energy in the grass plants is diverted to keeping the roots and crowns of the grass plants alive, so they can regenerate new blades when the environment permits. When cooler temperatures arrive later in the year, and rainfall is more abundant, most lawn areas will green back up, if only under typical drought conditions.

There’s a Fungus Among Us: There are dozens of turf fungi that cause damage to lawns in a year. Some are less of a concern than others, and some can cause permanent damage in a short period of time. During the summer, there are several fungi that can damage your lawn extensively. Summer Patch, Brown Patch, Leaf Spot, and Pythium Blight are just a few of those we typically see on lawns. The common catalyst for this is the proper environmental conditions. Night-time temperatures above 68 degrees and high humidity or rainfall at night will be very conducive to helping these grow on grass plants. Fungicides can be applied to lawns to lessen the effects. These applications can be more expensive than typical treatments, and only last for approximately 30 days, but may be what your lawn needs to survive.

Critters with an Appetite: There are a few insects that can extensively cause irreversible damage to your lawn in the summer. Chinch Bugs, Billbugs, Sod Webworms, and Grubs are the main destroyers in our areas. Preventative applications can be made to lawns to keep these invaders from damaging your lawn.

Stay off My Lawn! One of the worst things you can do for a stressed lawn is to mow it too short, too often, or when it’s too hot. This can make the lawn look even worse! The best thing to do would be only mow the lawn when you can’t tolerate it anymore, and mow it on your mower’s highest height setting. Try to stay off the lawn completely. Parties, playing hard on the lawn, and heavy foot traffic can damage the crowns of the grass plants making it even harder for the lawn to regenerate when conditions improve.

So what should you do? If you believe you have any of these issues, let a trained lawn care professional check them out for you. The diagnosis of these problems is very difficult, especially for homeowners. Some issues are easily addressed, and some issues are also beyond control. Either way, it’s important to understand these lawn stresses, and know what options are available.

1. Building a Compost Bin using Home Depot lumber and a couple of screws
2. Installing a RainBarrel to catch downspout water for garden and pool re-use
3. Organizing a “square foot” garden

Today, let’s talk compost.

Susan & I had a small compost bin I made with some old 2×4s a couple of years ago.  It was a basic design - called a “one-chamber” because that’s all there was.  I’ve really loved not having to put the grass clippings out for 2 years!  Also, everything organic from the kitchen has gone out to the pile daily.  We got a great compost harvest the second spring but this year didn’t go as well.  The pile had gotten too high and was a bear to turn (which is required for the stuff to decompose properly) with the pitchfork.

Solution: Rip the thing out and rebuild.   I built a new compost bin (level two)!  It’s a “two-chamber” design which allows me to turn the piles more effectively by going from one side to the other, and pulling out the finished compost as it happens.  I would have preferred to have done a “three-chamber” so I had a pile for only finished compost, but space did not allow for that.  So far, it has produced a good amount of working compost for our garden.

I did the  Home Depot thing and picked up some fresh 2×4s (the last ones rotted) and 1×4’s for the side slatting.  I also bought some green-coated chicken wire in 24″x 25 ft (one roll – I already had 25 foot – you’ll need two rolls to build this compost bin design).  I used 2″ deck screws to fasten everything together.

I sunk the posts using a post-hole digger and an iron ”digging stick” with a tamping end to pack the posts in place.  Lots and lots of measuring with a tape measure and level…The screws tightened the whole compost bin up nicely.  Took me an afternoon and a half (with 3 kids in tow).

Right away I noticed how the extra 4 feet really helped separate the materials.  Note the difference between the more recent deposits and the almost-ready compost on the left.  My nagging problem had been the lack of consistent aeration – the stuff stunk! Now with the ability to turn more often without the hassle factor I’ll get better aeration, which means lots of good compost to spread on mama Geoghan’s vegetable garden in the fall and spring!

Look for my next piece – on putting together a rainbarrel using a local Lancaster PA barrel source and easily-available plumbing parts.

By Mike & Matt Blank – MBC Remodeling

Spring is here and many homeowners are eager to update and improve their homes. Before you begin, it’s an excellent idea to meet with a professional to help you come up with a practicable plan for getting better results.

An experienced Remodeling Contractor can help you transform your dreams into reality and help you avoid many common, and costly, mistakes that less qualified contractors or do-it-yourselfers often make. They can ensure that you get exactly what you need at a fair price.

Before you begin your home improvement project, here are a few key tips for planning a successful project that will being you joy for many years to come.

1. Write down a list of remodeling ideas for your home. Include everything you think needs to be done and everything you wish you could improve about your home. Draft a budget for these projects and explore ways that you can work them into it. Most homeowners already have projects in mind, such as modernizing the kitchen, adding a bathroom, replacing windows or painting the exterior. Next, prioritize your list. Perhaps it’s not the right time to do everything on your list, but most homeowner’s are delighted to discover how they can maximize their budget by doing the work in phases. The right Remodeling Contractor can help by suggesting budget-friendly materials and utilizing innovative solutions to help you stretch your home improvement budget.

2. Explore your creative side. Many “amateur” designers come up with wonderful ideas, and since you are living in your home day after day, your input will help us come up with a final plan that meets your specific needs. So make a dozen copies of your current floor plan, and sketch out your concepts. It doesn’t matter how great they are; brainstorming will help you figure out exactly what you want. Don’t worry; we’ll make sure that your winning ideas don’t go unnoticed!

3. Take advantage of the Energy Efficiency Tax Credits. Don’t miss out on time sensitive incentives for replacing windows or doors, adding insulation, installing new roofing, upgrading heating or air-conditioning units, updating the water heater or installing energy generating products. The Green Remodeling incentives are a great way to enhance your home and defray some of the costs… maximizing your remodeling budget AND reducing home energy bills; it’s a win, win for YOU!

We have all seen the car commercial where the guy is on the used car lot and says “Show me the CARFAX®” before he purchases a vehicle. A CARFAX® report provides potential buyers a vehicle’s history of ownership, titles and accidents. The report allows buyers to make an informed purchase decision and gives them confidence that they are buying what is advertised. Did you know the same type of report is available when you buy a house too?

The CARFAX® for a home is called a C.L.U.E.® or Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange report. A C.L.U.E.® report shows insurance claims made on a property for the past 5 years and insurance companies use this information for underwriting homeowner insurance (See a C.L.U.E. example).

However, home buyers can also get a C.L.U.E.® report by requesting the seller to purchase a C.L.U.E. Home Seller’s Disclosure Report for $19.95. Remember that the buyer or real estate agent cannot order the C.L.U.E.® report and it only can be provided by the seller or owner. The report shows the same claim history on the property that insurance companies use but it removes all of the seller’s personal information that they would want to keep private.

If you wouldn’t buy a car without the CARFAX® report, should you buy a home without a C.L.U.E.® report? Let me know your thoughts.

Here are the details:

Location: Community room
9 AM – 8 PM

By Mike & Matt Blank, MBC Building & Remodeling

Parents know that they rarely have the same ideas and opinions as their children – you might want one design while your 8-year-old daughter has a completely different concept in mind. Here are a few helpful decorating tips that aim to please the whole family:

First of all, talk to your child and understand his or her vision for the room and incorporate some of those ideas in the design.

Keep in mind your daughter or son are the ones living in the room, so even if it is hard for you to do, compromising with them on what they want and what you’ll allow will yield the greatest results for both of you. If you don’t want to get too crazy with painting, use a neutral wall color in the room; add punch and color with accessories and accents.

Here’s a look at some of the hottest trends for children’s bedrooms:

For Both: Functionality is important in a child’s room.

Adding items like a desk or table to work on is a great idea. Educational letters and images capture the imagination. Many online retailers have inspirational and motivational posters which can help instill focus, drive and passion in your little one’s as the dream big!

For Girls: It’s all about bright colors for girls, from purple to lime green to the ever-popular pink. Think personalized sweetheart pillows and throws. Adding items that can be personalized is a great way to make your child feel like the room truly is her own special place.

For Boys: Does your little guy love sports? Choose accessories that have his favorite professional logo on them, such as a bedspread or poster. If your son isn’t a sports nut, you can incorporate any interest into affordable decor that will personalize the room.

I can’t believe all of the damage that I have seen recently from Ice Dams.  These form at the eave of the building usually where the gutter is.    They can cause water to back up into the building, causing thousands of dollars of damage.

There is some good news though.  The fix does not have to be that costly, if you catch it early.  Here is a link to a video of a quick and easy way to break up the darn dams that ran on WGAL.

I hope this helps you!   Call your insurance carrier to be certain you are covered for this as we are hearing some  insurance companies are not covering if icicles and snow are not cleared off your roof.

By Joe Heidler, JV Heidler Roofing

Right now in our area there are huge problems with ice forming on the eaves of buildings.  I just heard that some of our streets in Lancaster have had their sidewalks closed due to “killsickles”.  These ice monstrosities are formed when the roof warms up from the sun or from heat loss inside the living space.  Then water runs down and cools at the overhangs, or eaves.  The water freezes and forms an ice dam.  This backs up water that may be running down the roof, thus providing potential water leakage and damage to the interior of the building.

We recommend on new installations that an ice and water guard membrane be installed to prevent this backed up water from entering the structure.

It can be very dangerous to remove these hanging ice sickles. They can be extremely heavy and falling from the height of a building can injure or even kill people below.   Some people use heat tapes to prevent the ice dams from forming.  IF it is possible to safely remove snow from the roof edge, be sure to remove it back about 3 feet.  This is very common in Northern areas of the country, but it is rarely an issue here in Lancaster and York.  There are special snow rakes that are used to clean snow from roofs in these Northern areas, but I have never seen one around here.

It is a good idea to prevent people from walking under these areas.  Use caution tape or warning flags to rope the area off.  Safety is our number one concern.  If in doubt, call an expert.  Please, whatever you do, be SAFE!

Read more at Joe’s  Lancaster PA Roofing blog

After a month since the much-reported electric rate caps came off of Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL), surveys reported that only 13% of PPL’s customers had switched to one of the new competitors in the market.  So where are we?

As you probably know, the only change taking place is with the power generation portion of the electric market.  In other words, the transmission of the power to your home/business is still under PPL’s authority and equipment, so you’ll continue to get billed by them for that portion of your monthly bill.  The generation side was under the state-mandated rate caps for the last decade, so the impact of rising costs at the power plant level have been hidden the end user (you).  With the end of the caps you are now at the mercy of changing rates, which in PPL’s case have meant a 30% increase for January.

To ameliorate the issue, PPL offered pay-in plans over the last 2 years which allowed ratepayers to build up a bit of a war chest that would be applied to the overages coming this year.  Nobody I know took that option (for whatever that’s worth).

Now, “Electric Choice” is the buzzword as competitors announce their entry into the market to provide power generation.  The PA Office of Consumer Advocacy is maintaining the official PA list of electric providers and rate plans.  In reviewing the plans, we found that the real savings did not seem to be too compelling over PPL.  where PPL rates may have gone up 30%, even the best of these competing programs offered 10% off, so the net increase would be 20% over your 2009 and earlier bills.  Of the programs currently offered, Dominion Energy appeared to have the best safety (minimal fees) and price combination.  Dominion was also the first to get in the market and mailed a piece to all PPL customers in the fall.  One the major pitfalls of the competitive field is the presence of large early-termination fees (which we all know & love from cell phones, etc) which curb our ability as consumers to change our providers as new and better programs come online.

Either way, if you have electric heat or otherwise depend on PPL for a chunk of your utility usage, you’d better get on with making a decision.  One event coming up this week promises to help answer questions about Lancaster County electric choice – State Representative John Bear put together an open house on the subject:

Rep. John C. Bear (R-Lancaster) will be holding an Electric Choice One-Stop Shop Event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Jewish Community Center at 2120 Oregon Pike, Lancaster to help constituents learn more about the whole new world of electric choice and deregulation, speak directly to the new suppliers of electricity in our area about program offerings, and exercise their option to sign up for the supplier of their choice

You can read the full announcement at Representative Bear’s website.  If you like talking to people rather than studying paperwork then I would highly recommend this event.

If any readers have helpful comments or advice on coping with electric choice please feel free to post here or contact us.  We’ll stay with this story as the spring season approaches…