Today was the day the Home Builders Association of St. Louis sends out industry qualified judges to see all of the Homer Award nominees. We entered this project into the Special Projects - Additions category, and this morning we awaited the judges arrival.

It was so nice to spend relaxed time in this home, and to talk with the owner about how happy they are to have done this project. She shared details of how they usually eat dinner out in the screened porch (even in this St. Louis heatwave), which just may be her favorite of the new spaces designed and built for them.

And it was a pure delight to be able to take in some of the finer details of this remodel, two of which are shown above and below. Whether or not this home wins a Homer Award is nowhere near as important as a job well done for appreciative homeowners. By that standard, we’ve already won!

“The Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby”
Saturday, August 11, 2007, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Topic: Evaluating a House Before You Buy

Scott will take your calls at 314.436.7900 or toll-free at 1.800.925.1120.

HOME EVALUATIONS HELP YOU DECIDE WHICH HOUSE TO BUY

The real estate headlines confirm that when it comes to finding another home, it is now a “buyer’s market.” You may now find better deals, but exactly what you are buying remains a prime concern.

Inspections for houses under a sales contract are not required by state law. The St. Louis Association of Realtors’ “Residential Sales Contract” states that a seller must allow a buyer to conduct a home inspection, while the National Association of Realtors (NAR) “Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice” wants to “protect and promote the interests” of clients, but according to Realtor Marla Griffin, of BuyerSide Real Estate Services, this code only applies to NAR members. “In my interpretation, we should always recommend a home inspection as that would be in our client’s best interest,” says Griffin. “But the law is not black and white on this, and there’s plenty of room for people to take advantage of that.”

The more information you have about a house, the more secure you’ll feel about making such a large investment. In addition to an inspection by a certified and licensed agent, we recommend a thorough home evaluation before making your final decision.

Some buyers select houses with remodeling plans in mind, and we help them quantify plans and costs so there is an accurate big picture prior to closing on the home. We are interested in the future of your house and its ability to fulfill you hopes and needs. We help you plan the future of the house, and how it can meet expectations.

At Mosby, we provide the assistance and information unavailable from a home inspector. This is a valuable service when you’re ready to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. We help you assess how the house will work and what can be done to make it your perfect home, which renovations will bring the greatest benefit and an estimate of how much those changes could cost.

We offer advice on the next twenty years of the house, including a list of upcoming repair and maintenance issues and their estimated cost. We also discuss energy efficiency aspects and help you plan the most effective order in which to make repairs and changes.

There are so many things to consider about the future of your home, and we’re here to evaluate the ability of the house to fulfill your hopes and expectations. We want to help you make the right decision.

MAKING THE LAUNDRY ROOM WORK FOR YOU

The typical St. Louis home has a basement, which is where we typically put our washer and dryer. But does that really suit our lifestyle? It makes sense to have the laundry room closer to the linen and clothing closets, and then there’s the stairs!

There comes a time in all our lives when regularly running up and down the stairs for this necessary chore becomes inconvenient or impossible. So, bringing the laundry room to the main level of your home is a logical reflection of your daily lifestyle.

Relocating the laundry room is the first step. Next up is maximizing its ease of use, which is the basis of universal design. Front-loading washer and dryers allow everyone of every age and height easy access. Placing the machines on a raised platform keeps those with back problems or mobility devices from having to bend over to remove laundry. And a wall-mounted, flip down ironing board relieves everyone of the awkwardness of opening and closing an ironing board, while also freeing up valuable space for counter space for sorting and folding.

Universal design is about aesthetically pleasing ease of use for every stage of your, and Mosby Building Arts is here to help make your home fit the way you want to live. Scott Mosby is the national Certified Aging In-Place Specialist (CAPS) Designee of the Year, and his home remodeling team includes several CAPS professionals well versed in the artful balance of form and function.

Here is one example of a Mosby client who embraced the logic of universal design, and loves the results every day. We can do the same for you.

END NOTE

For a recap of this episode of the KMOX Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby, click here.

As part of our 60th Anniversary celebrations, we share another chapter from the Mosby family scrapbook.

In 1954, Scott’s father Sam Mosby built a home for his in-laws, Nancy and Hal Knight. It’s a striking mid-century modern home in Webster Park, designed by architect Erwin Knoesel. Because it was such a customized and sophisticated design, they needed a trusted, experienced builder, and that was Sam Mosby.

We spent an afternoon touring the handsome home with Hal (and Scotty, as seen in the photo above), who shared memories of Sam and the experience of building the home he still lives in over 53 years later. Click here to see the pictures and read the story.

For an article on contemporary design, the Ladue News asked Scott what trends he sees with his remodeling clients. While others may call it contemporary, Scott feels it’s about “simplicity. It’s simply effective, simply functional and streamlined in design, maintenance and materials.”

Click here to read the rest of his observations.

We also made an appearance in a recent issue of The Webster-Kirkwood Times, and if you’d like to get a look at the people Scott relies on for that famous Mosby quality, click here.