2 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Spring Home and Garden Edition From our advertisers:
7
Have questions about your home owner’s insurance policy? Ask State Farm Agent Gary Baccus.
9
With the Driveway Company, Heidi and Cody Clark offer an elite product in concrete repair to home‐ owners who are in need of a long‐lasting solution.
11
Lighty Construction is a full line commercial and resi‐ dential renovation company specializing in flat roof repair and replacement.
Also:
6
According to Realtor.com, spring is the busiest and best season to sell a home.
8
A pristine lawn can be the finishing touch to a landscape and add sig‐ nificant value to a home.
10
Bathrooms have the most potential of any rooms to be improved with technology.
12
Farmhouse‐style homes are having a moment.
On the cover: Generator Supercenter of Oklahoma provides standby power for the entire state of Oklahoma so that Oklahomans can always be connected. With showrooms in Edmond, Tulsa, Lawton, l60+ employees and a large vehicle fleet, they are there to answer the call 24/7/365.
OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 3
SC offers a GenMon program which moni tors the unit 24/7 and provides an annual service to always make sure the generator is ready to respond.
Connectivity is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Connected to your family. Connected to your work. Connected to your education. Connected to your religion. Connected for your safety and comfort. Connectivity doesn’t exist without 24/7 electricity to either your home or business. Generator Supercenter of Oklahoma provides standby power for the entire state of Oklahoma so that Oklahomans can always be connected. With showrooms in Edmond, Tulsa and Lawton, and l60‐ plus employees and a large vehicle fleet, Generator Superstore is there to answer the call 24/7/365. As 2021 brought on supply chain issues, long wait times for product and high demand for con‐ sumer products, 2022 is following suit. However, GSC of Oklahoma has positioned itself as a top 10 Generac Generator Dealer in the country out of 7,000‐plus, the largest in the state of Oklahoma and a franchisee of the biggest Generac Generator Dealer in the country GSC lead time on product is 30‐60 days on the most popular units, which are the 22kW and 24kW. The bigger units for larger residential and small commercial are 6‐9 months out.
4 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
GSC of Oklahoma will soon have a new headquarters, located at I-35 and Hefner Rd.
“If you are on the market to purchase a home standby gener‐ ator, the time is now to do it,” shared Austin Partida, GSC’s CEO. “The demand, price and lead time will only continue to rise due to a lot of factors driv‐ ing the industry.” GSC offers a free in‐home assessment, financing options or a virtual assessment if a poten‐ tial customer wants to go that route. Why buy a Generac Standby Power Generator: q The benefit of having elec‐ tricity 24/7, with automatic transferring when the power goes off and when it’s restored. q Protecting your home or business — keeping your servers, security cameras, pool equipment — all working, 24/7. q No refueling needed — this will tie into your gas supply connected to your home or busi‐ ness. q Oklahoma weather — an automatic standby generator will work in any weather event. GSC of Oklahoma offers a turnkey install from the begin‐ ning. We handle all permitting, gas and and electric connections, financing options and anything else needed to get your home or business connected.
This dental clinic will no longer have to worry about loss revenue during a midday outage. Standby power at a business is a very smart financial decision. OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 5
For sale: Spring best season for selling a home
A
According to Realtor.com, spring is the busiest and best season to sell a home. While a good home can find a buyer any time of year, homeowners might find the buyers' pool is strongest in spring and into summer. The reasons for that are many, rang‐ ing from parents wanting to move when their children are not in school to buyers wanting to move when the weather is most accommodating.
homes with landscapes that were upgraded from "good" to "excellent" increased by 6 to 7 percent. If it's in the budget, hire professional land‐ scapers to fix any problematic land‐ scaping or address any issues that arose during the winter. Homeowners with green thumbs can tackle such projects on their own, but hiring professionals is akin to staging inside the home.
Because spring is such a popular time to sell a home, homeowners who want to put their homes on the market should use winter as an opportunity to prepare their homes for the prying eyes of prospective buyers. The following tips can help homeowners during the pre‐selling preparation process.
2. Conquer interior clutter. Clutter has a way of accumulating over the winter, when people tend to spend more time indoors than they do throughout the rest of the year. Homeowners who want to put their homes on the market in spring won't have the luxury of waiting until spring to do their "spring" cleaning, so start clearing any clutter out in winter, even resolving to make an effort to prevent its accumulation throughout winter. Just like buyers are impressed by curb appeal, they are turned off by clutter. The Appraisal Institute suggests home‐ owners clear clutter out of their homes before appraisers visit, and the same approach can be applied to open houses. Buyers, like appraisers, see cluttered homes as less valuable.
1. Address the exterior of the home. Winter can be harsh on a home's exterior, so as winter winds down, homeowners who want to sell their homes should make an effort to address anything that might nega‐ tively affect their homes' curb appeal. A study of homes in Greenville, S.C., from researchers at Clemson University found that the value of 6 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
In addition, a home full of clutter might give buyers the impression, true or not, that the home was not well maintained. 3. Eliminate odors. A home's inhabitants grow accus‐ tomed to odors that might be circu‐ lating throughout the house. Pet odor, for instance, might not be as strong to a home's residents as it is to guests and prospective buyers. Because windows tend to stay closed throughout the winter, interior odors can be even stronger come late‐win‐ ter than they are during the rest of the year. A thorough cleaning of the house, including vacuuming and removal of any pet hair that accumu‐ lated over the winter, can help to remove odor. In the weeks leading up to the open house, bathe pets more frequently, using a shampoo that pro‐ motes healthy skin so pet dander is not as prevalent. Open windows when the weather allows so more fresh air comes into the home. Spring is a popular and potentially lucrative time to sell a home, and homeowners who spend winter preparing their homes for the market may reap even greater rewards.
Ask Gary Baccus Are all homeowners policies the same?
N
No, it is not surprising to find quotes on homeowners insurance that vary by hundreds of dollars. Most companies offer several different types of homeown‐ ers policies, and the lower the premium usually means less coverage. I know price is important, but more important is mak‐ ing sure your homeowners policy pro‐ vides the coverage that you need. State Farm is #1 in home insurance for a reason. We sell one homeowners policy, which is the most comprehensive on the market and competively priced. It is designed to put you back where you were, if not better, before your loss. Our goal is to protect what you have, not just sell you a policy. The easiest way to make sure you are getting the coverages you need to protect your home is to schedule an appointment with me to review your current policy. Many of your neighbors are satisfied
State Farm customers. State Farm insures 1 out of every 4 homes. My agency has been established for 46 years giving me expertise in the insurance industry. We have 7 licensed associates who are friend‐ ly and helpful in answering any questions you might have about insurance. Our State Farm Agency offers insur‐ ance for auto, homes, condos, renters, personal article policy, business, boats, fleets, life and annuities, health and dis‐ ability and mutual funds. We offer bank‐ ing services such as CD products, credit cards and checking and savings accounts. We even offer pet insurance for the most important members of many family households. Our current State Farm policy holders in this area have had a rate decrease in their home insurance. How many people have heard that good news from their insurance company lately? Our office
GARY BACCUS prides itself on customer service. I will take care of you and make sure you are getting all the discounts State Farm has to offer. If you want the protection and peace of mind you deserve give me a call today!
OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 7
Seed or sod? How to determine best option
A
resource Fixr says seed A pristine lawn can be will cost an average of 24 the finishing touch to a cents per square foot landscape and add signifi‐ installed compared to cant value to a home. $1.29 for sod. That afford‐ According to a joint study ability compels many by the University of homeowners to turn to Alabama and the University seed. However, seed can of Texas at Arlington, take up to two years to homes with high curb produce a lush lawn and appeal sell for an average it requires high mainte‐ of 7 percent more than sim‐ nance in the initial ilar houses without inviting months to establish the exteriors. When it comes to establishing a lawn, homeowners have two key grass. When it comes to estab‐ options: starting from seed or installing sod. Each comes with its Seed also requires lishing a lawn, homeowners share of advantages and disadvantages. greater soil preparation, have two key options: start‐ including tilling to loosen ing from seed or installing Seed soil and keeping the lawn well watered sod. Each comes with its share of Seed is the first thing homeowners advantages and disadvantages. may think of when planning a lawn. Seed until the grass is hardy. Weeds also may Which option makes the most sense is an inexpensive, easily installed option. mix in with seed more readily, meaning weed prevention becomes an additional for a given lawn will boil down to Plus, garden centers sell a variety of task. various factors, including homeown‐ seeds specific to particular regions and See SOD, Page 14 ers' budgets. climates. The home improvement
8 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
The Driveway Company
Husband‑wife team offer concrete repair services
M
Meet Heidi and Cody Clark of The Driveway Company and Softroc of OKC. The Clarks are proud to serve the Oklahoma City Metro area with a unique and customized service for your concrete repair and outdoor spaces. As a husband‐and‐wife tandem, you will always see them on the job site from the initial consultation to the final handshake. The inspiration for opening a fran‐ chise business was the opportunity to build a business as a family. We have spent nearly 15 years in the oil and gas industry and were more than ready to pivot into a new chapter of our careers; one that we intend to leave a long‐last‐ ing legacy in Oklahoma City and sur‐ rounding areas. Softroc gives us a product and serv‐ ice that is unlike anything else on the
market. The ability to completely trans‐ form an outdoor space, and specifically swimming pool decks has been a major driver of our business model. The prop‐ erties of Softroc’s rubber safety surfac‐ ing offers a long lasting, anti‐slip, anti‐ microbial surface that is fully customiz‐ able to compliment any surrounding landscape, while benefiting from the properties of EPDM rubber, including the cooling properties on the bare foot while playing outside in the Oklahoma summer heat. Based out of Newcastle, we are so grateful for our opportunity to work in our community as a husband and wife team and find it extremely rewarding at the end of the day when we are able to offer such an elite product to home‐ owners who are in need of a long‐last‐ ing solution.
Heidi and Cody Clark offer an elite product in concrete repair to homeowners who are in need of a longlasting solution.
OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 9
Why not a high‑tech bathroom, too Gadgets & gizmos help improve restrooms Technology is infiltrating every room of the house. Many new home buyers are millennials, and this tech‐savvy demographic covets technological innova‐ tions. A recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate indicates 77 percent of Generation X and Y home buyers want their homes equipped with the tech capabilities they have grown accustomed to. Many of these involve smart innovations, including those that can transform one of the most private • Automatic faucets: Infrared sen‐ sors have been helping keep public restrooms more hygienic for years. The same technology can be used in home bathrooms to curtail water waste and keep faucets and sinks from becoming infested with germs. In addition, faucets with built‐in timers can be programmed to set tasks for brushing teeth or washing your face. • Musical shower: Instead of hav‐ ing to blast the volume on the portable speaker you use in the bath‐ room, a wireless speaker is built into some showerheads. This enables those who like to sing in the shower or listen to podcasts while washing up to enjoy this luxury effortlessly. 10 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
rooms in the house ‐ the bathroom. Automated home theater rooms and Wi‐Fi‐enabled home security systems have become the norm, but what tech improvements are available to make the powder room more in touch with today's digital lifestyle? According to the home improvement resource The Spruce, bathrooms have the most poten‐ tial of any rooms to be improved with technology. The following are just some of the bathroom gadgets and gizmos no one should resist before giving a try.
• Smarter weight management: Bathroom scales have gone high‐tech as well, with various options enabling users to measure weight, BMI and body fat percentage before sending the data wirelessly to a phone, tablet or computer. This can put you in greater control of fitness goals. • High‑tech toilets: Borrowing ideas from bidets and trends around the world, modern toilets do not require hands or paper. These toilets have temperature‐controlled water, spritzing wands and air dryers to clean and sanitize. Self‐cleaning toi‐ lets help busy professionals save time and are ideal for those who always want their bowls as clean as possible. And if you desire extra comfort, toilet
seat warmers are available, while LED lights can make nighttime restroom visits easier. • Soaking tubs: As fast as stand‐ alone showers were introduced to the modern bathroom, tubless designs have been replaced with streamlined soaking tubs. Tubs come with differ‐ ent features, including chromathera‐ py, which employs colored lights to enhance mood. Air baths are con‐ trolled electronically and provide dif‐ ferent levels of sensation for those who are skipping the hot tub. Round out these innovations with automated lights, chilled medicine cabinets and aromatherapy, and your bathroom will indeed become a tech‐ nological spa.
Lighty Construction
Oklahoma’s trusted construction company since 1987
B
Born into the general construction industry in 1958, Don Lighty, owner of Lighty Construction LLC, is highly skilled contractor. Lighty Construction is a full line commercial and residential renovation company specializing in flat roof repair and replacement. Only the best available materials are used by highly skilled craftsman to ensure that the customer is getting a job that is done right the first time. Don’t throw good money after bad. Let Lighty Construction walk you through the process of your project and give you a detailed estimate to compare to other bids. You will love your finished project. Residential Roofing At Lighty we understand that the most important roof is the one that you sleep under. We take pride in our installations so you have can always
count on us. Commercial Roofing Having a reli‐ able roof for your business is cru‐ cial, and we understand that. With Lighty you'll get the best roof for your business with as little down time as possible. General Contracting Don Lighty is the owner of Lighty Construction LLC, a full line com mercial and residential renovation company specializing in flat roof Lighty repair and replacement. Construction is an authority in roof installation, tial and commercial property. repair and damage assessment. We Contact us at (405) 831‐6874. Visit specialize in improving your residen‐ www.lightyconstruction.com.
OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 11
F
Simple and cozy, farmhouse style is among homeowners’ favorite
Farmhouse style homes are having a moment. A 2020 survey from Homes.com asked more than 5,000 adults across the United States about their favorite house style from a list that included bohemian craftsman, mid‐century modern ranch, French chateau, and Tudor, among others. Modern farmhouse was the runaway win‐ ner, as participants in 42 of the 50 states indicated this simple, cozy style was their favorite. Home renovation projects can help homeowners put their own unique stamp on their homes, and such projects can be both aesthetic and functional in nature. The following are some farmhouse design ele‐ ments homeowners can consider as they look to transform their home interiors with this popular style in mind. · Exposed beams: Exposed beams instantly evoke images of a farmhouse. The home improvement experts at BobVila.com note that this rustic renovation project can utilize real wood or faux beams that look like the real thing. Decorative beams that have nothing to do with a home's structural integrity can be installed by skilled do‐it‐ yourselfers. However, even faux beams are heavy, and BobVila.com recommends homeowners have an engineer assess their existing structure prior to installation. · Distressed wood finishes: Distressing is designed to make something look less than perfect. Distressed wood finishes can 12 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
Exposed beams instantly evoke images of a farm house. This rustic renova tion project can utilize real wood or faux beams that look like the real thing.
be found throughout many farmhouse style homes. Furniture and picture frames can provide the distressed look farmhouse fans are looking for. This is a relatively inexpen‐ sive project that many homeowners can tackle on their own after watching some online tutorials that recommend the right tools and techniques to get the job done right. · Kitchen sink: Many components com‐ bine to create a truly classic farmhouse kitchen. But perhaps no component is more essential than the classic farmhouse sink. The renovation experts at HGTV note that a classic farmhouse sink features a deep, wide basin. Farmhouse sinks are large enough to handle all the dishes that come after a big family meal. Old‐fashioned porcelain sinks are worth consideration by homeowners who want their kitchen sinks to evoke a traditional farmhouse feel. · Countertops: HGTV recommends butcher block countertops for homeowners who favor European farmhouse style. Homeowners overhauling their kitchens to create a farmhouse feel should consider installing a large island with a walnut butcher block countertop for an authentic farmhouse feel. Farmhouse style homes are wildly popu‐ lar. Some simple renovations can help homeowners with a fondness for farm‐ house style bring this classic look into their home.
Asthetics, necessity dictate window replacement
T
The decision to replace windows often comes down to aesthetics and necessity. Drafty windows can reduce energy efficiency in a home, requiring HVAC systems to work harder to keep interiors comfortable. The harder the HVAC must work, the more homeown‐ ers will pay in energy costs. Old windows also may be points of entry for water and insects. Despite the importance of windows, Money maga‐ zine advises that new windows make up only a fraction of the home's total exte‐ rior "envelope," resulting in only about 5 to 15 percent of total energy savings. But there are still plenty of reasons to invest in new windows. 1. Vinyl or aluminum may be best. Lumber is farmed rather quickly today and solid wood products may not stand up to elements as well as wood used a half‐century ago. To avoid rot, vinyl win‐ dows often are an affordable and durable choice. Homeowners also have the option of wood windows with alu‐
minum cladding, which are long‐last‐ ing. 2. Moisture prob‑ lems indicate win‑ dows need to be replaced. Condensation that shows up as fogging between double‐pane windows or on the inside of windows indicates that the windows are starting to fail. If installing a Condensation that shows up as fogging between doublepane vapor barrier in the windows or on the inside of windows indicates that the win dows are starting to fail. basement or crawl space, ventilating properly when showering or cooking, or the home and can improve curb appeal since they are one of the most promi‐ using a dehumidifier indoors does not remedy the situation, it might be time to nent features on the exterior of a home. If a house needs an update, replacing replace windows. windows and can be a quick and afford‐ 3. Windows add curb appeal. able update. Beyond functionality, replacement win‐ See Windows, Page 15 dows immediately update the look of
OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 13
When is it time to replace wiring Old homes can be charming and contain architectural elements not often seen in many mod‐ ern housing developments. But what older homes may have in design appeal, they may lack in updated features. While cosmetic changes are not necessarily difficult, one area of concern in historic homes ‐ and sometimes even in houses built 40 or 50 years ago ‐ is archaic wiring. Wiring provides power to every room of the home. In today's electronics‐driven society, elec‐ tricity that works is an essential component of daily life. Over time, wiring can be compromised through simple aging, pest infiltration, weather, or other conditions. Deteriorated wiring can present a shock hazard and also a serious fire hazard. Furthermore, the home improvement site “This Old House” advises that the amperage of old wiring may not be able to meet the needs of the devices used in homes — overpowering the circuits. This can cause breaker blowouts and other problems, such as overheated wires that may spark and cause fires from within the wall. Wiring often falls into the "out of sight, out of mind" category. Homeowners may make allowances for inade‐ quate electrical systems, such as running extension cords or using multiplug connectors to increase their wiring capacity. However, they may not be diligently keeping on top of upgrades needed to stay safe. Confirming that a home's electrical system is safe is a necessary part of home maintenance. For those who haven't already done so, schedule an inspection with a licensed electrician to go over the home's wiring. He or she can determine if any areas pose a safety risk and/or do not conform to local code requirements and the National Electrical Code. Failure to meet code can lead to difficulty obtaining permits to make other home renovations, or difficulty selling a home later on. The electrician can also go over improvements that can improve safety and function. Additional outlets, including GFCI outlets in kitchens and bathrooms, may be part of the plan, as well as rewiring a fuse box or circuit panel to allow for better flow of power around the house. Frayed wiring or underinsulated wiring also may need to be replaced. Owners of old homes should recognize possible electrical system dangers that require attention. Plus, considering electrical codes change quite frequently, it is always in a homeowner's best interest to work with a qualified electrician to keep wiring inspected and up to date. 14 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
SOD From Page 8 Sod One of the advantages to sod is that it can produce an instant lawn. When time is of the essence, sod will produce a complete lawn nearly as soon as the sod is laid. Sod can be used to mitigate soil erosion, as it works faster than seed, which needs to establish a root system to keep soil in check. Also, sod does not require as much soil preparation as seed. The potential disadvantages to sod are its cost and the time it takes to install it, particularly on a large property. In addition, sod will require careful maintenance for at least the first two weeks until the sod takes stronger roots. It can be an expensive mistake if sod doesn't thrive and new pieces need to be installed. The Family Handyman says sod tends to be sun‑loving and may not work in shadier areas of a property. Sod and seed are the two main options for lush lawns. Each has its perks and homeowners can speak with a local lawn specialist to determine which option is best for their lawn.
WINDOWS From Page 13 4. Consider other energy‑efficient upgrades. Sometimes older windows can be salvaged, especially if they are not damaged and only moderately drafty. Replacing panes, sash cords, weather stripping, and even glazing may be less expensive than replacing a window. Plus, older homes with attractive windows complement one another. To keep energy bills down, think about adding insulation to the attic and basement ‐ which is a good
idea even if you are replacing win‐ dows. 5. The wrong windows can adversely affect home value. The National Association of Realtors says homeowners get about 73 percent of their replacement window investment back when they resell a home. But choosing the wrong windows might lower the value of the home. It's important to match the look of the original windows, including window material and the divided light pattern (the number of panes in each window) with the original windows. 6. Think about soundproofing,
too. When upgrading windows, also think about how certain windows can cancel out noises and make homes more soundproof. Some windows can help reduce outdoor distractions like leaf blowers or lawn mowers. 7. Proper installation is key to longevity. Replacement windows are only as good as their installation in many cases. Poor installation and orders of standard rather than custom sized windows could result in poor fit‐ ting and seals. Homeowners should carefully vet and review window replacement contractors to find the best professionals for the job. OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 15