Flat Andy's Blog from Betterliving Sunrooms and Patio Rooms

Congratulations to the Top 10 Betterliving Sunroom Sales Leaders

Flat Andy — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Congratulations to the Top 10 Betterliving Sunroom Sales Leaders who earned the honor in a field of 55 dealers across the US and Canada. I was proud to present the Top 10 Dealer at the 2008 National Betterliving Dealer Meeting in New Orleans. The Award Winners are:

1. Betterliving of the Delaware of Valley, Conshohocken PA
2. Betterliving of Boston, Westborough, MA
3. Betterliving of Nashville, Franklin, Tennessee
4. Betterliving by SunSpace, Athens, Alabama
5. Betterliving of Hampton Roads, Chesapeake, Virginia
6. Betterliving Midwest, St. Charles, Illinois
7. Long Fence Company, Capitol Heights, Maryland
8. Betterliving of Northeastern PA, Allentown, PA
9. Betterliving of Albany, Green Island, NY
10. T & D Builders, Janesville, Wisconsin

I appreciate their support and their great work in bringing Betterliving to their cities.

CRAFT-BILT SPONSORS THIRD ANNUAL ARC/PDDC GOLF OUTING

Flat Andy — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:06:00 +0000

Craft-Bilt Manufacturing Company, the manufacturer of Betterliving® Patio & Sunrooms sponsored The Arc/PDDC (Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corp) annual golf outing. The day of golf took place at the Bala Cynwyd Country Club in Philadelphia followed by a buffet dinner and silent auction. The proceeds from the event fund art and music therapy for Arc/PDDC clients.

This was the third year for this fundraiser and Craft-Bilt's third year as a sponsor. Andy Stone, president, of Craft-Bilt didn’t want his employees to lose time from work for this event so he sponsored students and staff from the School District of Philadelphia to play golf on their behalf. This was a great opportunity for the students to play golf and support Arc/PDDC.

Robert Coleman, Director of Athletics / PIAA Dist. XII Chairman of the School District of Philadelphia had informed Andy that three of the students who participated in this fundraiser the previous two years had received full college scholarships to play golf.

For more information on Craft-Bilt Manufacturing Company or Betterliving® Patio & Sunrooms visit http://www.craftbilt.com/betterliving.

Dog Days of Summer

Flat Andy — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:44:00 +0000

Our Account Manager, Richard Ball was painting the back wall of his sunroom when his dog, Butterscotch, came into the room and saw that it was raining outside.

So what did Butterscotch do? He immediately went to the window and watched the rain as if he wanted to go outside. By the way, Butterscoth piled up his “toys” by himself and laid his head down on the soft pillow of toys.

For more information about our sunrooms visit www.craftbilt.com/betterliving/. Enjoy your summer!

Was Your Home Built Before 1978?

Flat Andy — Fri, 25 May 2007 19:17:00 +0000

If so, you should know about the Lead Paint Hazard Information program!

Do you know that federal law requires contractors performing renovations in homes built before 1978 to distribute a lead hazard information pamphlet (“Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home”) to homeowners/occupants prior to beginning any renovation or remodeling activity that disturbs paint. To read the full article, go to http://www.nsc.org/issues/lead/leadrenovation.htm.

What does the law require?
Contractors are supposed to distribute a lead pamphlet to the homeowner and occupants before beginning renovation…and they are supposed to obtain confirmation of receipt of lead pamphlet from homeowner and occupants, or a certificate of mailing from the post office.
Retain records for 3 years.

What types of activities are subject to the law?
· Remodeling and repair/maintenance
· Window replacement
· Electrical work, Painting, Plumbing, Carpentry

What type of remodeling activities are likely to disturb paint:
Any work that breaks through the wall of your house, such as installing a new door or replacing windows
Removing paint; sanding or scraping painted surfaces, or painting outside surfaces
Remodeling work that involves tearing down walls; removing windows and woodwork
Repairs such as fixing plumbing or electrical systems; repairing heating or ventilation ducts that disturb painted surfaces.

Exception: Jobs that affect less than two square feet of paint are not subject to this law.

Want to know more? Betterliving Sunrooms will be happy to send you information! Visit the Contact Us page and request a free copy of the Lead Pamphlet.

Betterliving Patio and Sunrooms Celebrates 20 Years

Flat Andy's Sister — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:39:00 +0000

January 15-18 was the 20th annual Betterliving Patio and Sunrooms Dealer Meeting. 200 participants met at the infamous PALMS resort and casino in Las Vegas to celebrate another successful year of growth for Betterliving. The Top 10 National Sales Awards were presented along with Million Dollar Achievement Awards to more than 40 Betterliving representatives.

Taking top honors nationwide for the second year in a row was Betterliving of the Delaware Valley. Owner Matt Manfred accepted the award, giving all of the credit to his staff and to support he received from Craft-Bilt Manufacturing Company.

With hips swinging and feather boas floating, Flat Andy's sister and Betterliving's glamorous graphic designer personally escorted the winners to the podium for their acceptance speeches.

As in the past 19 years, a great time was enjoyed - by all!

Flat Andy's Sister — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:49:00 +0000

I have been so frustrated this month with the amount on condensation on my EXPENSIVE bedroom windows. I know it's because we don't have adequate ventilation - and because my new pleated shades are very energy efficient. Every morning I am wiping excess condensation from around the edges of my windows so the wood doesn't stain. Bedrooms are susceptible to high humidity because you breathe (or snore) heavily all night....or take a shower at bedtime...then the room inside is humid, and the night air is cold. Perfect conditions for condensation on the windows.

The warmer the air, the more water vapor it is able to hold. Cold surfaces cause condensation, and the air immediately adjacent to the glass is chilled by the outdoor temperature. Where is the coldest surface in a house during the winter? Usually, windows have the coldest surface, which expalines why condensation - in the form of fogging or forst - is common on cold days. Cold surfaces can also occur at thermal bridges, which are locaitons where there is very little insulation or where structural members extend through theinsulation from insdie to outside. Examples of thermal breidges include exterior corners and wall/ceiling intersections, according to the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency.

You may be surprised to learn that condensation caused by cold surfaces can also be a problem in the summer. Usually, in late spring or early summer the ground has not fully waarmed up from the previous winter. On warm, humid days condensation can occur on basement walls and floors that are in contact with the ground.

There are many moisure sources that can contribute to elevated humidity levels in winter: Occupants - 34=40 liters a week for a family of 4
Summer moisture absorbed by house and released in fall (20-40 liters /week for about 4 weeks)
Drying of construction materials in new construction (25-35 liters/week for the first 18 months)
Household activities such as showering, cooking, bathing, washing (15-20 liters/week)
Damp basement, craw space or sump pit (15-20 liters/week)
Drying clothes indoors (10-15 liters/week)
Humidifiers
Indoor pools, hot tubs, greenhouses, house plants and aquariums.

Indoor humidity levels are also influenced by air exchange, which has the effect of replacing moist indoor air with drier outdoor air during winter.

I'd love to hear your solutions for minimizing early winter condensation indoors!

Flat Andy's Sister — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:31:00 +0000

I was so happy to be included in the group that traveled to Atlanta Georgia for the 2006 International Industrial Fabric Expo. It was the first time I had attended this trade show and it was really exciting. We exhibited our fabric awnings - but the variety of products shown was amazing. From fireproof clothing, to protective vests for K-9 patrol dogs, to shades, webbing, fabric printers, and screws and grommets of unbelievable sizes and shapes...
Betterliving features retractable fabric awnings as well as sunrooms. our awning booth was spectacular, over 18 feet hight, with four full size awnings on display. To make our booth more fun to visit, we had the FitzBradshaw NASCAR Busch team show car and simulator. Visitors to the show had a great time driving the virtual Atlanta Speedway, competing for the top time of the show. The winner was a representative from SOMFY systems, who came in first place on his very first virtual run. It was hard standing on our feet all day, for three days - but it was a great opoprtunity to learn more about the industrial fabric industry.

Craft-Bilt Celebrates 60 Years

Flat Andy — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:57:00 +0000

Craft-Bilt Manufacturing Company, the manufacturer of the Betterliving® Patio & Sunroom components, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2006. In tribute of this milestone, I hosted a dinner dance on October 14, 2006 for my employees along with their spouse or guest. This momentous occasion featured a slideshow of historical and recent photos of Craft-Bilt employees that ran as guests dined and danced.

My alter ego, 3-D Andy, recalled how Craft-Bilt got its start and recounted highlights through the years. National Sales Manager Mike Leibowitz presented 3-D Andy with a Diamond Anniversary plaque in honor of 60 years. Andy said he hopes that he will be at Craft-Bilt for another 60 years so he can see all the employees who were there that night retire. Here’s to another 60 years!

Flat Andy — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:02:00 +0000

I just ordered new drapes for my living room to replace the ones that were there when we bought the house 20 years ago. That makes me part of a growing number of baby boomers who remodel their homes once children are off to college and on their own.

According to EMILY VAN CLEVE of the Albuquerque Journal, boomers have the taste and money and realize the power of their home as their primary investment.

With kids out of the house, it's a great time to customize a living space in ways that weren't practical or affordable when children were young. Popular remodels include sunrooms, complete kitchen makeovers, master suites and wine cellars.

Remodeling projects that make a difference in resale value don’t necessarily reflect a lot of additional square footage. How the space is arranged and if it is the kind of space that they will really use is what matters.

With retirement coming up, or with aging parents at their homes, boomers are adding sunrooms because of their value in adding light and leisure living space. Sunrooms are great spaces for hobbies, relaxed dining and spending more time in an outdoor environment. They are also low maintenance spaces, an important consideration.

Boomers who have finished raising their families may want to spend more time traveling, so a home's key selling points could be its cozy size and inexpensive, easy-to-maintain yard and garden area. Although a smaller size home may be desired, Harris says the quality of the fixtures, appliances, floors and cabinets do matter. "It's about quality of life and being able to use the space they have well."

“Soaring commodity prices affect the building industry.”

Flat Andy — Thu, 18 May 2006 20:16:00 +0000

It may look like just another headline buried under the anguish of prices at the pump. But the price of oil bumps up more than gasoline.

In our sunroom manufacturing we use tons and tons of glass. Each month this year, our glass supplier adds a surcharge to every truckload of glass delivered to us. We never know what it is going to be until we accept delivery of the glass. Recently it was 16% additional to our cost for the glass!

Aluminum prices, always affected by the volatility of the commodity market, are spiking faster than they have ever been in my 30 years in this business…. WAAYYY higher than the high price we were already paying.

Aluminum, vinyl, glass, polystyrene…all of the materials used as sunroom components.

Eventually the cost will work its way down to the consumer.

So – all of you homeowners with beautiful back gardens who are looking for a comfortable place to enjoy the outdoors in comfort – BUY TODAY!! Because soon, the cost of luxury outdoor living is bound to increase!!!

Even the most conscientious and skilled sunroom installation teams

Flat Andy — Tue, 09 May 2006 19:13:00 +0000

run into problems sometimes, and how companies handle these problems can be a tribute to their reputation. I’ve just been out on one such jobsite – a sunroom project that went awry for reasons both unexpected and complicated.

After numerous attempts to adjust the installation and please the homeowners – the company decided to take the sunroom down, rebuild the foundation, and start over with new materials.

Nobody was happy about this – not the dealer, who was losing money on the job, and not the homeowners, who didn’t expect to have the project going on a second time – right at the beginning of the outdoor season. Blooming daffodils were disrupted; newly seeded grass stepped on, and there is a graduation party looming on the horizon.

But the decision was made without rancor, without lawsuits, and hopefully there will be a very happy ending to this unhappy event.

The whole situation had me thinking about the whole process of customer satisfaction – not just in the home improvement field, but across the board. People expect to receive poor customer service – it’s almost not worth talking about. We expect to have our phone calls answered by a machine; we expect to be kept endlessly on hold; we expect that the retail clerk won’t know what is in stock, or the customer service agent to be unsmiling and terse. We’ve stopped expecting our medical care professionals to know our names, or remember why we were last there.

So when we do have a problem – and the party concerned responds competently and timely – we’re thrilled! What should be expected – has become unexpected.

It is very rare in the sunroom industry that an installation has so many problems that a tear down and rebuild is the only option. And even in these rare instances (as in the home I visited) , sometimes the root of the problem lies not in the product, nor in the way it was installed – but in pre-existing conditions at the house that were not apparent when the building began. But rather than become mired in who, or what, was to blame – this dealer chose the difficult and costly route to rebuild. He believed that his company, Betterliving, and the homeowners, were better served by this approach.

We’ll see.

So here’s a question for you.

Flat Andy — Tue, 09 May 2006 19:07:00 +0000

What is the difference? Sunroom, solarium, patio cover, porch enclosure, patio room, patio enclosure, three-season room, all-season room, conservatory, country room, garden room, Florida room….

According to Mike Fischer, spokesperson for the National Sunroom Association, these are among the many names given to glassed-in additions popular in the remodeling industry - but to a building code official, they are just marketing terms. Code officials define these glassed in additions based on whether or not they meet the energy requirements necessary to be considered “habitable space.”