MICHELLE OBAMA TO ATTEND EXTREME MAKEOVER HOUSE

First lady Michelle Obama is expected to be in Fayetteville, NC, the home of Fort Bragg and Pope AFB, on Thursday to be part of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" episode.

The ABC reality series has been in Fayetteville since last week filming the construction of a home for Barbara Marshall, a 15-year Navy veteran who is working to end homelessness among female veterans. Marshall created The Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House which provides homeless female veterans with housing and support services.  The home is a modular log home built by Blue Ridge Log Cabins.  This is a real modular log home unlike other factories that build a standard modular home and cover it with split lag siding.  It will be awesome!

Obama's visit will be closed to the media, according to a news release. The episode featuring Marshall and the First Lady will air in October.

Construction workers and volunteers have been working around the clock since July 14 to build a second-story home for Marshall and the women she helps at the Jubilee House.

THE UNIQUE FOLDING HOME

Habitaflex, a wholly owned subsidiary of Maisons Laprise, renown Canadian quality prefabricated home manufacturer since 1989,  is manufacturing a Folding and Transportable Quick Building Solution.

The first Habitaflex was exported to Poland in 1999. Since then, many Habitaflex have found their way to Europe, America, Africa as well as Australia. 

Habitaflex proposes a timely and much sought-after quick building solution. An entirely factory-built 40'  self-contained ship-ready module concept, Habitaflex redefines the notion of prefabrication and transportation into one single innovation. 

Habitaflex is born from the challenge of pre-building a cost-effective, compact and transport-friendly building solution. Habitaflex can be unfolded, mixed-&-matched, interconnected, transported, relocated, and more interestingly, be exported easily and cost-effectively. Habitaflex folds ingeniously back into its own seafreight-approved container!

THE GROWING PROBLEM OF MOLD

I'm sure most of you have had to clean mold from one of your new homes. In almost all cases, it's NOT the manufacturer's fault. Their factories are very well ventilated and the material is kept clean and dry. I have never been in a factory with sustainable humidity levels above 40%, the percentage needed to sustain mold growth. I've been doing a lot of research on mold lately because the last couple of years I've seen an uptick in the number of new modulars with mold problems.

I visited a home in the mid Atlantic area two years ago that was completely black inside and out. It was a spec and had never been occupied and the builder couldn't sell it in that condition. He had closed it up for a couple of weeks when he went of vacation. Just TWO WEEKS! The painters and drywallers had just finished and the humidity was close to 98% the entire 2 weeks.

When he got back, he noticed quite a bit of mold throughout the house but thought he could just do a good cleaning and that would take care of the problem. It continued to spread and he finally had to completely gut the house, take off the siding and shingles and remove all the insulation. He hired a company to spray the wood structure and plywood and then he rebuilt the entire house. Cost: $105,000.

I'm not sure he declared the mold problem when he sold the house, but I sure wouldn't want to be the new homeowner! And if the mold comes back, the new owners will not only sue the builder but also the manufacturer and anyone else that had a hand in the cleanup and repair. So be very careful, mold is a very hot topic with home buyers.

According to Vicki Lankarge in her book “What Every Home Owner Needs to Know About Mold & What to Do About It,” mold remediation can be broken up into 5 levels: level one being the least contamination, level four being the most, and level five HVAC and air conditioning systems.

When dealing with mold contamination in your home it can be difficult to decide when a mold remediator is needed or what you can take care of yourself.

In the following 5 levels, you will have a guideline to go by when removing mold from your home :
5 Levels of Mold Remediation

Level I (10 square feet or less)
Smaller infestations categorized in level I is mostly found on ceilings or baseboards. Level I mold contamination may be cleaned without hiring a mold remediator, but there are several important safety precautions that you need to know :
1. Do not attempt cleaning mold if you suffer from asthma, allergies, or immune disorders
2. Wear gloves, eye protection, and an N95 disposable respirator
3. Vacate from your work area any infants less than 12 months old, individuals recovering from recent surgery, anyone with a suppressed immune system, or people with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, sever allergies, emphysema, etc.
4. Contaminated materials that cannot be cleaned should be removed from your home in a sealed plastic bag to prevent an infestation in another part of your home.
5. Clean your work area when you’re done with a damp cloth or mop.
6. Make sure all areas are left dry and visibly free of mold contamination.

Level II (10-30 square feet)
To remove mold from an area category the size of level II (probably one wall panel), the same precautions used in level I should be taken as well as the following :
1. Moldy materials should be covered with plastic sheets and sealed with tape before any handling or removal of materials. This will contain dust and debris. It may be wise to double wrap in plastic before escorting the moldy material from your home.
2. When the mold removal is finished, vacuum the work area with a HEPA vacuum. Clean the area with a damp cloth or mop.

Level III (30-100 square feet)
Mold contamination this size (patches of mold on several wall panels), should still be handled with the same precautions as level I and II as well as the following added measures :
1. Seal ventilation ducts/grills in the work area and areas directly adjacent with plastic sheeting.
2. Vacate everyone from your work area until work is completed. Further vacate adjacent work areas of any infants less than 12 months old, individuals recovering from recent surgery, anyone with a suppressed immune system, or people with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, sever allergies, emphysema, etc.

Level IV (greater than 100 square feet)
An infestation depending on how much greater than 100 square feet may require the assistance of a mold remediator. If not, the same requirements should be followed as were needed in levels I, II, and III along with the following :
1. Every worker must be trained in the handling of hazardous materials and equipped with full face respirators with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cartridges, with disposable protective clothing covering both head and shoes.
2. Make sure workers completely isolate their work area from the rest of your home with sheeting sealed with duct tape, including ventilation ducts/grills, fixtures, and any other openings.
3. Make sure workers set up and use a “decontamination room,” or a chamber taped off with plastic sheeting. The outside of sealed bags containing contaminated material should be wiped down with a damp cloth or HEPA vacuumed in the decontamination chamber prior to their removal.
4. Air monitoring should be conducted prior to moving back into your home to determine if it is fit to reoccupy.

Level V (Air Conditioners and HVAC Systems)
If there is a small area of mold growth beneath your air conditioning system it would be safe to apply precautions from levels I and II to remediate the mold contamination. However, all remediation procedures for air conditioning units and HVAC systems should be left to professionals. Procedures for level V remediation for areas larger than 10 square feet are the same for all previous levels with the following precautionary measures added :
1. Shut down the HVAC system prior to remediation.
2. Growth-supporting materials that are contaminated, such as the paper on the insulation of interior lined ducts and filters, should be removed and sealed in plastic bags.
3. A variety of biocides - broad spectrum antimicrobial agents designed to prevent the growth of microorganisms - are recommended by HVAC manufacturers for use with HVAC components, such as cooling coils and condensation pans. HVAC manufacturers should be consulted for the products they recommend for use in their systems.

CLEAN AND GREEN

Modular homes have an eco-friendly advantage over site-built homes from the moment construction begins. Being factory built, it's easier to control the amounts of waste created and recycled throughout the home building process. Building materials are pre-cut with factory-built homes, significantly reducing waste by up to 70 percent.

Modular homes with the Energy Star certification allow for even more efficiency, as well as savings. American homes use approximately 25 percent of the energy in the United States. Homes built featuring products with the Energy Star label use approximately 35 percent less energy than a typical new home, and prevent 4,500 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year. These homes have effective insulation, high performance windows, upgraded heating and air conditioning systems, tight duct systems and upgraded water heating equipment. Appliances in a new modular home are most likely Energy Star certified as well.

A growing portion of the population places a higher value on homes that are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. Building homes under these guidelines is not only a smart investment, but you will also see savings in your utility bills, and a likely increase in your home's value.

WHEN IS A MODULAR HOME A CUSTOM HOME?

This is another trick question. Today some of the better modular home manufacturers offer homes that rival custom homes right from the start. I know, yours are really custom. Let's see what makes that statement inaccurate.

1. Many homes are designed by architects and engineers. So are custom modular. The difference is how much you pay for their services. I've seen architects charge the customer up to 10% of the home's value. You would think for that amount of money it would be perfect. Wrong! Have you never heard of a "change order"? Typical modular companies charge about $1,000 for plans and these are stamped by an independent third party inspector to make sure they pass the local building codes. Saves you a lot of dough.

2. Did you mention "change orders"?  If you are using a stick builder you are used to making changes on the fly, telling your contractor that you wanted marble, not laminate for the vanities, that you want to upgrade the kitchen that was ordered last week and that you have now decided that you were right in the first place about the fireplace location. Can we change that? With modular you have to make up your mind before the house is ordered. This saves your sanity.

3. It's all about the money. You typically finish a custom home in about 8-10 months. This keeps your crews busy and you always have work. If this were a modular home, you would put in the foundation and sill plate and be waiting for the home to arrive. It was being built while you put in the foundation...good timing. It arrives 80-90% complete. You do your stick built stuff like porches, decks and garages and viola! the house is completed and the customer has moved into their new home in about 30-50 days. 90 days versus 250 days. If you make the same amount of profit, what are you going to do with the extra 160 days? Why, you're going to build 3 more homes! Saves you from having to keep your crew on the same house for 250 days.
And that saves money for you and your customer.

Custom Homes are custom homes are custom homes. If you perceive modular to be boxes put together and rolled on a foundation, you deserve to be a stick builder. But if you really look at the custom side of modular homes, you're going to be surprised at how much money can be saved while giving yourself a true  "Custom Home".

TOP 10 GREEN BUILDING PRODUCTS OF 2011

Sustainable Industries recently announced its sixth-annual Top 10 Green Building Products as selected from more than 100 entries this year by an expert panel of judges.  The products have been chosen based on a view toward environmental performance, scalability/market impact, innovativeness, design aesthetic, value and compatibility with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

Here are all ten:

• Adura Wireless Lighting Controls by Adura Technologies
• Breathe Living Wall by DIRTT Environmental Solutions
• Greensulate by Ecovative Design
• HydroRight Dual Flush Converter by MJSI Inc.
• Indow Windows by Indow Windows
• Juice Bar by Green Garage Associates
• Mobile Solar Power System by Pure Power Distribution
• Modlet by ThinkEco
• SageGlass by SAGE Electrochromics
• SmartSlope Living Retaining Wall by the Furbish Company

Some of these you’ve no doubt seen before.  Some of them will make you ask why did they bother but whatever your views, that's what made the list.

Here is one that didn't make the list but should have, the

All Electric Brammo Motorcycle!

Are those training wheels?