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By redesigning your outdoor living space, you can increase your home’s square footage. Outdoor living lets you and your family connect with nature and each other in a way that would be more difficult if you were always indoors.

Like all home design, outdoor living spaces are subject to trends. This year’s outdoor living trends are all about making your yard a more inviting place to gather with family.

Outdoor Living Solutions in Peculiar and Kansas City

1. Lighting and Temperature Control

   Don’t make the mistake of using direct, glaring lights in your outdoor living space. If there are steps leading outdoors, consider the various ways they could be illuminated. Also, consider under cap lights on walls and columns. These give off a warm, comforting glow that’s never hard on the eyes. Shine a light on pathways or define a patio with stake lights. They are easy to install and make a world of difference.

   Being outside is more inviting when the temperature is comfortable. Look into getting an outdoor heater to keep the atmosphere warm after the sun goes down. If heat is a concern, consider adding a structure like a gazebo to create a shady spot.

2. Fire Pits and Fireplaces
   Fire pits and fireplaces make wonderful focal points as well as give off some welcome heat. It’s such an easy way to recreate the closeness that sitting around a campfire produces. Imagine being able to feel such camaraderie with your family every night.

3. Views and Focal Points
   A water feature, sculpture or fascinating plant make wonderful focal points for any outdoor living space. The soothing sound of water or the graceful curves of a statue produce a restful feeling that no outdoor living area should be without.

4. Materials
   Use natural stone and hardwood to craft your outdoor living space. These materials are sturdy, luxuriant and timeless. They’ll look as fashionable a decade from now as they do today, and they increase your home’s connection to the natural world.

If you’re ready to experience outdoor living trends, Complete Living Concepts will help find solutions that fit you. From design to installation, we have your needs covered. Call (816) 925-0245 to get started!

Spring has certainly sprung, and now is the time to indulge in some outdoor living. It’s no secret that outdoor living can be fun, but did you also know that it can actually shrink your waistline?

Health Benefits From Outdoor Living

It’s true. Scientific studies have suggested that outdoor living is a fantastic way to control blood pressure, decrease the risk of having a heart attack and even manage weight. In fact, people who choose outdoor living over a sedentary lifestyle tend to live longer and have lower stress levels. Studies have even noted an overall improvement in an individual’s sense of well-being after adopting some outdoor living practices.

Outdoor living can be defined in a variety of ways. There are no hard-and-fast rules about how much time you have to spend outdoors or what activities you should engage in. The secret is to find things that you enjoy doing outdoors. Think of it as working out in a way that’s completely fun and doesn’t feel like exercise at all. That’s something that most people can really get behind. Because outdoor living is fun, you’ll stay motivated to keep going and you will begin to lose weight.

Not Just For Spring

Outdoor living is an all year activity. With the changing seasons come fresh opportunities to get up off the couch and get outside. Try snowshoeing and skiing in the winter. Pick up swimming and kayaking in the summer. Go birding in the fall. That’s right. Even watching birds can be a healthy activity because you’ll have to do quite a bit of walking.

Hiking, fishing and climbing are all good examples for outdoor activities that anyone can do. Even just getting out in the garden for some yard work or walking to a nearby park to play with your family count.

Your choice to try outdoor living also means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn new things. Start taking some lessons and getting out there. Your waistline will thank you for it.

No matter what type of outdoor living activity you want to try, Complete Living Concepts will help find solutions that fit you. From design to installation, we’ve got it covered.

Call us today at (816) 925-0245  for a free quote!

It’s time to consider your bathroom remodeling. Choosing the fixtures and style elements can greatly add to your home’s appeal. They can, also, add to your home’s value.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends

What are the newest trends in bathroom remodeling? Which ones will provide the most value to your home? Here are some of the hottest trends of the moment:

• The Sink

  Dual sinks are still very popular and give each of the users their own area for their morning routines. Vessel sinks, the modern day equivalent of the sink and bowl of yesteryear, can be a different color, and even a different material, then the other bath fixtures. However, drop-in sinks have become increasingly popular. The material the sinks are made of has also changed. Besides the typical vitreous china sinks, you now have your choice of glass, metal, stainless steel, and even wood or bamboo sinks. Try out one of these styles when you begin bathroom remodeling.

• Showers

  The larger the better, walk in styles with glass walls and thick glass swinging doors replacing the tub and shower and sliding glass doors of past days. Some of the newer ideas in bathroom remodeling include built in benches and beautiful grab bars, large shower heads or multiple shower heads, pulsating jets of water, and (on some units) a built in sound system.

• The Tub

  The shower hasn’t replaced the tub, but the noisy, busy Jacuzzi has been replaced with the relaxing soaking tub in the newer bathroom remodeling. The tub surround has mostly disappeared in new designs. Stand-alone tubs have taken their place.

• Faucets

  There are many different types of faucets, including new ones that create small waterfalls straight from the wall. Or, during your bathroom remodeling, look at the tall floor faucets for stand-alone tubs.

• Private Toilets

  Walled off areas that hold the commode, are a new favorite when doing bathroom remodeling.

• Entertainment

  It can be a part of a bathroom remodeling. In addition to sound systems in the shower, you can install flat screen TVs, even ones that are camouflaged by a bath mirror.

• Radiant Heat for the Floors and Heated Towel Bars

  Add comfort to cold mornings. The flooring is a simple addition when you install new tile, during bathroom remodeling.

• More Efficient Toilet

  New 2 button toilets give low flush the option of two water levels, if replacing the toilet is part of your bathroom remodeling.

We make bathroom remodeling look easy.

No matter what you are trying to achieve with your bathroom remodeling project, Complete Living Concepts will help find the perfect fit for you. From design to installation, we’ve got it covered.

Call us today at (816) 925-0245  for a free quote!

Sergeant Travis McCorkendale, CEO of Complete Living Concepts, has always been a fan of outdoor living. What many people don’t know, however, is that his love of outdoor living isn’t only expressed through his work at Complete Living Concepts. He has also experienced a great deal throughout his career in the Army Reserves.

How does outdoor living relate to the Army Reserves?

McCorkendale enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1997 as a Army Firefighter. Not only did he spend his time fighting fires, but he also received training as a combat lifesaver, a Driver and Pump Operator and a high angle rescuer. He was responsible for protecting the Army’s aircrafts and structures and for providing fire protection for area Kosovo residents.

Even after McCorkendale returned home and began Complete Living Concepts, he didn’t resign himself to experiencing outdoor living from on the sales floor or behind a desk. He went on to reenlist in the Army Reserves in 2012 — this time as a combat engineer. As a combat engineer, McCorkendale has jumped out of helicopters, completed several warrior tasks and marched numerous miles. For McCorkendale, nothing beats staying active and involved and experiencing outdoor living at its fullest.

Thanks to McCorkendale’s company, Complete Living Concepts, you can also experience outdoor living to its fullest — right in your own backyard. While Complete Living Concepts cannot help you jump out of airplanes or travel the globe, the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Complete Living Concepts can help you create the backyard outdoor living space of your dreams.

Let us build your dream space.

No matter what element you are hoping to install in your backyard, Complete Living Concepts has the right item for you. Install an attractive outdoor fire place to warm up the evening on chilly fall nights. Install an outdoor kitchen so you can easily and conveniently entertain guests outdoors. Install a custom patio for the perfect spot for your outdoor living adventures. No matter what you are looking for, Complete Living Concepts can help you create the perfect outdoor living space for you.

Call us today at (816) 925-0245 for a free quote!

Is it time for a bathroom upgrade?

Maybe your bathroom countertops have seen better days or one sink just isn’t enough anymore. A bathroom remodeling project can give your home new life and meet your needs better than your current bathroom design.

When you’re about to start a bathroom remodeling project, you’ll want to prepare. These quick tips will help you plan for an upcoming bathroom remodeling project.

Mission: Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #1

Start with your bathroom remodeling budget. Set your financial limits before you begin to reduce the risk of racking up a bigger bill than you can handle. Outlining your remodel budget helps you limit your design choices as you move forward, as well.

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #2

Create your “must have” list. To decide what you need in your new bathroom, think about your needs. Carry out an honest needs assessment. Does your cozy master bathroom really need a gigantic whirlpool? Does your guest bathroom need extra storage space? Consider the basic functionality of your dream bathroom, and add those pieces to your bathroom remodeling project.

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #3

Update the small details. The tiny touches can make a huge impact in a bathroom remodeling project. To make a big impact with less money and less major work, upgrade the lighting, replace cabinet door handles and use accent tiles to add flavor to your design.

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #4

Think green. Green products are great alternatives to the traditional options you may select. Not only are they good for the environment, but many of them are more efficient, therefore lowering your utility bills. They’re often better for your health. Consider green products for your bathroom remodeling project and you’ll see the benefits in time.

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #5

Seek help from remodeling experts. Visit showrooms, flip through design magazines, and ask for help. To create the bathroom of your dreams, you’ll need some expert advice. If you need help getting started, our team loves to help homeowners with their bathroom remodeling projects from idea phase to final product! Just give us a call to learn how we can help.

When you are looking to have a project done on around your home and looking for the contractor to do the project for you it is difficult to choose. There are a few things I would recommend to you. Always get at least three to four bids. Then throw the cheapest one in the trash, because if they are the cheapest it is a problem.

You should ask yourself why are they so cheap? Do they have insurance? Do they know what they are doing? Are they going to realize they miss bid the project half way through and either try to change the price or walk away on you?

I would also throw away the most expensive bid also because they are just to greedy and there is nothing else but greed with that. Then I would take the two remaining bids and review the proposals and think of your first impression of  the two contractors. I would pick the one that was most professional and respectful. Don’t get hung up on certification and rate with different groups local the BBB or chamber of commerce, because you pay to be a member of those groups.  This is just my opinion.

Be sure you ask for reference not just from homeowners but suppliers. The suppliers know more about the contractor than the homeowner. The supplier deals with the contractor day in and day out and homeowner it once or a few times a year. Don’t tell the supplier you and getting estimates for the contractor just ask if they know them and if they are any recommendations for a contractor to complete your project.

I just wanted to give my opinion on deck piers being place under an existing  patio or driveway.  You should not just assume that there are piers under your driveway or patio even if there is a deck there already. You should have it checked by your contractor or a secondary agency to verify things are done correctly from before. In most municipalities in the U.S. you are now required to prove there are existing piers in place and pass code. The municipality should have a record of this if your house is newer than 10 years old, but would not hurt to ask if they have record before you start spending money or muscle power to find out. If there is no record and can not verify piers exist just install new piers.

It is a pretty simple process really. Don’t let the idea that you have to go through concrete even be a concern for you. If you have a concrete coring company come out or rent the equipment to core holes for the piers through the existing patio or driveway it is fairly simple. You want to remember to core the concrete the next available size up form the desire pier hole size. This is so you can fit a gas auger bit in the hole to auger your pier in the dirt below. Note: double and triple check your pier placement because this is not a movable item if you are wrong.

After you have the concrete cored and you have auger the dirt out of the holes the pier hole should be roughly 3 times the size of the post supporting your deck and 3 feet deep, but consult the local municipality for codes and ordinances. Do not forget must municipalities require a inspection before you pour concrete in the pier to verify they are correct.

Now that you have done everything  to this point you are ready to pour concrete in your piers. Pour the concrete in the pier hole to be approximately 3/8 of an inch lower the the bottom of the existing concrete slab.  After you have the holes filled to the desired level take a flat strap or piece of rope and lay on the new concrete leaving a foot out of each side of the pier hole. You will need to drill a few holes in the bottom of the core you cut out of your existing driveway or patio and put in some Tapcom screws in the core leaving them sticking out about a inch or so. These screw will go into the new wet concrete and when concrete the concrete cures it will dry around the screws hold the cap down during the freeze thaw cycles. Then lay the concrete core out of that you cut out earlier back in the hole on top of the new concrete and rope. You use the rope to lift the core after it is in place because you may need to add or remove concrete from the pier to get the core back to the perfect height to match the existing patio. You also want to be sure to have your broom line lined back up when you set the core. Also don’t worry the core will not sink into the new concrete.

After you have complete the piers let them set up for 24 hrs to insure the core will not move when working around it. After 24 hrs it will be safe to work on the area. You will need to use a concrete chalking to seal the cut lines so that water does not get under your patio. Then you are ready to put your deck on the piers.

Over all I have found this method works great and looks a ton better than trying to pour and finish new concrete it to match existing concrete. With concrete no matter how hard you try you will never get it to look like the old. The finish will be off. The color will be different. There is to many variables with concrete to make new concrete match old concrete exactly. The coring and capping with the core is the best method I have found.

I don’t know if I am just the only person that have had a problem these problems, but all the suppliers I called did not know what to do. OK, I grouted the floor and when it dried it was spotty light and dark. I ended up calling the manufacture and they said it was efflorescence. This do to with the dry of the grout which I should have thought of, because I have had this happen on colored concrete and grout is basically colored concrete. Anyway, the manufacture said to wash the grout with Sulfamic Acid Cleaner let it dry, clean it and reseal it. Perform all of this work per the instructions on the bottle.

This worked, but you need to clean the floor really good after you do this, because when I sealed the grout I had problem with the sealer that got on the tile. Just a FYI if you have sealer problems just reseal your floor and buff it dry with a towel.

Also don’t forget this is a acid product you a working with so please be careful what you get it on and don’t use it on product not recommended by the manufacture. If you are not sure and the manufacture and ask if the product will work on your tile.