Blog

By: The MOSS Team

Moss Building & Design gives the best remodeling tips because that’s what we do every day! Trust our experts when planning a successful home remodel.

1. Pick your appliances early. With so many appliances to choose from, you need to research and pick appliances early in the design and selection process. MOSS recommends purchasing appliances before ordering cabinets. Appliance models change, update, and discontinue on a constant cycle. Your dream appliance may go through dimensional changes and not fit into your dream cabinets.
2. Think about how the remodeled space will be used. Jodi Jameson of MOSS said, “I see this a lot in kitchen remodeling. Homeowners…end up duplicating their existing kitchen layout because it’s what they’re used to. They’ll overlook the opportunity to change the layout to one that could be used better.” When planning any remodel, carefully consider how your family functions every day. What’s the most beneficial layout? Do you entertain guests often or have large family dinners? How much time do you spend in this room?
3. Consider what you already own. When designing a remodel, don’t forget about what you already own. Make space for the old, too!
4. Discover what you do and don’t like. MOSS’ Project Designer tells their clients to consider what they do and don’t like in their current space. “I tell them to make a list of those things,” she said. “They don’t forget anything when they meet with their designer. Your designer needs to know everything, so they can come up with a new design that you’ll love.”
5. Talk to other homeowners. Another great way to discover what you do and don’t like is to ask other homeowners who recently remodeled. Talk about the process, from start to finish. Ask them what they would’ve done differently.
6. Understand the entire process. When a remodeling company quotes the timeline as 7 months, that doesn’t mean the construction takes 7 months. It means that part of that time is design and selection, and the other part is construction and cleanup.
7. Find your design style. This is the most fun part of a home remodeling project! Browse through Pinterest and interior design magazines to choose your preferred home design style. Turn to Houzz for expert inspiration from architects and interior designers to solidify your idea of a dream addition. Remember that every design style is interpreted differently by those involved in your remodeling like interior designers and painters. Before you break ground, identify what problems you want to fix in your home, and then discuss solutions with your chosen remodeler.
8. Choose the right remodeling company. Chip and Joanna Gaines make do-it-yourself remodels look easy, but it’s best to find an expert in your local area. First, determine your requirements. Narrow down your vision board according to your Houzz saves, Pinterest pins, and magazine cut-outs. Afterward, let the remodeler offer you solutions to get there. Second, ask the right questions about the remodeling company (permits, history in the business, licenses, proof of insurance), an outline and timeframe for your project, contract options, project plans, and more. Lastly, hire a legitimate company that cares. After seeing if their project portfolio looks similar to your dream addition, ask the right questions about the legitimacy of the company and project scope. If they answer everything to your liking, book them!
9. Understand that kitchen remodels require special post-construction care. While your entire new remodel should be taken good care of, MOSS suggests making your kitchen cabinets a priority. After the remodel, follow the cabinet care instructions for the longevity of the cabinet finishes. A slightly damp cloth should be used for day-to-day cleaning. The cabinets should be dried immediately with a dry soft cloth. Harsh cleaners like ammonia-based products, bleach, or abrasive materials, should never be used on cabinetry finishes.
10. Don’t make it too visually busy. Find one focal point for your home remodel. Crazy tile, fancy floors, and busy cabinets are overpowering. It gives the eye too much to look at. Pick a focal point in your design and complement that area with what suits your design style.

You can also reach us at 703.961.7707 or Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com for more home remodeling advice.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

By: Jenn Zschunke

As it has for the past several years, Moss Building & Design‘s Community Relations team visited various fire stations around Northern Virginia on the anniversary of September 11th. Taking this time to bring a sweet treat and a special thank you to our area’s first responders reminds them that we are all grateful for their service to us and our community.

Today our team visited the following fire stations: Alexandria Fire Station # 206, Arlington County Fire Station #7, West Centreville Fire Station 38, and McLean Fire Station #1.

We honor and remember those whose lives were lost 17 years ago. #NeverForget

If it’s your first time planning a home remodel, we don’t want you to worry about making any mistakes. To help you avoid some common remodeling mistakes, MOSS offers a few words of advice.

• Avoid hiring an architect before a contractor. If you hire an architect to design your home remodel before consulting or hiring a contractor to build it, you’re in trouble. This is a common mistake because what often happens is that the architect draws out a beautiful new home remodel that you fall in love with. Then, when it comes time to construct, you can’t afford it because the design is out of your home renovation budget. An architect is able to capture the scope of your home and help it come to life through blueprints and in-depth conversations. However, without the expertise of a home contractor like MOSS, they don’t understand the actual cost of the work they’re designing. It’s important to work with a contractor before committing to a design from an architect.
• Understand your budget. This is a common mistake that homeowners make when planning a remodel. You probably have a dream design in mind, so you request a proposal for a home remodeling company like Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia. Once you receive your proposal, you may have questions about the cost, especially if you’re unsure of what you want to or can spend.

  Homeowners often don’t realize all the things that impact the cost of a remodel. We’re here to help you understand your proposal. As long as you’re aware of what you can spend and what you’re willing to spend, you should be OK. Do some research and budget to understand what you can afford and what you’re willing to pay before you move forward with a design.

• Have a realistic timeline. This common mistake is frustrating for homeowners and home contractors. Home remodeling contractors understand how long a home remodel takes, but a homeowner often wants it done as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this timeline is unrealistic and can cause tension during the remodel. To avoid this, it’s important for both parties to have a clear understanding of what a realistic project timeline is.

  For example, if you need your kitchen for a graduation party or wedding reception in two months, hold off on a remodel until after the event. You’ll have a full working kitchen for your event, and no one will be stressed to get the project done in a short amount of time.

  Remember: Each remodeling timeline varies, depending on the scope and any design or construction changes that happen along the way. Be sure to communicate effectively and clearly with your home remodeler to understand your specific project timeline.

• Understand why you want a home remodel. Oftentimes, you think you want or need something new, but you don’t know why. Why do you suddenly want an open floor plan? Why do you need a finished basement? Why do you crave a new family room or at-home office? Through Moss Building & Design’s consultative sales approach, we’ll help you get to the root of why you want a particular project, design, or layout. Using a series of in-depth questions, we’ll be able to determine more about how your family uses the space and how a new space solves any pain points that you’re experiencing.

To help you avoid making a remodeling mistake, Moss Building & Design is there every step of the way. To help with design, we offer MOSS 360. It’s our virtual design capability that helps you avoid design mistakes. With MOSS 360, you’re able to feel for yourself if the countertops are the right height, if the sink is in the right spot, and if the paint colors look as good in the sunlight.

For more information on how MOSS can help with your next home remodel, download the Beginner’s Guide To Home Remodeling. Click on the button below to get started:

Summer days are definitely upon us and with them, our usual Northern Virginia weather: hot, hazy, and humid. Yet, like every year, fall will soon be here. We welcome cooler weather, shorter days, school, holidays, fall sports, and family gatherings.

With that in mind, fall is a fantastic time to consider home remodeling projects with Moss Building & Design, Northern Virginia’s top home remodeler. Here are our top three recommendations for projects this fall.

Remodeling Your Mudroom

Mudrooms are a great way to slow down the traffic coming through your home. It gives your family (especially the kids!) a place to take responsibility in storing their shoes, backpacks, and sports equipment. There’s also a satisfying feeling of “out of sight, out of mind” with a well-designed mudroom. Items are stored neatly, the rest of your home is kept less messy and dirty, and you can enjoy the lack of clutter! 

This remodel in Oakton, Virginia, features a mudroom with built-ins and associated baskets and hooks for each family member.  

Kitchen Pantry Organization

Getting out of the house every morning can be a race against the clock for busy families. An organized and neat kitchen pantry, where the kids can grab snacks and lunchbox food quickly, is a crucial element to a well-oiled morning machine.

This home remodel in Fairfax Station, Virginia, included a kitchen pantry that is an organizer’s delight. The ability to walk in and visually see everything can make even the most stressful days easier! 

Entryways

With the holidays approaching, early fall is a good time to think about updating your front porch, sun porch, and/or entryways (side doors, for example). The weather is still comfortable enough for work to happen, and it’s a lovely time to research ways to add outdoor decor for upcoming festivities.

Have you been thinking about fixing the front steps? Worried that someone could take a misstep on a loose stone? Is the lighting dated? Fall is a great time to update any or all of these. 

This Oakton home’s screened porch is a perfect example of a well-designed backyard with a beautiful back entryway into the home. 

Interested in starting a home remodeling project this fall with MOSS? Call us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingAndDesign.com for more information. You can also download our guide to home remodeling, if you’re a little new at this project. Click on the button below to get started:

Preparing Your Northern VA Home For Fall

After many hot, and humid days this summer, we all anxiously await the cooler temperatures of fall. While you and your kids might be ready to jump into the next season, is your home properly prepped for the change?

Moss Building & Design is the perfect remodeling company to get those handyman items off of your honey-do list. We’ll take care of prep items, too, before the weather gets chilly.

Here are specific maintenance and remodeling items to prepare your Northern Virginia home for fall.

Painting & Basement Remodeling Projects

‘Tis the season for a good interior paint job. The winter is too cold to shut all the windows, and dive into large-scale interior painting projects. The summer is too hot, but fall offers the perfect time to spruce up those rooms that need a little extra TLC.

Make sure your basement is in tip-top shape for all the indoor time ahead. If you’ve been thinking about remodeling your basement, now is the time. Turn your basement into the perfect playroom, home theater, or extra bedroom. Add a kitchen and bar area for that extra entertainment space.

This basement remodel in McLean, Virginia, completely transformed to update a living space, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. The dark birch cabinets in the wet bar create a coziness in the basement. The tile choice makes for easy spill cleanup. This basement definitely has what it takes to become a home for the family in the winter and a house for out-of-town holiday guests.

Exterior Repairs: Gutters, Roofs, And Windows Need Extra Attention

You also need to tend to gutters, roofs, and windows this time of year. Clear out gutters and keep them clean as foliage begins to drop. Now’s the time to repair any damage that occurred from summer storms. If your gutters clog or break come winter, ice buildup could damage your home’s framing and drywall. Avoid this at all costs!

Seal any roof leaks before freezing rain and snow piles up. Don’t forget about the chimney, as well. Annually inspect chimneys for critters, cracks, and soot buildup. You may stoke a fire sooner than you think.

Check doors and windows for cracked or frayed caulk and weatherstripping. Air leaks cause the heating bill to rise as the weather turns colder. It’s an easy fix you or a handyman can catch.

Check Your Deck

Summer activities take a toll on your outdoor space. Make sure you address any loose boards, nail pops, or other deck issues while you still want to be outside. Once winter hits, small deck problems are exacerbated by wintry weather conditions.

Also, consider a renovation or remodeling project to enclose your deck to make an all-season space. Build a new deck or patio for a great space prepared come spring again! For example, check out the below McLean, Virginia, porch addition.

Prepare Your Home For Fall With Northern Virginia’s Best Contractor

Do you want to talk to about renovating your Northern Virginia home? Do you need a contractor to prepare your home for the fall? Call us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

We’re always excited to showcase home remodel projects that MOSS, Northern Virginia’s top remodeler, completes. This particular remodel in north Arlington, Virginia, is a stunner.

Two fallen trees from a spring storm damaged this home. MOSS turned this home into a beautiful light-filled showcase. Its open kitchen concept represents the owners’ love for entertaining and family time.

The owners of this home considered remodeling for awhile. When the trees fell and damaged most of their home, they moved forward with MOSS as their home contractor. Working with our designers, this family had specific goals for their home remodel, including the following:

• An eat-in kitchen with plenty of room to accommodate all family members
• An open, informal space for entertaining with lots of light
• Maximum deck space for use in at least three seasons 

Kitchen and Dining Rooms Transformation

Before renovations took place, the kitchen was too small to accommodate this family’s needs. Making meals, hosting family gatherings, and enjoying family time felt forced and cramped. This was one of the homeowner’s main goals that MOSS worked with them to achieve.

Now, they have a space where everyone can be together but not on top of one another. The kitchen remodel offers different zones for cooking, working, and hanging out.

Deck Updates

Before the remodel, this home had ample deck space, but it wasn’t useable outside of the summer months. When MOSS remodeled the kitchen, we added interior square footage. This allowed us to add exterior space, too.

The exterior space included covered seating, a wood-burning fireplace, heating elements for year-round use, and mounted television!

This family wanted a separate dining area as part of the open concept kitchen. Beautiful lighting and an extended dining table with comfortable seating allows for entertaining and family meals.

Main Floor Mudroom

Before the renovation, this family didn’t have a central location for their young children’s belongings, sports equipment, and toys. MOSS created a mudroom near the front door that keeps this family well organized.

At MOSS, we work with our homeowners at every step of their remodel. By truly listening to you and how you plan to use your new space, we can help you improve the quality of your life in your home. The before and after photos prove how significant these changes were for this family! Imagine the possibilities for your home!

If you’re interested in MOSS and our home remodeling services, call us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingAndDesign.com.

Northern Virginia Contractor Receives 8th Consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Award

We are very proud to announce that we have received the Angie’s List Super Service Award for the 8th consecutive year. The award honors those professionals who have maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews throughout 2017. The Northern Virginia remodeling company is proud to have established such a reputation for excellence in the remodeling and home services industry.

The 8th consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Award marks Moss Building and Design’s superior record of service on AngiesList.com, which consumers continually view as a trusted source for home service recommendations. Each year, fewer than 5% of businesses on Angie’s List receive this award.

 “Angie’s List is an unfiltered forum for customers to express their opinion on their MOSS experience. The experiences shared on our Angie’s List profile clearly demonstrate the MOSS team’s commitment to our guiding principles of Safety, High Quality, Customer Focus, Fairness, and High Performance,” said MOSS CEO, Jason Hampel. “We love having the opportunity to improve the quality of our customer’s lives in their home and couldn’t be prouder to be recognized by these same customers for successfully delivering on our guiding principles for the 8th consecutive year.”

About Northern VA’s Top Remodeler

Moss Building & Design is an award-winning remodeling and home services company that serves Northern Virginia.  We specialize in remodeling additions, kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations and basement remodeling.  If you would like a free consultation or have questions regarding how to get started call us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com

The Moss Building & Design team always keeps up with the latest design trends, from traditional to modern design styles. One common design style we’re seeing a lot of (even in modern home remodels) is rustic architectural elements. Whether it’s wood flooring, an eye-catching stone accent wall, or a complete farmhouse chic remodel, rustic remodeling elements are on the rise in kitchens, living rooms, and bathrooms.

Wooden Accents Make Rooms More Rustic

Various types of hardwoods or hardwood imitations are popping up everywhere in our Northern Virginia remodels. The wood look is no longer just an appropriate flooring option for your bedrooms and hallways. Our recent trend alert features more information on how porcelain tile and luxury vinyl tile are used in bathrooms and kitchens for a wood look with a moisture-resistant bonus, like this Vienna, Virginia, bathroom remodel.

Wood isn’t only a flooring option either. Hardwood type accents are also popping up on walls and backsplashes throughout the home. The wood look is incorporated in kitchens, even those that predominantly have a modern design style like this Oakton, Virginia, remodel with a unique wood range hood.

Sliding Barn Doors In Northern Virginia Renovations

One of our favorite design trends in rustic remodels is definitely barn doors. Nothing is more rustic than simulating the look of a barn to bring in the farmhouse style. A weathered-wood look, like this blue-green sliding door in a Great Falls, Virginia, living room remodel, perfectly matches this client’s rustic decor.

You can really go as rustic or as modern as your design style allows when choosing a door, adding personal touches and character to make your home unique. Another remodel in Ashburn, Virginia, incorporated a rustic door in-between the kitchen and dining space.

Barn doors are used everywhere, from living rooms to kitchens to offices. They don’t all have to look authentically “rustic,” though. This sliding door in McLean, Virginia, creates privacy for a side room-office space. While it doesn’t resemble a barn door, it still incorporates the visual sliding element inspired by the barn door trend.

Stone Accent Walls Add Outdoorsy Warmth To Kitchens

The expert stonemasons and carpenters that work on Moss Building & Design home remodels are equipped with the skills to really make your accent wall become a statement piece. Traditionally, stone accents are on fireplaces in living rooms, but contractors work on stone accent walls and backsplashes anywhere, especially in kitchens!

For example, this stone accent wall in a Great Falls, Virginia, remodeled kitchen perfectly matches the client’s desire to bring rustic, natural elements into their home.

For more rustic remodel design tips, read our blog on Farmhouse Chic Decor or view our top five favorite rustic inspired living rooms here.

Want to create a rustic home remodel of your own? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

MOSS’ Community Relations team is always looking for different ways to make a difference. Most community outreach events occur in conjunction with the school year so our summer is a challenge for our team to find sponsorship options.

Beginning a few years ago, we began to look into supporting local area swim teams — what a great way to help community families and to encourage staying healthy and active over the summer. Plus, being in the water during these incredibly HOT days makes everything better! 

For 2018, we expanded our support to several different teams, and are so glad we did. We want to wish all the swimmers at the following community pools a successful July and to most of all, be safe in the water: Pinecrest Piranhas (Herndon), Stratford Sharks (Alexandria), and the Water Wizards of Kings Ridge (Fairfax). 

If you’d like to learn more about MOSS and our community relations efforts, please contact our Community Relations Manager, Jenn Zschunke, at jzschunke@mossbuildinganddesign.com. For a free estimate for your home remodeling needs or to learn more about MOSS, contact us.