HomeBackers

Springfield News-Sun
Friday, April 24, 2009
Metro Creative Services

A kitchen remodel is one of the most common and expensive upgrades made by homeowners. New appliances, countertops and cabinets can be budget-busters for many families.

However, you can have a designer kitchen at a “real world” price. Now you can “remodel” your kitchen at a fraction of the cost. All it takes is some paint and a little imagination.

Here are a few ideas from the decorating experts at Rust-Oleum:

Give old appliances a sleek modern look. Have your appliances seen better days? Are scratches, chips and discoloration making them look old and tired? Rust-Oleum Specialty Stainless-Steel Paint is great for updating the look of your appliances, and much less expensive than the cost of replacements. Stainless-Steel Paint gives appliances, like the outside of dishwashers and fridges, a sleek, modern appearance for about $30.

The paint includes real stainless-steel pigments, giving the look of the factory-like finish, without the expensive price tag. Plus, unlike real stainless-steel, it’s fingerprint-resistant — and easier to keep clean. If a white or black appliance is what you are looking for, also try Rust-Oleum’s line of appliance epoxy paints, in easy-to-use spray and also traditional brush-on formulas.

Change the look of your kitchen countertops. Don’t spend thousands buying new countertops when you can refinish your existing ones for less than $100 with Rust-Oleum countertop coating. It’s designed to give laminate countertops, or even laminate cabinets, a “like-new” look. It’s tintable to any one of 16 colors, such as Haystack, Cobblestone and Putty. Countertop coating is the perfect way to coordinate your counters with your existing kitchen color scheme.

Create designer hardware. Instead of replacing your cabinets, update their look with new knobs and handles. Visit your local garage sale, flea market or discount store, buy cabinet hardware and paint to accent your “remodeled” kitchen. Try giving knobs a unique look with Universal Silver or the new Copper Hammered. Or, try Universal Gloss Black to give pieces the sophisticated, upscale appearance you see in specialty stores.

Make a custom message center. Because of busy schedules, message centers give families a great way to communicate, and easily keep track of telephone messages, to-do lists and appointments. Instead of purchasing a standard board, consider creating one to match your kitchen decor. Use Rust-Oleum Magnetic Primer and topcoat with chalkboard paint for a magnetic, writable-erasable area in your kitchen. With Rust-Oleum’s new Chalkboard Tint Base, you can even choose from up to 12 colors for your chalkboard paint. Try painting a small portion of your wall or the back of your pantry door with attention-grabbing Garnet and Banner Blue.

For more inspiration and project ideas, visit www.paintideas.com. There are hundreds of easy, inexpensive projects that can help you transform any outdoor or indoor living space.

Dayton Daily News
By Doug Page, Staff Writer
5:59 PM Wednesday, November 25, 2009

More than 600 volunteers give family of five a new start

ENGLEWOOD — Her new house is not the first thing Patrice Tonge mentions when asked what she is thankful for.

It’s the process that built the house on Ashokan Street in the Morgan Place neighborhood.

“I am most thankful for my family, my community, the willingness of people to give, to give of themselves to help someone else,” said the single mother of four young boys. “It encourages me to help someone else.”

Tonge was presented the keys to her house Friday, Nov. 20. Her new home was packed with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, staff and sponsors. More than 600 volunteers worked 1,900 hours for eight weeks to build the four-bedroom, 1½-bath home.

Tonge was not given the home. She put in 275 hours of sweat equity in Habitat projects, worked with Habitat to repair her credit history and learned to manager her money, and now has a 20-year affordable mortgage held by Habitat.

Though she has a full-time job at Miami Valley Hospital as a patient access representative, “Without Habitat, none of this would have been possible. It’s a wonderful opportunity,” she said in September when volunteers first showed up to begin construction.

Friday, her four sons were sprawled on the carpet.

“It’s great,” 9-year-old Niji said of his family’s first home. When asked where the Christmas tree would be, Niji and his three brothers —Judah, 2, Demani, 4, and Siyah, 6 — all whooped and pointed to the corner of the living room. The boys relished the soft warmth of the new carpet. All were stocking-footed because Patrice has begun to train them to take off their shoes at the door to keep their new home clean.

Many of the volunteers were Walmart employees, working their own time. The company donated the needed $75,000 for building materials, according to Matt O’Halloran, Walmart market manager for the Greater Dayton area. Walmart has invested $10.5 million in Habitat houses in Ohio this year, he said.

“We wanted to get this done before Thanksgiving for Patrice and her family,” O’Halloran said.

The family will start moving in next week and begin to empty the final boxes on Thanksgiving Day before going to an aunt’s house for the traditional family gathering.

“Everybody in the family will be here for Christmas though,” Patrice said standing in a back bedroom.

The interview was interrupted by unhappy shrieks from the living room, courtesy of Judah.

“Well, there’s the first tantrum in the new house,” she smiled. Now, it’s officially our home.”

Dayton Daily News
By Ed Richter, Staff Writer
11:15 AM Thursday, January 28, 2010

CINCINNATI — A decision is expected in February if one of the longest home shows in the nation will continue.

Homearama, an annual event for the past 49 years sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, has not been scheduled for 2010, according to executive director Dan Dressman.

“I would hate to miss a year, and I hope we don’t have to,” Dressman said.

Last year’s Homearama was in the Carmelle subdivision in Mason with houses that ranged from $550,000 to $950,000. The home event has been in Warren County for seven of the past eight years.

Dressman said sites for the 2010 Homearama are being considered in Warren and Hamilton counties.

He said he believes that the credit crunch in the residential home sector may be a factor for builders to get financing to build these homes.

“It’s a bridge to cross and a big commitment for builders to do Homearama,” Dressman said.

While the Cincinnati area’s Homearama has yet to be decided, Dressman said Citirama will feature seven newly built homes in the Rockford Hills subdivision in Cincinnati during that show in early June. Citirama will enter its ninth year in 2010.

In addition, he said the Cincinnati Home Builders will partner with their counterparts in northern Kentucky for the Cavalcade show of 50 homes for two weeks in May as well as a tour of remodelled homes this fall.

While Homearama is being considered, similar events sponsored by the Home Builders Association of the Miami Valley and the Homebuilders Association of Dayton have opted to forgo their events due to the housing market conditions.

Walt Hibner, executive director of the Dayton organization, said there was a lack of interest by builders and that its become harder for builders to get financing without a buyer. He said most builders don’t want to take on the risks associated with speculative building.

Dayton News Sun
Friday, January 22, 2010

DAYTON — A mother whose son performed “heroic” acts when he came across a car crash that claimed the lives of four people earlier this month says she couldn’t be prouder of her son but he doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.

For weeks no one knew who the mystery man in fatigues who came to the aid of victims of a bus crash Jan. 7 was, but his identity has been revealed.

Army Spc. Glen “Mike” Combs, 20, was visiting family in the region during the holidays when he drove by and saw the accident that claimed four lives and injured six others when a tractor-trailer slid across the median and hit a shuttle bus just south of the Plattsburg Road overpass.

“It’s just natural to him,” mother Diana Combs said. “He told me a long time ago that he wants to help people.”

Combs tried to call 911 but the call apparently wouldn’t go through, so he decided to jump out and help.

He had just completed a tour of duty in Iraq.

Harmony Twp. firefighters want to thank him for his help.

Check back for more on this story.

Dayton Daily News
By Kim Margolis
Thursday, January 21, 2010

DAYTON — Donnie and Ronnie Galyon, the world’s oldest living conjoined twins, will be able to move in with their brother instead of facing the possibility of life in an institution.

The Christian Youth Corps Inc., a Machias, New York-based charity, is organizing a project to add an accessible addition to Beavercreek home of the twin’s brother, Jim, sometime in the early spring.

Peter J. Andrews, the founder and president of the group, said he has enlisted the help of local contractors, an architect who specializes in designing homes for the disabled and many individuals.

Jim Galyon said this will be “a new era” for his brothers, who he has vowed to keep in a home setting.

“I’ve told them I’ll do whatever I can to keep them free and independent,” Jim said. “This still keeps them free and independent.”

Donnie and Ronnie, 58, live in a small Dayton house, and are in declining health with the toll of arthritis wearing on them. “Let’s put them with a loving family and enable and empower the family to take care of their own,” Andrews said.

Christian Youth Corps. Inc. will supervise and fund a project that will create door widths able to accommodate the two. Also, a system will be constructed to hoist the brothers into and out of bed, the shower and other locations.

The Galyon brothers also will get a new wheelchair and a new bed.

Springfield News-Sun
By Jill Kelley
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Now through March 25, you can save 99 cents on your ice cream purchase at three Dayton-area Graeter’s on Wednesdays.

Graeter’s Ice Cream is running a special each week called Free Waffle Wednesday, in which customers can get a free regular waffle cone or waffle bowl with the purchase of any single scoop, double scoop or sundae.

The waffle cones regularly cost 99 cents.

If you want a chocolate waffle cone with your ice cream purchase, it costs a discounted 29 cents today and the sprinkle cones are 59 cents today.

Dayton-area locations are in Oakwood at 2412 Far Hills Ave. (927-534-0602), Centerville at 2 N. Main St. (937-312-9001) and Beavercreek at 2330-A N. Fairfield Road (937-427-4700).

There also is a Graeter’s in Springboro, which ran this deal in December.

Springfield News-Sun
By Bridgette Outten
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Clark County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to put an initiative on the May ballot that will let county residents decide if they want the county acting as a purchasing agent for electricity.

Commissioners voted on the issue Tuesday, Jan. 19.

The county measure will mirror the city of Springfield’s action on a similar resolution for city residents.

Commissioners were scheduled to meet with representatives from three villages — Catawba, Tremont City and North Hampton — customers that could be part of the program Tuesday, but the representatives did not attend the meeting. Donnelsville and Enon residents could also join in the program, but village officials have not yet been in talks with the county.

First Energy Manager of External Relations Tim Suter said all five villages will need to draft their own resolutions.

Commissioners moved forward with the program, despite not yet knowing if some 4,000 village customers will be added on to the county’s 24,100 First Energy customers.

“We’re hoping that they would pass a resolution supporting it because it would be good for county residents,” Commission President Roger Tackett said.

First Energy is offering a onetime community grant to the county and discounts to customers on generation costs if Clark County becomes part of the company’s aggregation program.

The county would get an estimated $723,000, equal to $30 per customer enrolled in the program.

Residents would receive a 6 percent savings on generation costs and businesses would receive a 4 percent discount during the nine-year agreement. Customers would be able to opt out of the program every three years without penalty or pay a $25 fee to cancel at any time.

Commissioner David Hartley said he has been a longtime supporter of aggregation programs and Commissioner John Detrick said he was excited that residents would be able to save on electric costs.

“It will keep our costs of living down and no expense to anybody,” Detrick said. “And if you don’t want it, you can still opt out.”