A Shout-out To The Moms!

By – Jeannine Miller (jmiller@mossbuildinganddesign.com)

PARTIES ARE FUN. PARTIES ARE A LOT OF WORK.  I just finished putting on a shindig to celebrate my oldest son’s 1st Communion. Since the church service was three days before Easter, I decided that an Easter Sunday luncheon would be the way to go for the party.

Talk about pressure — I’ve just asked our guests to forego their normal Easter routine in favor of coming to our house. There was a point during this process when I longed for my 20s when my roommate, Steph, and I would look at each other on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon and be like “Want to have a party tonight?”  One quick run to Cork ‘n Bottle and the party was on. Those days are gone.

I started off right by hiring a Moss Home Services’ handyman.  The honey-do list got checked off in no time at all. Where I got into trouble was creating a Board on Pinterest. I had been saving images of  food, centerpieces, party favors, décor, etc. for months instead of using that time to clean my house and, in general, prep for the party. Of the gazillion ideas I Pinned, I did exactly five. (I’m a big talker, not so much on the follow-through.) I will say that my Peep wreath DID rock and I will be talking about it for the next year.

So midweek before the party, the relatives start arriving, thinking they’re on vacation.  Au contraire.  I was so not ready.  I don’t know how on earth I thought I could host 8 people for a week and then throw a party for 40 all by myself.  Enter “The Moms.”  My mom, my mother-in-law and my stepmom went to town and worked their tails off.  They smiled and joked the whole time and actually looked like they were having fun, whether they were preparing food or mopping my floor.  Who DOES that?  A mom, that’s who.  I handed them recipes and centerpiece ideas and, instead of asking me if I’d lost my mind, they turned them into reality.

By the time the guests arrived, The Moms had my home andyard set for a lovely garden party.  It was amazing.  I got to spend the party walking around, chatting with friends and refilling glasses with this bubbly thing or that.  It was a super special day that will always be treasured.

By – Jeannine Miller (jmiller@mossbuildinganddesign.com)

I’ve come to the conclusion that you can only have two out of three at any one time…great home, great meals or great body.  If you have all three, ask a family member what they think.  My guess is they’ll shy away from the answer which is their nice way of saying “You are a psycho and we are afraid you’re gonna lose it at any moment.”

Since Spring is a time of renewal, I say we all take a moment to think about what is really important to us and quit spending our time on things that aren’t.  If working out every day is what makes you feel great, then do it; if not, stop beating yourself up about it, do the bare minimum to keep the cardiac surgeon away, and keep buying mom jeans.

If having an always-tidy and expertly-maintained home is what brings you joy, then spend your time keeping up that façade and give the rest of us some alone time to talk about you behind your back.

And, if putting gorgeous, perfectly-balanced meals on the dinner table every night comes naturally, I’ll try to think nice thoughts about you as I hit the drive thru for our dinner.

All kidding aside, what I really want to do is encourage you to be great at the things that matter to you personally and ask for help with the things that don’t rate quite so high on your list.  Whether it’s a personal trainer, meals from the prepared food section at the grocery store or…wait for it…Moss Home Services  , for the honey-do list that doesn’t get done, a little help never hurt anybody, but has probably saved thousands from the looney bin.

Image Credit: womenshealthmag.com

After spending the last decade as a stay-at-home mom to three rambunctious adorable children, Jeannine has joined Moss  Building & Design as a community liaison of sorts, bringing  DIY sessions known as HandyMOM 101 workshops to moms groups in northern VA and reaching out to the local community at large.  In addition to her guest blog with DC Metro Mom, Jeannine will be posting a monthly blog giving her unique perspective as a member of the Moss team and as a busy Mom on a variety of remodeling and home-related topics.  Questions, comments, and advice are not only welcomed, but ENCOURAGED and should be submitted to Jeannine.

Well, Fancy that!

Jeannine Miller (jmilller@mossbuildinganddesign.com)

My whole home is beautifully decorated and perfectly tidy at all times.  At least that’s what I hope you believe by just seeing the living room.

When someone shows up unexpectedly to drop something off or simply say “Hi” because they were in the neighborhood, I usher them directly into the living room and KEEP THEM THERE.

While I may know that one short walk away is a kitchen full of dirty dishes and a countertop laden with kids’ school papers, my guests certainly don’t need to know that. My kiddos have dubbed the living room “The Fancy Room,” which I think is perfect — all special rooms should have a title (think Oval Office, Lincoln Bedroom, etc).

While I never thought I’d be a hands-off-room type of person, once 3 “littles” came on the scene, I needed at least ONE space that was always pretty.

So what’s your Fancy Room?  Is it your bedroom, bathroom, home theater?

You can see some of the rooms in this post that Moss has created for our clients, now send me your photos and tell me about your fancy rooms!

The best ones will be posted on our facebook page.

Great Remodeling Ideas For Entertaining

The holidays are a time when many homeowners entertain –whether it’s a small group of family members or a big New Year’s Eve bash.  If your house is set up for entertaining, it makes the whole process more enjoyable and easier on your nerves.

Below are some ideas on how to remodel your house to make it more enjoyable when entertaining guests in your home.

Kitchen Design: A kitchen is where guests inevitably congregate – it’s the source of the food and it is usually the best place to visit with the host.  Make sure your kitchen’s layout takes this into account. There should be plenty of floor space for multiple cooks, caterers, and guests to walk around.

Kitchen Island: Unlike peninsulas, kitchen islands contribute to an open floor plan and allow people to circulate through the room.  The island can be the place to stage food which is waiting to be put out or can be the spot for serving the buffet.  Many islands are on the outer perimeter of kitchens, providing a dividing line between the food prep area and the entertaining area.  Guests can visit with the cooks while staying out of the way of food preparation activities.

Appliances: If you entertain frequently, make sure you have the appliances you need.  An extra dishwasher will keep dirty dishes from piling up.   You will want a large refrigerator – or an extra one in an out-of-the-way location. If you do a lot of cooking, you might want a double oven or an extra large cooktop.  Homeowners who make a lot of drinks might want a wet bar in the kitchen, family room, or other public space.  A wet bar in the kitchen can be positioned near the wine fridge and ice machine so you have a separate drink preparation area.

And, most importantly, make sure the appliances you have are in good working condition.  The last thing you need is to have an oven that stops working in the middle of a party (You can contact Moss Home Services and we can inspect your appliances as well as HVAC and insulations needs)

Outdoor Projects: It may sound crazy but while the weather is bearable? outside,  you can save money on outdoor projects.  Many outdoor items will be considerably marked down during this time of year since they’re not in demand. Some great home remodeling projects you might consider for the outdoors might include a walkway or deck. You may be able to find some great deals on stones that you could easily install during the winter months to create a walkway to the garden.

Rooms for Entertaining: One great wintertime project is remodeling a basement or an unused room to create more usable space. Your basement can be a great place for entertaining.  It can be a game room with a pool table, pinball machines, or a video game area.  Basements are also great places for home theaters.  One of the newer trends is custom-designed wine cellars which include wine tasting rooms.

No matter what you do, the most important thing is to enjoy the holidays and the time you have with family and friends.  The family at Moss Building and Design and Moss Home Services wants to wish you a happy and healthy holiday.

Contact us for a free consultation or for more information email us at JJameson@mossbuildinganddesign.com or call 703.961.7707

This week, Virginia experienced the strongest earthquake on the East coast since 1944.

The Geological Survey put the quake in its yellow alert category, meaning there was potential for local damage but relatively little economic damage.

While there have been no reports of any significant damage, we thought we’d pass along a few tips!

The FEMA website lists a few obvious things homeowners should check for after an earthquake.

• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.

• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.

• Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

• Inspect the entire length of chimneys for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to a fire.

Another more serious concern for homeowners, especially of older homes, is structural damage.

Though usually caused by a stronger quake, the Earthquake Retrofit Handbook warns that during an earthquake the shaking of the ground is transferred into the house through its foundation. If the home’s construction is strong enough, it suffers little structural damage. However, if it has a structural weakness the energy of the shaking will focus on that weakness and begin to damage your home.

How can you tell if you may have structural damage?

Check window corners and door casings for diagonal cracks. Also, check your crawl space for ruptured pipes. If door hinges and windows don’t close properly, that could signify a shift in the foundation or framing.

There are many things you can do to make sure your home is prepared for something like this. FEMA has put together some recommendations to get your started.

• Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.  Fasten top-heavy furniture, bookcases, and appliances to walls.
• Store bottled foods, glass, china, and other breakables on lower shelves or in cabinets that can be fastened shut.
• Secure your water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
• Evaluate and repair pre-existing structural issues, such as cracked foundations. If the foundation is secure and fully intact, bolt the house to it.
• Store hazardous materials such as pesticides or flammable products in closed cabinets, which are close to the ground.
• Hang heavy items away from where people sit or sleep.
• Know where and how to shut off electricity, gas and water at main switches and valves.

If you think you have an issue with your home or would like Moss to come out and review your home for you, please feel free to contact Moss Home Services at 703-961-7707 and we will come out and give you a free assessment.

To learn more, please visit:

East Coast Earthquake Preparedness Information

U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program

Just recently we were excited to learn that we had been voted “Best of Northern Virginia” in the remodeling category by the readers of Northern Virginia magazine. We are celebrating this event by offering a special, limited time promotion on handyman services.

“We were thrilled to get this news,” said Jason Hampel, Moss co-owner. “We know we have many satisfied customers throughout Northern Virginia, since we have an 80% rate of repeat and referral customers. It’s great to get this vote of confidence. Voters had a lot of remodeling companies to choose from.  We are very honored to be chosen as number one.”

As a thank you to our customers for voting us into the Best of NoVA, we are offering a special promotion on handyman services.

Each hour of service – usually priced at $79 – is available for $49, for a total savings of $30. The promotion will end on July 29^th and a limited number of hours are available.

Customers can sign up for the discount by “liking” the Moss Facebook page and then clicking on the “Moss Thanks YOU” link on the left side of the page. They may purchase between 4 and 16 hours of handyman services; however, plumbing and electrical work are billed at a higher rate.

One customer who is particularly happy with this discount is Jennifer G.  Our handymen recently provided external repair on her leaking window box and repaired the drywall inside.  Jennifer was so pleased with the results, she said: “I have already started brainstorming more projects I’d like to get done around the house.”  She felt our “handymen were all very professional, polite, and easy to talk to.”  When Jennifer saw that Moss handyman hours were available for a discount, she knew it was a great deal and bought some so she could get started on her to-do list.

Jennifer initially purchased the handyman service when we donated a package as part of a silent auction at her daughter’s preschool. She said she was particularly impressed by our commitment to education (as evidenced by our donation to the school) and to the environment (demonstrated by our commitment to green remodeling).

Now is the time to get your honey-do list… done.

When a potential client first contacts Moss, we schedule an initial consultation to look at the space and talk with the client about what they want to change and why.  We discuss possible design options and the benefits or drawbacks of particular choices.  I tell them about Moss and describe the stages in the design and construction process.  Then I take measurements and return to my office to develop a design that will be presented as a proposal and ultimately become the signed contract.

Recently, I met with a couple who were considering a complete remodel of their kitchen.  After the initial consultation, I contacted them to ask them about their experience.

Q: What did you like best about your consultation?

A: We’ve done a lot of thinking about the kitchen – and what we don’t like about it!  But, you gave us a lot of possible design ideas to consider and suggested some ideas that had never occurred to us.  For instance, we hadn’t thought about moving the wall between the kitchen and dining room to give the kitchen more space.  But, that makes a lot of sense.  Your impressive design portfolio also gave us some new ideas.

We also liked that you really listened to us.  I could see that you understood that it was a priority for us to open up the kitchen/living room/dining room area – and to move the entrance to the kitchen.  And you got why we wanted to make those changes.  You were very thorough and asked us questions about aspects of the design we hadn’t given much thought to – like the lighting.

Q: What did you find the most educational?

A: I got a better understand of the process involved in planning a kitchen renovation.  You explained that after the consultation, you will draw up a possible kitchen design and work on a proposal that would give us a rough idea of how much everything would cost.  The next step is working with you to revise and refine the design.  We would also talk to your cabinet designer to come up with a kitchen cabinet design (We thought it was great you had someone specifically devoted to cabinets since that’s a big part of what we want to change about the kitchen).  Then we’d sign a contract, order the cabinets and other supplies, and get ready for construction.

Q:  What was different about the Moss approach?

A: I really appreciated how much you were willing to work with us to refine the design before we signed a contract.  That isn’t true of every remodeler!  A lot of times they want you to pay them upfront before you see even preliminary designs.  I liked the idea that you would come out to visit us again and talk about any alterations if necessary.  With other remodelers, we worried that we could pay them money for a design and then decide we didn’t like it and didn’t want to work with them.  That isn’t a concern with Moss.

If your home is feeling crowded and cluttered, that can be sign that you need more space. While some remodeling projects can free up space, only an addition can really add square footage. When we meet with you, we can talk you through the different possibilities for your home. Below are different kinds of additions you can consider:

Bump-Out: If your family room is too small or you want an eat-in kitchen or a mudroom, a bump-out may be the way to go. Bump-outs are smaller sized additions that will add space to an existing room or rooms. The cost per square foot is usually a little higher than with other types of additions, but the overall project cost is usually low as compared to larger scale additions.

Wing Addition: If you want to add on multiple rooms, you can consider creating a whole new wing. Wings – such as au-pair or in-law suites – can contain a bedroom, living area, and small kitchen. If you have the space on your property, a new wing can add considerably to your home’s square footage and functionality.  And the cost can be significantly less than the alternative of moving or finding other housing for yourself or your parents.

Pop-up: If you have a small lot and a one- or two-story home, a pop-up or second story addition might be the way to go. It allows you to take advantage of the free space over your house and can avoid zoning restrictions or the need for a lot survey. This is a particularly good option for one story ranch and rambler houses that are beginning to feel cramped.  Also, by not having to do extensive foundation work these additions tend to be quite cost effective on a relative basis.

Deck or Porch Addition: Decks and porches allow you to transition from the interior of the house to the outdoors. And they permit homeowners to enjoy their outside space.  Today some such structures are becoming elaborate outside rooms, but you can also build a simple deck on a small budget. Adding a front porch can increase your home’s curb appeal. The return on a deck or porch addition is around 90 percent.

Single-Room Addition: Many homeowners are adding on single rooms that can become new home offices, bedrooms, master bedrooms, home theatres, sunrooms or bathrooms. Family room additions are very popular since many older houses were built without family rooms or other casual living spaces near the kitchen.

Two-Story Addition: If you need more square footage on two levels of your house, a two-story addition is the way to go.  For example, you can add living space or a garage on the first floor while adding a bedroom upstairs. Two-story additions can adjoin the existing house or can be connected by a short passageway.  You also maximize the cost efficiency of the space by adding two levels that share the same roof and foundation.

For more information about building an addition, visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com.

As I spend the holiday season reflecting on 2010 and planning for 2011, I am tremendously grateful for the people we have had the privilege to work with over the years.  Since Moss is ultimately just a compilation of our customers, our employees, and our vendors, we are extremely fortunate to have such special individuals making up these groups.

Throughout the years, we’ve tried to “pay it forward” by contributing to worthy causes within the community.  Since our families mean everything to us, we’ve tended to focus our donations on family or child-related causes, including:

• Brody Andrew King Memorial Fund
• Children’s Miracle Network
• Make-a-Wish Foundation
• Jeffrey Virostek Fund
• Junior Achievement Bowl
• Youth for Tomorrow
• Nicholas Kirven Memorial Fund
• Arlington Free Clinic
• Local elementary schools

We also had a special opportunity this year to sponsor a benefit concert for the Pinares Project, which provides medical education and services to a town in rural Honduras.

Giving back to the community in a more direct way has always been part of Moss’s philosophy. Long before “green” became so important universally, Moss was working “green,” because to us those were the best building practices. A significant aspect of these efforts is contributing to Habitat for Humanity any usable materials we remove from a home during a remodeling project.

Moving into 2011, I look forward to continued growth with the support of our extended family of employees, customers, and vendors. We’ll also work hard to further establish the Moss name in the community through the work we’re doing and our outreach efforts. We wish you and yours a happy and healthy new year!