Raleigh, North Carolina.  Mortar Holds The Bricks And Stone Together.  When you want to put some bricks and/or stone together all you do is mix some sand with lime or cement, throw in a little water, mix it all up, slap it between two surfaces and that’s all there is to it.  Right?  Well, not quite.  If you are building a home you had better have a brick or stone mason who knows his trade if you don’t want instant disaster.  However, that’s a top for another post.  What I want to concentrate on here is mortar.

Over the centuries masons have used materials and mortars that have provided a varying range of hardness.  Soft mortar requires re-pointing from time to time as does hard mortar depending on use and weather.  One of the problems you can have if you use a mortar that is too hard is that the stone or brick can be degraded.  But, I am getting ahead of myself.

Masonry mortar can be Portland cement or limestone based.  It can also be a combination of the two.  THe mixture masons used for centuries was basically a mix of one part lime and three parts sand.  Furthermore, down through the centuries mortars have been formulated from so-called natural cements.  Natural cements are deposits that contain clays and impurities that cause them to get hard under water.

The first commercially made hydraulic lime was by Joseph Smeatong in 1756.  During the lime-burning process he added clays and ash to create a natural cement.  What we know as Portland cement was patented in 1824 by Joseph Aspdin. Portland is a hard hydraulic cement that meets the needs of the building trades.  It sets up harder and more quickly than lime cement.  Lime mortar sets up slowly, can take months to cure fully and doesn’t have nearly as much compression  strength as Portland cement.

Masonry mortar must do several things:  (1) It has to work rather like the oil in your car’s engine.  Oil lubricates the metal and allows the moving parts to work together without creating so much friction that your motor burns up.  Mortar, in effect, acts as a lubricant between the brick or stone it is bonding together.  As it cures it spreads the the weight of the stone or brick over the total area of the stone or brick below.  (2) The next thing it has to do keep moisture and wind away from the what is behind it.  (3)  Assuming what is behind it is the inside of a home, it has to allow water vapor from interior space to pass through to the outside.  (4) Finally, it has to be softer than the stone or brick it holds together and needs to flex as the brick or stone it holds together expands and contracts.

The age of a building determines the mortar a mason uses.  For example, brick used in buildings prior to 1890 tends to be soft.  Brick produced after 1890 was harder.  Use of of Portland cement commenced in the 1870’s and replaced lime mortars.  From around 1880 unit the second world war mortars contained both lime and Portland cement.  After WW II most masonry cements were Portland cement and sand with no lime.   With stone it’s harder to figure out whether to use a hard or soft mortar.  For the most part hard mortars are used with hard stones.  A mason trying to match mortar used in an existing home must try to determine when the home was built and, if possible, test a sample of the existing mortar for hardness.  He is left with only a guess he will usually tend toward a softer mix.

NOTE:  A time when you are very likely to get involved with mortar is when you are asked to select the color of mortar you want to use with the brick and/or stone you have or are selecting for a home you are having built.  If you have had more than one home built you know how important this is and how much thought goes into it.  If it is your first time, the time and thought it takes will surprise you.  Your builder will recommend to you a company he usually uses to supply his brick and a company he usually uses to supply his stone.  The company that supplies the stone will usually have cribs of stone for you to look at, stacks of various kinds of stone to look at, wall samples for interior uses (such as fireplaces) and a zillion folders of stone (especially manufactured stone) for you to select from.  His brick supplier will not only have many photos of homes that have used various kinds of stone but sample boards you can view and compare.  Color samples of the mortars used will also be there for you to select from.  They  should also be able to not only show you photos of homes in the area that they have supplied the brick and mortar for but their addresses so that when you have picked out several brick and mortar combinations you can drive by and see how they actually look.  

John Fish (919) 696-3474  Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

What Is The Most Misunderstood Factor In Building Your Dream Home?  As the title suggests, most people have a greater misunderstanding of an Interior Designers part in the design and constrution of a home than any other part of that process.  In fact, it is safe to say that quite often they have NO understanding of that part.  During a showing of a $4,000,000 home yesterday, the home’s builder flatly stated that without the Interior Designer input, experience and understanding of the entire building process he could not have built the home.  The job she did was exceptional.  He needed her expertise to determine what combinations of stone would be used for the exterior and what paints, fixtures, flooring, lighting, appliances, cabinets, etc. would be used in the interior.  Furthermore, it was her job to coordinate with him to see that all of the materials were delivered when needed.  It is one of those masterfully designed and furnished homes whose finished product makes eveyone who sees it say, “WHO WAS YOUR INTERIOR DESIGNER?!”

Builders, especially those who build high priced homes, have a team of people they work with that cover every aspect of the home: the plan designer or Architect, the Interior Designer, the framer, the electrician, the sound equipment and lighting provider, and on an on.  While people who see such homes come to know that a particular Interior Designer did the interior they often do not think in terms of using one when they are ready to have their dream home built.  The architect is going to design the home, the builder is going to build it, they are going to pick out the woods, tiles, light fixtures and everything else involved and that is that.  Unless they work with an agent that knows what is going on and who explains the entire process to them they are quite often surprised at just how necessary an Interior Designer is. They also do not know that it would probably not be possible for them to give the builder the time needed to provide all the information and selections he will need from them and totally impossible on a “when needed” basis.  For these reasons an Interior Designer is almost indispensable.

Sometimes the Interior Designer will work with the plan designer/Architect from the beginning and at other times the plans have been completed before the Interior Designer become involved. It is better if the Interior Designer becomes involved early on as his or her question will be essentially the same as those of the builder.  HOWEVER, with my clients I insist that they talk to at least two Interior Designers and ones that I know will reflect the tastes of my client and who will be easy to work with.  Nothing is worse than trying to work with a control freak who knows it all and doesn’t hesitate to make it known in many ways.  The Interior Designer selected may well not be the one the builder normally uses.  However, in most cases that does not turn out to be a problem.  With all the building they do they usually know most of the areas best Interior Designers even if they have not previously worked with them.  Another reason I insist that they talk to more than one Interior Designer is that one of them may have all the business he or she can handle at that time.  The honest ones will say so.  An Interior Designer who works with a builder may hesitate to refuse a job for him/her even if he or she knows it will be a real stretch to try and do so. The business of a client I am working with was recently declined by an Interior Designer and we were all pleased with her honesty and candor in doing so.  It saved time and undoubtedly problems downline. 

During the initial meeting a well experienced Interior Designer will dig into every aspect of what a potential client wants but after the initial pleasantry’s will quickly discuss costs, expenses and fees and the clients budget.  This is good business practice and prevents awkwardness and misuderstandings as the processs goes forward.  Both the plan designer/Architect and Interior Designer will want any and all photos and sketches the client has collected to gain an understanding of what the client wants.  I have some 26,000 photos of homes and interiors that I use with clients to help them develop that information before we go to see a plan designer/Architect or an Interior Designer. 

Just a few of the many matters a client has to deal with are interior lighting; both natural and man made. How will all of today’s electronics harmonize with the rest of the room and/or home? Is there a truly unusual aspect of the home that needs to be given consideration up front as it may have an impact on all the rest of the home (storage for 6, 8, 10 automobiles, a large art collection and how it will be displayed, etc.).  Does the client have an eye for color, for furniture arrangement, for patterns, for designs, for fabrics, for accents, for building materials, for home positioning, and a vast number of other factors.  My function with my clients is to assist them in almost every facet of the pre-building and building process: selecting a lot, selecting a plan designer/Architect, selecting a builder, selecting an Iterior Designer, attending all meetings with them and with the cabinet builders, appliance dealers, etc.  I photograph the process for the client and carry them through to competion.  Most of this is rarely done by Realtors so when you start your process find out what services your proposed agent offers.  Since it is rarely done most people who want to build are not aware that such services are available to them and what they miss by not having an experieced agent on their side of the table and representing their needs.  If you want to build a fine home in the Triangle call me or send me an email at the telephone number or email address given below.

To view this photo full size just click on it.  To return to this page click on - Back.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  There is a lot to know about roofing materials and a lot to consider when selecting the type you are going to use; especially in more expensive homes.  This is just a very quick overview of the five main types. 

ASPHALT SHINGLES:  Asphalt shingles are used on two out of every three homes.  They are relatively inexpensive, come in a broad range of colors, are easy to install, almost no maintenance required, you can walk on them and they are easy to repair.  Warranties range range from 20 to 50 years.  A twenty year three-tab shingle weighs approx. 200lb. per square while a 50 year shingle can weigh up to 500lb. per square. The difference is multiple layers and more asphalt.

WOOD ROOFING:  Wood shingles and shakes have been around for a long time.  Most people think they are the same thing. While they look much the same they are not.  Shakes are sawn or split in four different styles and are not as uniform as shingles and come in two grades.  Because they are irregular, 30-lb. roofing felt is interwoven between each course for extra protection from moisture.  This is not necessary with shingles.  Shingles are precisely cut and tapered to a specific thickness.  The surface is either sanded smooth or untouched and come in three sizes.  Both products are mostly made of western red cedar and are used to cover roofs and walls.  Other woods used are white oak, southern yellow pine, white cedar and Alaskan yellow cedar.  REMEMBER that all shingles and shakes will weather to gray within one or two years.  You can walk on wood roofing, it is suitable for complex roofing designs and they are easy to repair.  To help keep them dry, leaves should be swept off and not allowed to accumulate over long periods of time.

METAL ROOFS:  What are your choices?  Steel (which comes with several different types of coatings), corrugated-aluminum and standing-seam copper.  Roofing contractors who install metal roofs seem to prefer the standing-seem copper roofs because they look good  and are more durable.  The standing-seam panels have concealed fasteners.  As to the good and bad features, they require little maintenance and a lot of colors are available.  They are hard to install on complex roofs, difficult to repair and slippery to walk on.

SLATE:  Slate has been used for roofing for hundreds of years and they last longer than you or I will.  Slate is expensive and normally only used on very expensive homes.  A list of good and bad features pretty well tell the slate story.  On the good side, they require no maintenance and are suitable for complex roof designs.  On the “not so good” side, they shouldn’t be walked on and good installers are hard to find.  While repairs aren’t difficult they require ladders and staging.  Colors will vary according to batch and region.  Also, copper flashing and nails are recommended. 

ROOF TILES:  Roof tiles are either clay or concrete.   As interest in roof tiles has continued to increase over the years they have undergone considerable changes.  Colors used to be very limited.  Now, you can get about any color you want and finishes can be either glazed or dull.  You can now get tiles that are textured to look like wood shakes.  Both types of tile are fireproof and, if installed properly, are very wind resistent.  The good features are - they are fireproof and long lasting, now come in many colors, require no maintenance, are wind resistent and are very esthetically pleasing to look at.  The negative features are:  They are expensive, heavy, difficult to install, shouldn’t be walked on, are not suitable for complex roofs and good installers (depending on where you live) may be hard to find.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com  

Raleigh Real Estate - The staff economist for the National Home Builders Association, Michael Carliner, says that the Triangle (Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Orange and Wake Counties of North Carolina) is “perhaps the healthiest market in the United States.”  Area job growth is exceeding the national average.  New people means more buyers and it certainly doesn’t hurt the demand for apartments either.  In October, on a year to year basis, jobs increased nationally 1.5%, the Durham area increased 2.2% and the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area increased 4.4%.  As reported here before the Triangle housing market has not been immune to the hit the national market has taken.  For the most part our problems have been that of people moving here are having problems selling their homes in the markets they are coming from.  Thus the inventory of new homes locally has increased as has the inventory of resale homes because of this problem.  However, both the volume builders and the smaller local builders have been cutting back on the building of new homes which should increase the demand for resale homes and cut down on the new home inventory as well.  Currently, closings and new home starts are nearly equal which indicates a market in balance.  So what’s in store for 2007?  In the Triangle it would appear that a housing market in basic balance may be the story and if that’s not all good neither is it all bad.

North Raleigh flower extraviganza.  If you love flowers, if you are a photographer always looking for something worth photographing or if you are just interested in a relaxing, fun afternoon I would highly recommend the annual Poinsettia Open House at Raleigh’s Homewood Nursery on November the 18th.  This is an annual event and those of you who have previously been to it wouldn’t miss it for anything.  Those of you who haven’t - listen up.  Homewood Nursery has an annual display that has to be seen to be believed.  They have thousands of Poinsettias of all kinds and colors and they display new varieties as well as those that already have an established market.  Homewood also, has a wide variety of Christmas items on display that are well worth looking at as well.  They ply you with live music, punch, coffee and cookies so - eat, drink and be merry for it is a great way to kick off the Christmas season.  Homewood Nursery is located in north Raleigh at 10809 Honeycutt Road.  For more information call them at 919-847-0117

If you would like a sample of what you may expect to see send me an email and I will emails you photos I have taken from previous years. 

From previous posts you know that if you have a serious interest in moving to the Raleigh area I stand willing to show you the area and to introducing you to what the Raleigh area has to offer.  Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with a delightful lady from Ohio who is considering a move to this area to escape Ohio winters and to take advantage of the variety of cultural activities this area has to offer.  Will this be the city she decides to move to?  I don’t know but I think it was a day well spent for both of us.

ATTENTION!!  As you know, the north Raleigh Keller Williams Realty office has moved to 9121 Anson Way.  One exciting aspect of this move, for me, is that our office building has a conference/meeting room that will seat at least 80 people.  I intend to take full advantage of the room and our location to do more of the seminars I have done previously and, for that matter, to expand both the kinds and number of those seminars.  For those of you who have properties to sell and who would like to find out how you can legally escape paying taxes on that sale, or sales, I will be doing a 1031 Exchange seminar in January.  If you would like to attend and would like more information call me at 919-696-3473 or send me an email at marvmax@mindspring.com.  An email would probably be better as I can schedule to call or email you the specific date and time once they have been set.  ALSO, for those of you who are thinking of building your dream home and would like to see how the design and pre-building process works, I will be doing a seminar with a gentleman who is probably this area’s best know home designer. It should be an evening of interest and information you will not want to miss.  Again, use the above telephone number or email address to advise me of your interest.  Finally, for those of you who are first time home buyers, those who want to buy but think you can’t (for whatever reason), and those who have just plain “had it” with apartment living and with building no equity value by paying rent - I will be doing a seminar that will show you how to get the job done.  As with the other two seminars, use the telephone number or email address to advise me of your interest.  He (or she) who snoozes - loses.  As these seminars usually fill up, the more rapidly you advise me of your interest - the better.

John Fish - Cell phone (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com 

I do seminars concerning how you go about building your dream home.  While I get a continuos stream of questions about all manner of factors concerning the process, the one I am most often asked is “What are the quoting catagories builders use when they provide a building quote and what are the selection catagories couples should be thinking about?  This can break down in several ways and will most certainly change according to the builder and size of home and the stage you are in, in getting ready to build.  As I have been asked three times in the last week and as I am pressed for time at the moment I am combining the two to provide a down and dirty list.  I think the following should prove helpful.  A frustration I have is that my blog site won’t (as yet) allow me to do a list without a full space between each item in a list.  Therefore, I am providing the list with comas and in alpha order by catagory:

Cabinets-Kitchen, Cabinets-Bathroom, Central Vacuum, Countertops, Decking, Doors (interior), Doors (exterior), Electrical, Exterior Trim - (Brick, Stone, Stucco), Faucets, Fireplaces, Flooring, Furnaces, Garage Doors, Glass Block, Gypsum Wallboard, Hardware, Housewrap, Home Theatre, HVAC, Insulation - (Fiberglass,Foam,Rigid), Interior Molding, Lighting (Interior-Exterior), OSB, Paints & Stains, Plumbing, Radiant Floor Heating, Roofing, Siding, Skylights, Tiles, Toilets, Trusses, Water Heaters, Windows.

I will be doing some in-depth posts about this topic and others related to home building in the future.

John Fish - Cellular (919-696-3474)   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: wwwJohnFish.com