The dilemma that confronts many homeowners is their desire for a top-notch job at the lowest possible price.  With price as their primary focus, they ignore other criteria that may carry more weight in producing a successfully completed project and a smooth working relationship with the remodeler.

It’s understandable that price is a major consideration when it comes to remodeling.  The cost of remodeling has increased as the demand for remodeling grows.  Higher costs of materials (such as copper pipes) and scarcity of skilled labor are just two factors contributing to price hikes.  A national trade magazine, Remodeling, reported in a Cost vs. Value survey that a mid-priced major kitchen remodel, the most popular remodeling project, costs $58,400.  For a minor remodel of the same 200-square-foot kitchen, the cost is $21,700.

Homeowners need to understand that remodeling is a service and not merely a product.  This service encompasses the intangibles that make up the process of remodeling – how everything comes together and results in a satisfying experience and an acceptable finished product.  The materials and products that go into it can’t define a professional job alone.

The nature of remodeling as a service becomes even more pronounced when you consider that inevitably you’ll be sharing your home with the remodelers’ crews for weeks or even months, depending on the scale of the project.  All remodeling involves some degree of inconvenience, but inconvenience can easily turn into a nightmare if your remodeler doesn’t put your family’s comfort and concerns first.

Rather than selecting a remodeler based on where one bid falls compared to others, shift your focus to finding a professional remodeler; then go about getting a bid on your job.  If the bid is higher than what you budgeted, work with the remodeler to decide where you can cut back or what you can postpone to keep the project on budget.  For example, you can always have the remodeler frame in a fireplace to be installed later, but he can’t upgrade the company’s customer service if there wasn’t any to begin with.

Some important characteristics you should be looking for to ensure that you hire a professional remodeler are:

•        Experience – Ask how long the remodeler has been in business.  Longevity suggests financial stability, which is necessary for the remodeler to finish the job and still be available if problems crop up after the job is completed.  Also, the more jobs the company has completed, the more expertise the remodeler will bring to your project and the hidden surprises that remodeling typically entails.
•        Reputation – Look to the remodelers’ former and current customers to gauge the company’s reputation.  Obtain the names and phone numbers of customers you can call to get their impressions of the company’s work and customer service.  Call them and make personal visits to see the work they had done.  Even better, get references from customers whose projects were similar to the one your family is planning.  Also, go visit one of the company’s jobs in progress to evaluate how they manage the construction process and how tidy they keep the job site.  Ask whether these homeowners would hire the company again.
•        Business Credentials - A good place to start your search for a remodeler is with your local builders association and it’s affiliated local Remodelers Council.  Groups like these help to keep their members informed about new products, construction techniques, business practices and industry issues. Participation demonstrates a remodeler’s commitment to professionalism and to the remodeling industry.  Many trade groups also confer professional credentials, such as Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), to those who meet their requirements, which is a positive indicator of the remodeler’s reputation.
•        License and Insurance - Ask to see a copy of the remodeler’s license, if your state has such requirements, and call the licensing agency to find out if there are any unresolved complaints against the company you might hire.  It is also important to verify that the remodeler carries workers’ compensation and liability insurance.  Have the remodeler show you copies of both insurance certificates to protect yourself from liability in situations involving job site injuries or property damage resulting from the work being done on your home.

If your goal is a professional remodeling project, then your best bet is to hire a professional remodeler.  The extra cost will pay for itself in the satisfaction you receive while the project is in progress and during the many years you will enjoy the completed project.

To find a professional remodeler in your area, contact your local home builders’ association at tcbra.com or visit www.nahb.org/remodel.

By: Kevin McMahon
TCBRA President, (Tompkins Cortland Builders & Remodelers Association)

LaFayette Outreach, Inc., was established in 1981 through the cooperation of five LaFayette-area churches. Soon after that, the members of the Columbian Presbyterian Church decided that they would make supporting LaFayette Outreach a priority. A Community Outreach committee was established, and fund-raising ideas were suggested. Where could they raise funds and awareness where the community would be sure to notice? Why not get the public’s attention while they were gathered for a local parade? That is how the Memorial Day Benefit for LaFayette Outreach was established.

From it’s humble beginnings as a garage sale, the Benefit has evolved into an event that includes a silent auction, bake sale, plant sale, “Red, White & Blue Ice Cream Sundaes,” and a free kid’s craft area. Church members spend a lot of time and effort putting together this wonderful community event, so please join them on Memorial Day and show your support for this worthy cause.

There will be NO lunches in July and August. Our first lunch in the fall will be Monday, September 10.

The Dryden Senior Citizens will meet on Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Dryden Fire Hall. Lunch is served at 12:15 pm with announcements starting at 11:45 am. Please bring your own table service.

The meal cost for members is $6.00 and $8.00 for non-members. The menu will be BBQ chicken, baked beans, salt potatoes, macaroni salad, and ice cream sundaes.

Entertainment to be announced.

Are you new to the area? Want to join a great group? Then consider joining the Dryden Senior Citizens for
only $5.00 a year. Anyone over 55 may join our group. We have great programs, wonderful fellowship, and bus

Bits and shards of the history of Ithaca Pottery will be reviewed at a talk at The History Center on June 7, 2012, 5.30pm.

Ezra Cornell’s father, Elijah, owned a pottery works on the South side of E. Lincoln St. at the corner of Lake St. at the bottom of Gun Shop Hill. Pieces of this fascinating history have been recovered and examined by Carol Griggs and Ted Sobel.

Dr. Griggs grew up in New Hampshire, was an undergrad in archaeology at Cornell and after graduating excavated the pottery site for Historic Ithaca. Her undergrad studies included tree-ring dating which became her passion and focus for graduate work; she is now a research associate at the Cornell Tree Ring Lab. Her talk will
review the excavation of the site and what she learned at her dig. Importantly, it will provide an introduction to archeological methods.

Ted’s presentation will feature a slideshow on the Ithaca Pottery and its history through Elijah Cornell and subsequent owners. In particular, his slides will review potter’s marks and designs. Ted is originally from New Jersey, did graduate work at Cornell University, and returned to Cornell to a position as a Research Associate in Agricultural Engineering. He is a long term member of the Finger Lakes Bottle Collectors Association (FLBCA).

This event is co-sponsored by the Finger Lakes Chapter of the New York State Archeological Association.

4 – 7 PM Spaghetti Dinner
5:30 PM Traditional Italian Mass
7:00-9:30 PM Tribal Revival Band, Silent Auction, Themed Basket Raffle, Italian Novelties for Sale, Italian & Ethnic Foods
9:30 PM Fireworks sponsored by The Green Arch and McNeil & Co. Insurance and Risk Services

Royal Velvet Lavender has deep purple flower spikes and is hardy to our zone 5.  It can be harvested fresh as a bouquet and dries well.  The buds can be used for culinary purposes or aromatherapy.

We will also be offering a workshop on how to grow lavender successfully on Saturday, June 2nd at 1:00 rain or shine.

Visit www.fingerlakeslavenderfestival.blogspot.com for more information about the festival.

Directions to Lockwood Lavender Farm:  From the village of Skaneateles take Kane Road/41A.  Continue south on West Lake Road/41A 6.8 miles.  Pass the hamlet of Mandana, we are the first farm past fire lane 50 on the left hand side.

When: Saturday May 26th Time: 10-4

Where: 418 Lower Creek Rd. Ithaca Ny. 14850 (4H Acres)

Cost: $10 person or $20-$30 per family suggested donation- All are welcome and none will be turned away. Pre-registration is not required

Now open for the season – Dedricks’ Fruit/Flower/Vegetable Stand, located just North of Dryden on Route 13, can provide you with a selection of fresh produce and flowers, including a main line of flowers such as petunias and marigolds, and fuchsias, as well as unusual varieties of flowers you may have difficulty finding elsewhere, including cosmos, tall snapdragons or wave petunias. “We offer flowers that have been around for years, that are hard to find, and we also stay abreast of new flower varieties” says John Dedrick, owner.

Dedrick’s has been a contributing business to the Dryden area for 40 years. John Dedrick started his business on two acres of rented land in 1972. Since then, Dedrick has expanded his acreage, as well as the volume of product he carries. The Dedricks purchased the adjacent building, formerly a basket shop, when the people that owned it passed away. They also purchased land and added a larger greenhouse and more wagons.

John Dedrick prides himself on providing the highest quality produce and flowers. “We have top quality here,” he states. “That’s very important to me. I do all of the buying myself, and I try to be as competitive and reasonable as the other places. Dedrick’s customer service and his staff are the things he is most proud of when it comes to his business. “We take pride in making sure our customers aren’t kept waiting in line. We help our customers and get them checked out as soon as possible,” he said. “My wife, Michelle, is doing a great job as cashier, and the employees are doing a great job, which makes things easier.”

Dedrick enjoys meeting and talking with people. “I like doing business with honest people; the same people that appreciate me being here. It makes me feel good to be doing something right.” He likes the fact that his business is able to provide jobs for people as well as good quality products at reasonable prices in the local market. “Not just high quality,” he says, “But good eating quality.” Dedrick’s also helps support the community by donating to schools and many local organizations each year.

Dedrick’s is open for business spring to late fall, always opening 10 days before Mother’s Day and closing on the last Saturday before Halloween. “We also close around July 4th for twenty-five to thirty days and wait for the home grown produce to come in. Then we open again around the 1st of August and stay open until the end of the season.” Dedrick’s has weekly and special sales throughout the year, which helps keep the prices reasonable.

So if you are looking for fresh fruits and vegetables and a selection of nice, hardy flowers – including those that you can’t find anywhere else – stop down to Dedrick’s Fruit/Flower/Vegetable Stand on Route 13, across from the entrance to TC3, and “smell the flowers”!

Dedrick’s will be open on Memorial Day and is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Closed Sunday. Dedrick’s does not accept credit or debit cards, so make sure to bring cash or checks when you visit so that you can purchase from the great bounty of fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables that Dedrick’s will be offering this year!

John and Michelle and the crew look forward to seeing you this season!