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A well-designed drainage system is essential to remove excess water from your house and helps in the prevention of water-related damage to a home or building. The main objective of a drainage system is to collect and remove waste matter to maintain healthy conditions in and around a building. Having a depth of knowledge about all the different types of drainage systems will make all the difference when it comes to waterproofing your home and creating your dream property. Remember, the longer water sits on a surface, the more susceptible it is to contamination and deterioration of structural integrity and may require further environmental testing. Below is a list of residential drainage systems. These include surface, subsurface, downspout and gutter systems, and sump pump. Poor Drainage What is the proper slope of your yard away from your home? According to the EPA, patio slabs, walks and driveways need a minimum slope of 1/4 inch per foot away from the house with back-fill to prevent settling. The final grade must be sloped away from the foundation by 1/2 inch per foot over a minimum distance of 10 feet. Sometimes this also translates to 1-2% grade away from the foundation. 7 Gutter Drainage Solutions for Your Gutters Seriously consider installing gutter guards. ... Be sure to clean & inspect your gutters regularly. ... Always have splash blocks. ... Install underground gutter drainage (corrugated pipes) ... Use a rain barrel. ... Install river rock to create a drainage system. ... French drains. Why is proper drainage important for health? Proper drainage slopes down and away from foundation Proper drainage around your home is important for health because wastewater and sewage can contaminate our water supply. It can also create a breeding ground for diseases. A good drainage system also helps keep you comfortable and healthy by preventing condensation, which prevents the growth of mold and mildew. It also deters the accumulation of moisture, which can promote the development of dust mites and mildew. All in all, proper drainage is necessary in having a healthy home. It also prevents Soil Er erosion. A build-up of water over time can lead to soil disintegration which creates muddy surfaces and then soil erosion occurs.

All Solomon Preventive Home Maintenance Programs start with a complete home inspection, looking for the little things that seal the envelope of your building from air and water infiltration. We are identifying areas that might not meet our program requirements that will need a seperate quote, plus we are writting our items that are included in the program. Our building envelope inspections are very thourgh and informative. Once that inspection is complete, your inspector will present you with a program proposal/ contract. Once your program has started, you will receive a house wash schedule date followed by our maintenance crew to perform the annual envelope maintenance. At the end of the program year, you will have the option to renew the program. Save on annual fees by buying up to 3 years at a time saving 15% on the annual cost. The base program covers any home up to 1800 sq ft for the cost of $1099.00 per year for the below program inspection points.

What do you need to know about shingle roof replacement by “Insurance Claim Specialists” types? Here is a list of some of the most common Roofing A-B-C, Roofing 101, basic mistakes I see on a day to day basis by the hail storm beggars (telemarketing, door knocking solicitors who portray themselves as qualified roofing installers – HA!). First of all let me say that the workers who are actually nailing on the shingles (notice I did not refer to them as “roofers”) want to do a good job, but th ey have learned bad techniques that continues to get passed on to more and more men, year after year, storm after storm, so that they all commit the same grievous errors, without any truly experienced quality control personnel to knowledgably inspect the finished job after them. Oh, the man at your door that gets you to sign the contract looks and sounds really good but remember, he is selling you something he has never installed himself or had to be accountable for, or will be held accountable for, because his is only a temporary job in a strange city. And if he is a St. Louisan, he only works for this “local” company after a hail storm, and will be with another “local” company when the next storm hits. The Errors some companies make when roofing: 1) Insufficient eave overhang. According to shingle material manufacturer’s instructions and industry standards, the shingle material is to extend past the eave fascia board (gutter edge) 1 ½”. Typically it is less, which causes water to get on the wood fascia board causing eventual rot, and to leak behind the gutter causing inconvenience, flower bed erosion, and possible basement moisture penetration. There is no easy repair remedy for this situation. Is your shingle overhang 1 ½”? Is you labor guarantee still in effect? Call us if you need help to identify this egregious lack of proper roofing installation. 2) Shingle end seams too close to the middle of the valley(s), too close to a wall, or improperly located near protrusions, i.e. vents, pipes, etc. Although this is easier and less costly to repair, the damaging effects can also involve interior damage to the attic and living space. Where these improperly located shingle end seams are are also a whole bunch of extra needless nails which also are a moisture entry (leak) source. I know your roof looks good from the ground, but what is under the shingles next to the pipes, vents, skylights, chimneys, and walls? Will these flashing areas remain leak free for the 30+ year service life of your new roof? Will the marketing and sales “company” that installed your new roof be around for the warranty work 3 years from now? If you would like to know what’s under your shingles at the detail flashing areas call us. For the sake of brevity I will stop now and leave you with a hint of another error I see on every roof, namely improper field shingle pattern, this is not repairable and that technically voids the material manufacturer’s 30 year limited lifetime guarantee on the shingle material. And, once again, this situation is NOT repairable. I’ll explain more later.

Kitchen remodeling sits at the top of many homeowners’ wish lists, and for good reason: If properly done, a renovation makes the kitchen more attractive, improves its efficiency, and raises the resale price of your home. Unfortunately, overhauling the kitchen is a complex job. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and even skilled designers and veteran do-it-yourself can miss critical details. Mistakes are not only common, they are inevitable. You can, however, keep them to a minimum if you watch out for the following missteps. Also, trust Solomon Contracting to help guide you through the gauntlet of products and ideas. Set a Budget If you’re planning to renovate your kitchen completely, be prepared to pay about 10% or 15% of your home’s current value. That’s no arbitrary percentage; it’s a budget that ensures that the quality of your improvements stays in line with your home’s worth. Although spending too little is a concern, it’s equally important to avoid overspending. Be sure to allow leeway for surprises. Who knows what plumbing or wiring nightmares lurk in the walls behind those old cabinets? Size Matters Are the cooks in your household taller or shorter than average? Careful shopping can make their lives much easier without making your kitchen overly specialized. For example, manufacturers recommend installing a hood 30 inches above the cooktop—in other words, right in the face of a six-foot-tall cook. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: Most hoods work just fine if mounted slightly higher. The lesson is that no matter how lovely something looks on the drawing board, you must account for the lifestyle and physical characteristics of the people who will actually be using the kitchen. Focus on Lighting In the hardest-working room of your house, don’t underestimate the benefits of living with neither shadows nor glare. Use a mix of fixtures to layer light of different types—ambient, task, accent, and mood. Recessed ceiling fixtures provide good overall light, while pendants and chandeliers are versatile choices for islands and dining areas. For kitchen work areas, under-cabinet task lights are popular, but you may wish to offset the reflectiveness of highly polished surfaces, like counter tops, by choosing fixtures with diffused or frosted glass. Also important are your lighting controls: Install a separate, conveniently located switch for each light source, preferably near the doorway. Dimmers are excellent for modulating the strength of lighting according to the occasion or time of day. Have a Plan Maybe you’re right on top of the latest trends, or maybe you love bright colors. Remember, materials and colors that look fantastic in a sample-size swatch might very well appear over- or underwhelming in a larger dose. Resist the temptation of going over the top with busy tile patterns or purple appliances. Instead, integrate the design elements you love as accents, not centerpieces. We think the best option is to have a "Design Contract" from Solomon Contracting, because it will insure that you build your project according to your budget and your style. We will take you to our suppliers helping you shop and helping you stay on budget. A design contract allows you to have help in packaging your project into a reality. Base Choices on Reality Who wouldn’t want a big bay window? The question is whether it will work in your individual kitchen. A bay window shown overlooking a lake may look great in a catalog, but if you live on a busy street, it’s likely you’d regret the choice. Likewise, oversize professional appliances are swoon-worthy, but they’re simply not practical in a small, cozy kitchen. In short, don’t lie to yourself! Make realistic choices. Lots of Landing Zones Include plenty of wide-open countertop space around each of your appliances. You know the feeling of removing a heavy, piping-hot pan from the stove, then finding there’s no convenient place to set it down? Think about how you use appliances like the dishwasher, refrigerator, and microwave, and adjust your kitchen design to suit your day-to-day habits. Island Style These days, a kitchen island is practically a must-have. But choose carefully: An oversize or poorly located island blocks both traffic and work flow. Allow sufficient space on all sides of the island, enough so that you can easily open cabinet doors. And as you are making design decisions, remind yourself that the island, being of finite and usually modest size, cannot be a catchall. Adding a sink or cook-top to your island would eat up a lot of the real estate you might like to have on hand for, say, casual dining. Don’t Forget the Backsplash Oh, the wonders of a back-splash. It ties together disparate elements even as it creates a focal point. (Plus, it makes cleanup so much easier.) Some complain about the paralyzing, seemingly infinite number of choices, but stick with the selection process and you’ll be amply rewarded. The best advice is to select your backsplash at an early stage of the renovation. Typically, the backsplash is installed shortly before project completion. If you postpone your decision until then, you may have to rush through the decision and end up settling on something you don’t love—which may become something you wind up hating. We hope these tips have helped you regarding a kitchen remodeling project. Solomon Contracting is more than happy to review what you want to do and offer you a suggestion on how to accomplish your remodeling goals. It's a free visit to find out how we can help. What's holding you back. Call 314-890-8000 now!

For those of you who have purchased an old home with the purpose of renovating it for your long-term abode the last place you probably want to touch is the basement. However, this might be a good place to start because many of the ills of any home begin in this space. We all remember the sitcoms where families gathered in the basement room to watch television. The flooring was shag carpet and the walls were compressed paper with a facsimile of a walnut or oak woodgrain stamped on. However, even thirty years ago there was little understanding on how the basement related to the rest of the home in terms of ventilation and moisture control and many ills may hide beneath this smarmy facade. Use the Layered Approach If you are going to renovate the basement, do it one step at a time like you were taking off winter clothes. Take everything out of the basement area first, even the pictures off the wall and put them in a mini-storage. The reason for this so that no other areas of the home get cluttered while you are trying to work. One disheveled area in the home is enough. Ceiling: Once the place is cleaned out start with the ceiling. If this is a drop ceiling then you are in luck but make sure you wear a face mask and goggles because dust and other debris (mouse and rat feces) will collect on top of the panels. Because ceiling panels are fairly cheap, and difficult to clean, it is best to put them in the dumpster. Then take your sop vacuum cleaner and clean the railing. If your ceiling is drywalled you have a choice on whether you want it to come down especially if you know where all the ductwork is. But most of the time you won't have a clue where anything is up there so get your wrecking bar, face mask and goggles and get it down. It's better to do it now that when you've refinished the basement and then have a leaky pipe above. You can replace this with drop ceiling later and have easy access to any futures problems that may occur above the ceiling. Floors: If the carpet is glued to the cement the foam backing may stick to the floor. An ice scraper usually does the trick to get this off. If the floor is tile-on-cement then you might look a leaving it and using it for a subflooring. It's hard and flat just like the cement. But any wood subfloor should be taken out. Walls: There is an old adage in renovating, you never know until you break it open. If the basement is old there is a good chance that without the modern ventilation methods, there is mold behind the walls. Even if there isn't any when you take the walls out, the insulation they put up in the 1960's probably has outlived its usefulness and you want to replace it. Again, get your protective face, eye and hand coverings and take off the wallboard or drywall. Insulation: This should be taken out and bagged and the whole area vacuumed. Framing: This is good time to check the wall studs. If there is rot it will have to be replaced. Sometimes you can get away with just replacing the bottom stud, or footer, with a pressure-treated board. The nails can be cut along the joint with a reciprocating saw and the new pieces toed-in without much trouble. If the bottoms of the studs are showing rot it would be best to take it all out and salvage the good pieces. Load-Bearing Walls: If the footer of a load bearing wall shows rot, then you can get a couple of jack posts and place them right beside the wall to accept the weight. Then you can take the wall apart and rebuild it. These posts are adjustable and work better than a wood alternative. Mold: Even if mold does not seem to be evident spray the lower areas with a fungicide. If there is mold the studs will have to come out. These can be taken outside and cleaned and then they can go back in. The Rebuilding Process Moisture: If there is any moisture behind the walls this will have to be addressed before any re-construction work can be done. Cracks should be sealed by a professional foundation contractor. However, if the walls are damp then there is a drainage problem outside and the outside of the home will have to be excavated and sealed. Then a good drainage system should be put in place. Finally, the gutter system should be checked so that the water is going away from the home. HVAC: This is a good time to check the heating and ventilation as everything is exposed. If you don't already it in place install an air exchanger to rid the basement of moisture. Also, re-evaluate your heating requirements and install extra ducts while the walls are bare. Insulation: There is a discrepancy on whether or not to seal off the cement with a vapor barrier before putting in the insulation. If your basement wall is dry and the studs are in place there is no need. Besides sealing in the insulation might cause condensation which could lead to mold. However, if you spray on expanding foam between the studs this will automatically create a vapor seal and the question becomes moot. Drain: Make sure there is a drain on the basement floor near your water tank. If there is no water tank then near any water source. You will have to rent a jackhammer or cement saw and do some cement work but this is better than having your basement in a foot of water because of a broken pipe. The area below should be dug down to around 2 feet and then filled with gravel. Subfloor: You can get new 2' X 2' subfloor tiles which have a PVC bottom and a top made of ¾” plywood or oriented strand board. These tiles provide insulation and a raised, dry surface for hardwood flooring and carpet. Or, you could have Solomon build your project! We have been in business for over 34 years and have been trusted by our clients their families. Call 314-890-8000 or schedule online 24/7

Myth: I looked at my roof and didn't see any problems, or my roofer inspected it and there are no problems. Fact: Roofing systems must be physically inspected by someone who has training and experience to determine if there is actual hail damage. Insurance companies send their adjusters to special training so they can properly identify hail damage to property, unfortunately there is not much ongoing training for the roofing or home inspection industries, and the adjusters as well are not the final “experts”. Hail damage identification, no matter what the “experts” say, is subjective. We’ve been looking at St. Louis hail damage for 29 years, we are the final answer. Myth: I'm not missing any shingles so I must not have damage. Fact: Missing shingles are related to wind damage claims and can happen during a hailstorm if the winds are high enough. However, hail damage is insidious in nature and may not physically cause leakage for years after a hail storm or ever. Wind damage is typically do to improper installation, namely improper shingle fastener placement by new home builders’ cheap labor and by the storm chasers who are canvassing your neighborhood now. Myth: I only have 1 year to file my insurance claim. Fact: This is a fear tactic used by solicitors and opportunists who portray themselves as qualified roofers. Whenever hail is discovered it is compensable by the insurance company, now or ten years from now. Myth: My roof is new so it's covered by the manufacturer's warranty, home builder, or contractor. Fact: Hail damage is not covered by anyone but the insurance company and even they may try to slip a partial exclusion and/or higher deductible into your policies covering hail. Myth: I was told my roof has minimal or very little damage and therefor I don't need to file a claim. →True Myth: If your roof has any damage what-so-ever you have a valid insurance claim and should file with your insurance company. Damage might not cause your roof to leak for years. This is why it's important to have a qualified person inspect your roof. → False Myth: My insurance company will cancel my policy if I file a claim. Fact: Most states prohibit insurance companies from cancelling policies for filing claims arising from severe weather related events. Check with your state however and your policy language as well. – They may. And at the very least you will be tagged as a “claim filer”. You must trust your qualified roofer, not a solicitor or opportunist who portrays themselves as an expert. Myth: If I don't file my claim, my insurance company won't raise my rates. → False Myth: After a disaster, insurance companies may raise every one's rates. By not filing your claim, your personal rate increase is paying for every one else's damage except yours. Fact: True but you still don’t want to file a claim that is not compensable, no matter what “everyone else” is doing.

Some of you may not know this, but 7 plus years ago I hired a CFO and a COO to start working on Solomons financial and operational processes to create business sustainability for our future and for our customers. I wanted everyone here at Solomon to be commited to improving our services and products that we bring to you and so we have been sharpening our saw so to speak. Both of these guys work mainly in the background supporting my managers and field staff and making sure we are servicing you with world class customer service. They have become invaluable to our operation. An example of something initiated by these guys is an “Employee Accountability” program. This truly was a cultural change for our company. Think about it; a construction company talking about integrity, honesty, and accountability. Can you imagine the pushback? Well, there was, for a long time, but, employee accountability ultimately emerged. Great stuff for our company All of our employees apprecieate having clear expectations of their accountability. I believe our employees are happier, and they perform better on our jobs because of being held accountable for their actions. They embrace a higher standard of accountability because they know that it is what separates them from the other companies you might talk to. Our employee accountability program is responsible for reducing company fleet fuel usage, material and labor waste, reduced confusion of company expectations for employees and even new operational processes for better service. “We all want you to be our customer for life” You tell us all of the time how awesome our employees are, which is a reflection of the high standards we feel we have for each of them and, it's also a reflection of the high standards that each of them have accepted for themselves. The Solomon Contracting staff is awsome if you ask me. Thank you for reading this post. Thank you for being a loyal customer.

Remember the good old days when the only things April showers brought were May flowers? These days, they also bring wind, hail, lightning, roof leaks and floods — weather events that can do a lot of damage to property. Here are simple things you can do to prepare your home for spring storms, so you can hole up in your snug-as-a-bug home without worry. INSPECT YOUR HOME Check your roof. Roofs are particularly susceptible to high winds and tornadoes. An inspection by a professional may reveal weak areas that need attention. Look for loose siding and roofing materials — especially shingles and metal panels. These may blow off easily and take other materials along with them. Make sure you have surge protection. A lightning strike or power outage could fry your expensive devices. Keep up with tree-trimming. Dead branches can cause a lot of damage when they land on your house or your car. Clean out your gutters. If they’re plugged up, the water will find somewhere else to go — like your basement, between the siding and exterior walls, or through leaky windows. Test your sump pump. If it’s not working, it won’t do you much good if water does end in your basement. Batten down the hatches. If you know bad weather is coming, put away or secure any outdoor furniture, toys, bikes, etc. PACK YOUR EMERGENCY KIT Packing emergency kits for your home and your car will prepare you and your family for severe weather. Ready.gov recommends including the following items in your kit. Flashlights and extra batteries. First aid kit that includes necessary medications. If you have small children, also include formula and diapers. Non-perishable food. Include protein-rich foods such as nuts and energy bars and canned foods. Pack a manual can opener, too. Water is even more important than food. Pack at least 1 gallon of water per person per day. Basic tools including pliers, a wrench, and screwdrivers. Radio, either battery-powered or hand-cranked. Clothes including gloves, hat, and rain poncho. You may also want a change of clothes for each member of your family. Blankets or sleeping bags. Cell phone chargers that can be used in the wall or in your car. Pet supplies for your pet, including food and water. Cat litter for better tire traction. Jumper cables for your vehicle. When a big storm damages your roof, you need to repair it as soon as possible. But you can’t live with a giant hole in your roof until a full repair crew can get out to fix it. Your homeowners policy also probably requires you to take reasonable steps to minimize any further damage to your property. Call our emergency roof repair number and we’ll come out and expertly tarp it over. That way, you minimize the damage and make your home safe until you can schedule a complete repair. Schedule a Free Roof Inspection Online Here 314-890-8000

Kitchen remodeling sits at the top of many homeowners’ wish lists, and for good reason: If properly done, a renovation makes the kitchen more attractive, improves its efficiency, and raises the resale price of your home. Unfortunately, overhauling the kitchen is a complex job. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and even skilled designers and veteran do-it-yourselfers can miss critical details. Mistakes are not only common, they are inevitable. You can, however, keep them to a minimum if you watch out for the following missteps. Also, trust Solomon Contracting to help guide you through the gauntlet of products and idesa. Set a Budget If you’re planning to renovate your kitchen completely, be prepared to pay about 10% or 15% of your home’s current value. That’s no arbitrary percentage; it’s a budget that ensures that the quality of your improvements stays in line with your home’s worth. Although spending too little is a concern, it’s equally important to avoid overspending. Be sure to allow leeway for surprises. Who knows what plumbing or wiring nightmares lurk in the walls behind those old cabinets? Size Matters Are the cooks in your household taller or shorter than average? Careful shopping can make their lives much easier without making your kitchen overly specialized. For example, manufacturers recommend installing a hood 30 inches above the cooktop—in other words, right in the face of a six-foot-tall cook. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: Most hoods work just fine if mounted slightly higher. The lesson is that no matter how lovely something looks on the drawing board, you must account for the lifestyle and physical characteristics of the people who will actually be using the kitchen. Focus on Lighting In the hardest-working room of your house, don’t underestimate the benefits of living with neither shadows nor glare. Use a mix of fixtures to layer light of different types—ambient, task, accent, and mood. Recessed ceiling fixtures provide good overall light, while pendants and chandeliers are versatile choices for islands and dining areas. For kitchen work areas, under-cabinet task lights are popular, but you may wish to offset the reflectiveness of highly polished surfaces, like countertops, by choosing fixtures with diffusers or frosted glass. Also important are your lighting controls: Install a separate, conveniently located switch for each light source, preferably near the doorway. Dimmers are excellent for modulating the strength of lighting according to the occasion or time of day. Have a Plan Maybe you’re right on top of the latest trends, or maybe you love bright colors. Remember, materials and colors that look fantastic in a sample-size swatch might very well appear over- or underwhelming in a larger dose. Resist the temptation of going over the top with busy tile patterns or purple appliances. Instead, integrate the design elements you love as accents, not centerpieces. Having a "Design Contract" from Solomon Contracting will insure that you build your project according to your budget and your style. Base Choices on Reality Who wouldn’t want a big bay window? The question is whether it will work in your individual kitchen. A bay window shown overlooking a lake may look great in a catalog, but if you live on a busy street, it’s likely you’d regret the choice. Likewise, oversize professional appliances are swoon-worthy, but they’re simply not practical in a small, cozy kitchen. In short, don’t lie to yourself! Make realistic choices. Lots of Landing Zones Include plenty of wide-open countertop space around each of your appliances. You know the feeling of removing a heavy, piping-hot pan from the stove, then finding there’s no convenient place to set it down? Think about how you use appliances like the dishwasher, refrigerator, and microwave, and adjust your kitchen design to suit your day-to-day habits. Island Style These days, a kitchen island is practically a must-have. But choose carefully: An oversize or poorly located island blocks both traffic and work flow. Allow sufficient space on all sides of the island, enough so that you can easily open cabinet doors. And as you are making design decisions, remind yourself that the island, being of finite and usually modest size, cannot be a catchall. Adding a sink or cooktop to your island would eat up a lot of the real estate you might like to have on hand for, say, casual dining. Don’t Forget the Backsplash Oh, the wonders of a backsplash. It ties together disparate elements even as it creates a focal point. (Plus, it makes cleanup so much easier.) Some complain about the paralyzing, seemingly infinite number of choices, but stick with the selection process and you’ll be amply rewarded. The best advice is to select your backsplash at an early stage of the renovation. Typically, the backsplash is installed shortly before project completion. If you postpone your decision until then, you may have to rush through the decision and end up settling on something you don’t love—which may become something you wind up hating. We hope these tips have helped you regarding a kitchen remodeling project. Solomon Contracting is more than happy to review what you want to do and offer you a suggestion on how to accomplish your remodeling goals. It's a free visit to find out how we can help. What's holding you back. Call 314-890-8000 now!

Tuckpointing is a term used in the United States to refer to the techniques and methods of repair of brickwork. The original technique of tuckpointing was developed in England in the late 1800's to imitate brickword constructed using rubbed bricks with white lime mortar. Today the term is used to describe various techniques and methods of brickwork maintenance and repair. The following are the main terminologies and techniques used in the United States. Solid Tuckpointing: Removal of the existing deteriorated mortar from between the bricks, stone, or blocks approximately 5/8” to ¾” deep, and replacement with new mortar on an entire wall, chimney, foundation, or column. Solid tuckpointing lasts approximately 35 years. Spot Pointing: Preparation and repair of only the worst areas or only the areas with missing mortar. Spot pointing can range from “loose” (cracked) joints to open (missing mortar) joints and settlement cracks. It is important that you understand the exact scope of work so that your expectations align with our proposed scope. Mortar: Consists of a pre-determined mixture of Portland cement, sand, and sometimes chemicals conducive to the outside overnight temperature, and sometimes dye for proper color match. Color matching requires knowledge and experience yet is seldom an exact match. Mortar generally takes 30 days to cure, over which time the new mortar will change color. Acid Washing: Chemical cleaning of a solid tuckpointed area to remove mortar residue from the brick, stone, or block. This process is not always necessary and adds to the cost of the job. Waterproofing: Use of a clear chemical solution, typically silicone based, to penetrate the existing masonry surface to repel water thus preventing penetration of moisture into the masonry. Waterproofing is not required but can be an effective barrier to problem areas where excessive moisture is present. Waterproofing is relatively inexpensive but does create a maintenance situation if you desire to keep the masonry surface water repellant. Thanks for your interest. More later. Mark Solomon