Michael F. Simon Builders

Michael F. Simon Builders June 2010 Newsletter

We hope you had a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Things are heating up, both with the weather, and with summer projects. While you were enjoying your time with friends and family, did you find yourself wishing you had more space or an updated area of your home? If you (or a family member) are thinking about changing some aspect of your home, keep us in mind, we'd love to help those ideas become reality.

Best regards,

Watch a Home Being Built

How would you like to watch every step of the way while we build a custom new home? Check out our Facebook Page, we have added an album called "Watch a home being built." It should give you an inside look at some of the steps you may not even think about that go into building a custom home.

Past Project: Adding Cubbies

We've featured second story additions, complete basement makeovers and additions but sometimes it's the small things that make the big difference. One of our smaller jobs we recently finished was adding cubbies to a mud room. The homeowners needed something to help them organize their children's shoes, boots, mittens, hats and coats when they come home.

We ended up replacing the flooring in their mud room and having our carpenters build a cubby storage system. The cubbies were built and finished in our workshop, then delivered and installed.

Scroll over the picture to see the "Before" picture.

They didn't want to lose their bench, so we removed it and moved directly across the room to the other wall. Now they have a cubby for each member of the family so they can keep their things neat and separated.

Michael F Simon Builders may be known as one of the area's finest custom new home builders, but there's no job to small for us. We demand quality no matter what the job is or who it's for. Which is why we live our tagline "Quality Defined!"

If you, or someone you know is thinking of building or remodeling, make sure you tell them to give us a call. They'll be glad you did.

10 Tips to Make a Family Room Look Like a Theater

Not everyone has the luxury of dedicating a room solely for big-screen movie viewing. More often, that space is shared with a family room, a den or a guest bedroom.

And that's OK. Your family room is already finished and furnished. Plus, it probably already has a good-size TV and modest surround-sound system.

If your family room is like most, it may not look or feel much like a theater. What it's likely lacking is ambiance - something in the arrangement and design of the room that gives off a theater vibe.

You can go as simple or as complicated as you want to produce the desired cinematic effect. Here are 10 ideas to consider.

1.   Re-paint:   Dark, rich colors like burgundy and navy blue scream theater. Plus, because light doesn't reflect off dark colors like it does off light colors, the video on your TV will look better.

2.   Rearrange the Furniture:   The screen at your local cinema sits directly in front of the seats; your TV should, too, which may require a slight adjustment of your family room furniture.

3.   Add Architectural Details:   Decorative moldings, pillars and other theater-inspired details are widely available at home improvement stores.

4.   New Lighting:   Most of the pre-show lighting in a commercial theater is produced by sconces on the wall. Put a few on the walls of your family room for additional lighting that looks like the real thing. Rope lighting is also very theater-esque.

5.   Install Dimmers:   If you don't want to run new electrical wiring for the sconces, at least swap your existing light switch for a dimmer. You'll be able to fade out the lights before the movie starts.

6.   Hang Drapes:   Nice, thick drapes like the ones that cover the screen at the movie theater evoke the look and feel you're after. As a bonus, they can block out incoming light and improve room acoustics.

7.   Hide the Components:   Remove all the audio and video components from the room and place them somewhere else in the house, like a closet or utility room. Trade in your existing infrared remote control for a radio frequency-based remote. It'll be able to transmit commands to the equipment through walls, floors and doors. 

8.   Build a Riser:   You can enjoy the same stadium-style seating of your neighborhood cinema in your own family room by having a riser built.

9.   Pick New Seats:   Invest in theater-style seating, especially if you've built risers. These seats can be ordered in a color to complement the new wall paint. They can include features like reclining action and built-in cup holders.

10.   Attach Fabric Wall Panels:   The walls in most theaters are covered in fabric. You can do the same in your family room, although you don't have to do the entire space.

New Product: Profile Smart Toilet

Water conservation is becoming a bigger issue all over the world. To help this cause, the Australian-based Caroma International is bringing its smart technologies from the world's driest continent to the North American market. Their latest offering is the Profile Smart toilet.

This high efficiency dual flush toilet averages just 0.9 gal. per flush. Fresh water is directed through the faucet for hand washing and then drains into the tank to be used for the next flush. This doesn't replace a standard bathroom sink, but it adds a rinse station in a bathroom.

More information can be found at http://www.qualitydefined.com/www.caromausa.com.

Green Tip:

Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your electric bill. This is also a safety measure, especially if you have children in the house.

Rental Space Available

This rental space is available from September 1, 2010 in Waunakee. It is located at 605 Knightsbridge Road in the Michael F. Simon Builders office building. It is approximately 550 square feet and the rent is $699 per month. All utilities are paid for by the landlord (Michael F. Simon Builders, Inc.). All exterior maintenance and upkeep (i.e. shoveling, plowing, mowing, etc.) are provided by the landlord.

This rental space would be ideal for a small business. There is plenty of parking for you and your clients. It is set up as two offices and two bathrooms with a common reception area.

If interested, call Phil Simon at (608) 849-5916, or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tips from Bob & Terry:

Bob Clemens (remodeling expert) and Terry Dowell (Project Manager) from Simon Builders, have picked up a few tips and tricks over their 50 plus combined years here at Simon Builders. This month, deck maintenance is the topic.

If you have a wood deck, you already know it needs maintenance to keep it looking good. Falling behind on sealing your deck could lead to rot, decay, mold, or slivers when you walk on it. All of these problems can make your deck unusable, which becomes a waste. If your deck is in good condition, then resealing it now can make sure it stays in that condition. If your deck is too damaged or unsightly for repair, consider upgrading to a maintenance-free composite deck. These decks never require staining or sealing, but are a little more costly up front. If you're unsure of the condition of your deck, or would like a composite deck installed, give us a call, we can help you out!