Ken's Blog

Come here often to view Ken Moon's latest musings Around the House.

Small Contractor List

 

Small Contractors

 

I have decided to lend a hand to those in the construction business who are suffering from the housing crunch ("Have You Hugged Your Builder", below).   I am compiling lists of small firms who are willing to tackle those little jobs around your house. 

Because this is a no-charge courtesy, I will not be spending much time checking them out.  You must perform your own due diligence if you plan to hire somebody:  at least 3 references, licensing, insurance and anything else that concerns you.  In other words, these lists DO NOT constitute an endorsement by the radio station or by me!!

If you'd like to be included, e-mail me from the Home Page, with your background and experience plus references that can be checked out by potential clients.

Ken Moon

 

 

Colorado Springs/Pueblo/Casper Small Contractors

 

 

IN AN EFFORT TO HELP FOLKS WHO ARE HURTING FROM THE HOUSING SLOWDOWN, I'M COMPILING A LIST HERE OF SMALL HOME IMPROVEMENT BUSINESSES THAT NEED WORK.

I HAVE NOT CHECKED THESE FOLKS OUT  PERSONALLY, SO THIS LIST IS SIMPLY A COURTESY TO GET HOMEOWNERS AND CONTRACTORS TOGETHER, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE RADIO STATIONS OR BY ME!! YOU ARE URGED TO GET THREE (OR MORE)  PRIOR REFERENCES AND TO CHECK INSURANCE DOCUMENTS AND APPROPRIATE LICENSING BEFORE YOU HIRE ANYONE TO DO WORK AT YOUR HOUSE.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Your name: Max Jasper/Jasper Construction Your email: jasperconstruction35@live.com

Phone: 719-686-4141

I've worked in the trades for over 20 years and have had my own business since 2010. I specialize in all aspects of painting including pressure washing, deck and cabinet refinishing, drywall repair and texturing, and much more.

My wife and I recently bought a home in Pueblo, so any work down here is ideal. I also still service the Colorado Springs area. Estimates are always free so call today!

 

____________________________________________________________________

Name: Anthony Aynes
Subject: becoming a recommended contractor
Your Question or Comment:
I have been in the painting and remodeling industry here in Colorado Springs 
for over 20 years. We specialize in Granicrete Flooring and countertops as 
well as being a full service remodeling company. We are fully insured and 
licensed and would like to know more about how to become one of your 
recommended contractors.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!
Anthony Aynes (owner)

Andersun Enterprises Inc.

www.andersunenterprisesinc.com

______________________________________

Your name: Jeff Clark
   Your email: jeff@jeffscarpetrepair.com
   Your phone (optional): 719-522-9009
   Subject: carpet stretching
   Your message:
Hello Ken I use to work for you a long time ago when you built homes in 
rockrimmon.I do carpet restretching and repairs these days.
If any of your clients need this service to help there home pass inspection I 
would love to help
Thanks Jeff @ 719-522-9009
over 30 years Exp

_________________________________________

I have started a small handyman business here in Colorado.  I did lose my
 job  and I am trying to help myself and people in the industry who are out
 of  work.  I have built a list of unemployed plumbers, carpenters,
 electricians,  HVAC guys etc.  I pay for the yellow pages ad and when
 someone calls, I pair  them with the right professional.

Bob Nugent
719-460-1275
What we do....
Bathrooms & Kitchens
Custom Carpet & Tile • Plumbing • Electrical
Landscaping • Irrigation & Drip Systems
Decks • Sheds • Paint • HVAC
Drainage • Grading • Concrete
email:  buildingwithbob@me.com

 

____________________________________________

Aardansco, Inc

Basement Finishing•Remodeling•Room Additions

A unique name…A unique company.

Building Colorado Springs…one job at a time

Visit our website: www.aardansco.com

Aardansco, Inc. is a licensed and insured General Contractor
specializing in Basement Finishing, Remodeling and Room Additions.

An A+ Rated Member of the BBB since 1993.

Call today for a Free Consultation and Estimate!
719 531-7670

____________________________________________

 

Tile Guy

Colorado Springs Area

Your name: Dan Bley

Your email: bleydan@gmail.com

Phone:  719 201 0252

:

Hi Ken,

 I’ve been doing tile for 18 years and my reputation is very good here. If you ever have a tile question, you can feel free to call as well. Love the show,

 

 

 

 

 

Front Loading Washers

We had some negative feedback today on the show about front loading washers.  If you'd like to add yours, leave a comment

Hi Ken,
I heard your radio program this AM, and I also have a front load washer 
that I now realize was a HUGH mistake.  My washer makes so much noise it's 
unbelieveable, and if it keeps moving when it spins, I'm going to have to 
change my address.  I believe you mentioned knowing about something like a 
rubber footing to be placed under it - can you let me know what that is.   
Thanks so much.
Donna

 

 

Subject: front load washers (LUV mine!)
Your Question or Comment:
Ken, I live and work on a ranch with HARD well water, and I wouldn't trade my 
front loader for anything.  My top loader wouldn't get the cow manure out of 
my husbands pants unless I washed them 2 or 3 times.  My 3 yr old front 
loader not only does it's best to get the cloth clean given our water, but 
spins them dry enough that my OLD dryer doesn't have to work nearly as hard.  
I have found that Cheer Free and some liquid Calgon makes for soft and whiter 
clothes.  I listen every Sat and have gotten some great advice and ideas.

Subject: laundry smells, hard water
Your Question or Comment:
I have had a high efficiency front-loader for a year or two.  The longer I 
use it, the worse the clean clothes smell and the rougher the towels are,  in 
spite of using an extra rinse and fabric softener.  I discovered at my 
sister's that the rough towels are probably due to hard water.  Internet 
research reveals that the smell is probably from mildew due to front-loaders 
retaining small amounts of rinse water when the door is kept closed. They gave 
helpful suggestions for clearing the mildew.

This was all news to me, and may be for others who are on the front-loader 
bandwagon.  If you think it pertains to your program, could you talk a bit 
about water softeners just for the laundry and good maintenance for 
front-loaders to prevent mildew?

 

CARBON MONOXIDE ALERT!!

The neighbor of a good friend of mine had a big scare this week.  They moved into a 1970's house several months ago and soon installed new vinyl windows.  This week they used their fireplace one evening while the kids were sleeping upstairs.  They had a new carbon monoxide detector and it soon alarmed;  in the meantime, they had developed headaches and other symptoms they recognized as carbon monoxide poisoning.   They called the fire department, and after the house had been checked out, they were told that the carbon monoxide level had reached over 900 parts per million-enough to cause  unconsciousness and death in a couple of hours.

What happened you ask?  Apparently the old windows had leaked enough air to satisfy the oxygen requirements of the fireplace.  After the new, tight ones were installed, the fireplace stole its air through the furnace flue on the roof and dragged carbon monoxide into the house with it   The moral:  WHEN USING A WOOD BURNING FIRPELACE, CRACK A WINDOW TO LET FRESH AIR INTO THE HOUSE !!

 

PS:  If you don't already have a carbon monoxide detector, get one ASAP.

 

 

Have You Hugged Your Builder Lately?

As you may know, I was a builder here in Colorado for about 25 years. I've been through some bad times-the oil shocks of the 70's, 21% interest rates in the early 80's, S&L crisis in the late 80's-but nothing like this. Builders and of course, land developers, are really hurting. They have to plan 2 to 5 years in advance for a new project, and their plans included nothing like this latest credit fiasco!

We get inculcated by the media that these folks are somehow a blight on the landscape-(the word greedy is often times applied as an automatic-reflex-action adjective when discussing these businesses). For instance, it is said they use scarce resources, create urban sprawl (one man's sprawl is another's cozy neighborhood, by the way). But, they are simply ordinary business people trying to make a living by fulfilling a basic need: shelter. As long as you keep making babies, they need to keep building houses.

And the ripple effect of this slowdown is amazing: ask the wives of drywallers, plumbers, carpenters and electricians if they think builders are greedy or somehow unworthy. What a terrible time of year for these families to have to struggle through a long winter, as new homes continue to sit unoccupied. The payrolls paid to these tradesman work their way through the local economy, supporting restaurants, dry cleaners, video stores and scores of others. In fact, you can make a case that a healthy building industry mirrors the health of the local economy. And, since it attracts lots of young workers, a thriving building industry helps keep the younguns around. So, the next time you hear someone complain about "greedy" developers or builders, you'll be able to tell them that these are good folks who live here, too, and that, until they get healthy, the rest of us will continue to feel the pinch in our own particular bailiwick.

 

 

Fall Lawn Care

Thanks  to "Gardening with an Altitude" host, John Cretti for dropping by the program Saturday.  I had asked him if I were on the right track by aerating now and then fertilizing.   He agreed with my procedures and also with my feeling that we should NOT blow out the sprinkler system.  He wondered  why someone would spend all that money on a system only to have it sit idle for 6 months each year!

We really do need to winter water here-about once a month if it's dry this season.

If you have to aerate only once a year (twice is best), I asked, when should it be?  "In the fall", says John.

He is taking a sabbatical for a few months-we look forward to getting him back on Saturday mornings on KHOW in the spring.

 

Blowout Sprinklers?

Remember that we have to winter water here most of the time.  If you blow out the system, you can't do that--so you risk stressing the lawn and your plantings over a long, cold, dry winter season.

So, simply winterize and then un-winterize the pipes coming out of the house as well as those in the furnace room (turn off the valve and drain both ends).

New Web Site

This is the new web site--it's so exciting to have a more dynamic place for folks to go.  We'll have the show stuff updated every week plus, of course, each week's columns--but no longer just the last four.  Now, they will be part of a vast archive you can search through for key words and subjects.

Many thanks to Monarch Digital for their hard work.