Active Rain | Lafayette, LA Real Estate

Mar 02 2016

Heat-Tolerant Plants for the South

Summertime in the South is a great time to take a break from gardening chores and enjoy the bounty of your labor — perhaps by gazing out the picture window from the comfort of your air-conditioned home. You might still have to do a bit of weeding, but here are a few plants you won’t have to venture outside to water.

Candytuft

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) fits into the category of “looks delicate but is actually tough as nails.” This evergreen subshrub grows about a foot tall, making it a wonderful edge plant. Its tiny leaves and profusion of small, white flower clusters that appear in late spring and continue sporadically through summer will soften retaining walls and pathways.

For a splash of color, look for a newer selection called Absolutely Amethyst.

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea spp.) has hundreds of cultivars available besides the familiar form with lacy foliage and golden flat-top blooms, each one with a different habit, hardiness, and color. All hold up to heat and drought, as well as deer and bunnies. Plus, butterflies love the flowers!

For summer, consider the cool-pink blooms of ‘Cerise Queen’ or ‘Pink Grapefruit’.

Plumbago

Plumbago auriculata (also called leadwort) makes you feel cooler just by looking at it. This low, shrubby plant with small sky-blue flowers is grown as an evergreen in Zones 9-10, but works well as an annual in colder Zones.

There’s also a pure-white flowering version that looks beautiful planted with anything.

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Mar 01 2016

Need to unWINEd?

unWINEd There are two things every woman loves:
shopping and sipping wine.

Don’t you wish you could do them both at the same time? You can, this evening! The Junior Auxiliary of Abbeville presents its 4th annual unWINEd shopping event held on March 5th at the beautiful Magdalen Place, an event to benefit children’s needs in Vermilion Parish.

Join the ladies of JA from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM in the heart of Abbeville to shop with boutique vendors, sip wine and enjoy catered bites by Chef Bobby & Dot Catering. The night will consist of door prizes, silent auction, a raffle and highly anticipated wine pull, and of course all the shopping that your heart desires!

Tickets are $15 and give you access to food, beverages, and door prizes. All proceeds benefit the Chapter’s nine service projects that promote and aid child welfare in Vermilion Parish.

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Mar 01 2016

A Weekend of Family Fun!

Is your family in need of some quality time together? With all the hoopla of work and school, family time may have been put on the back burner. It happens to all of us!

If you’re looking for a way to get your family together, look no further than right here in Lafayette. We’ve got a weekend full of fun and exciting events that the whole family will enjoy.

Friday, March 11 – Downtown Alive!

i heart dta

The Spring 2016 installation of Downtown Alive! kicks off on Friday, March 11 with a performance by Roddie Romero and the Hub City AllStars. Downtown Alive! is a FREE, all-ages concert series occurring (almost) every Friday throughout the spring season. Visit downtownlafayette.org for the full Downtown Alive! Spring 2016 lineup.

Saturday, March 12 – Family Adventure Day

family adventure day

How many adventures can you have in one day? On Saturday, March 12, dozens of local businesses are opening their doors to fun-seeking families for Family Adventure Day. Each location will offer a fun activity! A Family Adventure Day package includes Family Adventure Day t-shirts, an Adventure Map with all participating locations, and a goodie bag filled with items and coupons. Register here—hurry, spots are limited!

Sunday, March 13 – EggstravaganZoo

eggstravaganzoo

Bring your Easter baskets to the Zoo of Acadiana in Broussard on Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 for the annual EggstravaganZoo! The two-day event will feature small prize games, candy stations, face painting, arts and crafts, a continuous Easter egg hunt, and of course all of the wonderful Zoosiana animals! Buy your tickets here or at the Zoosiana Gift Shop.

Family time can sometimes be difficult to squeeze into a busy schedule, but it’s important to catch up and bond every now and then. Set aside next weekend for some great experiences with your family!

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Feb 29 2016

Personal Hotspot for iPhone

When you’re in a bind and need an internet connection for your laptop, look no further than your iPhone. Using the Personal Hotspot feature in iOS, you can share your iPhone’s internet connection with other devices by way of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or even USB.

personal hotspot iphone

Although you only need iOS 7 or above on your iPhone, the feature is carrier-specific. Fortunately, most carriers do support it, and you can use this Apple Support page for more information on specific wireless carrier features. However, your specific wireless plan may not include Personal Hotspot, so you’ll need to contact your carrier to see how you can get it.

It’s also recommended that you have an unlimited data plan if you want to use this feature, as it can eat up tons of data in no time. Then again, if you only use hotspot when in a bind, you should be okay as long as you monitor how much data you use.

Enable Personal Hotspot

Head into your iPhone’s Settings and select Personal Hotspot. (If you don’t see it listed on the main Settings page, select Cellular instead; you’ll see an option to set it up, which may require contacting your carrier.) In your Personal Hotspot settings, toggle it on, then decide how you want to connect the other device.

Connecting via Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi option is the probably the easiest one to use. After toggling on Personal Hotspot, create a Wi-Fi password. The password must be eight digits long and include only ASCII characters (English letters, numbers 0-9, and some punctuation). Otherwise, the device attempting to connect to the hotspot will not be able to.

If you utilize Continuity on a Mac, then you can take advantage of Instant Hotspot, which essentially means that you won’t have to enter in the password.

Connecting via Bluetooth

In order to use the Bluetooth method, make sure that the two devices both have Bluetooth enabled. Within the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone, scan and select the targeted device. Once they’re paired, the other device will have access to the internet.

You will know that the connection was successful because the status bar turns blue on your iPhone.

Connecting with USB

Using the USB cable that came with your iPhone, connect to your Mac or PC. Head into the network preferences on your computer and select your iPhone from the list presented. If you’re using a Mac, the preferences will look like the screenshot below—just select your device and click “Apply.”

Regardless of your preferred method of connectivity, be sure to limit which Mac apps can and can’t use data when tethering to your mobile hotspot, which can save you data if you’re not on an unlimited plan.

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Feb 29 2016

Adding a Deck: What You Need to Know

Good weather should be enjoyed to its fullest extent. To do that you have to actually go outside. But if your home lacks an enticing outdoor living space, there’s little incentive to venture out.

Outdoor living is seeing a bit of an explosion lately: Adding a deck is one of the most requested home projects today, and demand is steadily rising. In a recent survey, more than 80 percent of people undertaking a landscaping project said they were adding a deck or a patio.

New durable outdoor materials, furniture and accessories plus unique shade options and smart tech that lets us watch movies and have full kitchens have no doubt fueled the interest. So if you’re hoping to make the most of good weather in your area, a new deck has likely crossed your mind. Here’s what you’ll need to know about finally getting one.

Project: Adding a deck.

Why: To extend living space and enjoy the outdoors with an area for dining, grilling or lounging.

First thing to consider: You’ll want to decide whether your property is good for a deck or patio — or a combination of both.

Deck. A deck is a platform with decking boards, usually made of either wood or a composite material. A deck is ideal for sloped yards where you want a flat area. It’s also good for homes that sit high above the ground or atop a basement, because they can be built as high as you need. If your home sits higher than about 14 inches off the ground, a platform deck is probably for you.

Patio. A patio is on flat ground and is usually made of concrete, pavers, flagstone, wood or another hardscaping material. Doing a patio on a sloped lot is costlier and much more difficult, because retaining walls must be built to create a level surface. If your door opens right at the ground level, then a patio is the option for you.

Many people choose to build a deck that steps down to a patio.

What do you want your deck to do? Typically, people want a deck that’s multipurpose, with areas for eating, cooking and hanging out. But, as with most things, the sky is the limit. So depending on your budget, consider things like an outdoor TV, a fireplace, a fire pit, a hot tub, a kitchen, a water feature and more.

Figuring out what you want your deck to do will also help determine its size, safety measures and traffic flow. Do you host a lot of parties, or is it just you and a partner? Do you have a lot of kids? The last thing you want or need is a deck that’s too small or too large for your needs.

Also consider privacy on your deck. If you don’t want to feel like you’re on a stage performing for your neighbors, you’ll want to think about adding an arbor, a pergola, latticework or something else to create privacy.

How will you access the deck? If you currently have a door that leads outside to where you’ll want your deck, then congratulations — you’re in good shape. But if you’re adding a deck to a portion of your house that doesn’t have a door, then you’ll have to add an opening, which can increase costs drastically depending on whether you’re planning for a door in a load-bearing wall or not.

If you’re using your deck for dining (which you should), you’ll want it located as close to your kitchen as possible. You don’t want to have to climb a bunch of stairs just to go back in for some salt.

Contemporary Exterior by clark kitchens and construction

Consider how it will look. When adding a deck, it’s best to consider the style and architecture of your house so that the addition either blends in with or at least complements your home. A trained professional will be best suited to make recommendations on deck style, materials, color and more.

Traditional Deck by Holloway Company Inc.

Know Your Material Options

The two main options for decks are wood and composite boards. Historically, wood has dominated decks, but lately composite boards are more in demand. There was a time when many homeowner’s associations didn’t allow composite decks, because they looked too plasticky and had other problems. Now it’s the complete opposite; many developments don’t allow wood decks. Oftentimes they aren’t cared for properly, and they can start to look ugly in five or six years when they start to weather.

Composite boards. Composite boards, seen here, are engineered products that are a mixture of wood fibers and plastic; a lot of the material comes from recycled plastic grocery bags. Some companies use old shredded carpets for wood fillers. Newer composite boards are wrapped in a thin plastic layer so they won’t stain or fade. These are more expensive than wood boards but often come with a warranty of 20 to 25 years, are low maintenance and can be made to look almost identical to any species of wood out there. Plus, they stay the same color as the day you installed them.

Composite is about 40 to 50 percent more expensive than real wood, but because you don’t have to keep restaining it and paying for upkeep, the cost over time can be equal to or less than real wood.

To clean composite decking, just rub some detergent on it and hose it off.

Asian Deck by SD Independent Construction

Wood. Many wood species are less expensive than composite but can weather over time and drive up maintenance costs. If you don’t take care of the wood, it can rot, dry out, warp, crack and splinter, and nails can pop out. But if you’re willing to maintain it, wood decking is beautiful, especially up close. Shown here is an ipe deck, which is a Brazilian hardwood known for its natural durability and for being weatherproof. The price of ipe has risen dramatically in previous years due to demand. It’s now about the same price as composite.

If you go with a wood deck, it’s recommended that you power wash it and re-oil it after pollen and leaves have fallen, because they’re a food source for bacteria.

Keep in mind that the availability of certain woods varies across the country. Redwood and cedar are popular deck choices on the West Coast but are hard to come by on the East Coast. And, again, check with your HOA about any restrictions on using wood or composite decking.

Other Considerations
Shade. If it’s too sunny or raining, you won’t be enticed to use your new outdoor space unless you have some shade or some sort of covering. There are endless options here, from large umbrellas and retractable awnings to pavilions, gazebos and screened-in porches. Of course, the more elaborate, the more expensive it will be. You can have a deck porch with finished ceilings, fans, TVs, heating and A/C, fireplaces and more. Projects can get so elaborate that it can become comparable to building a house.

If your deck will be raised 8 or 9 feet off the ground, consider converting the space below into a dry area for entertaining or storage. To do this your deck builder will integrate panels beneath the decking so that water falls through, gets collected and is sent to a downspout. That way you have a dry, shaded extra patio spot.

Contemporary Deck by Studio Architectonic

Lighting. A good lighting plan will greatly extend the time during which you can actually use your deck. Consider ambient lighting for lounging, task lighting for things like cooking and grilling, and safety lighting for stairs and railings.

Cost. The cost for deck design, materials and labor varies by location. An average composite deck that’s between 300 and 500 square feet costs around $20,000 to $30,000 in the Washington, D.C. area. A smaller basic size, like one for a townhouse that’s 12 feet by 18 feet, might be $10,000 to $15,000 in the same area. An average deck costs about $14,000 in San Francisco; $6,848 in Austin, Texas; and $4,392 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

A deck with varying elevations, a hot tub and a porch or pavilion can cost $50,000 to $60,000.
But keep in mind that deck additions are solid investments. A deck addition often recoups 70 to 80 percent of its value when a home is sold.

Who to hire: A professional deck designer-builder is recommended for this project. A pro will meet with you, take measurements and photos of your site, and talk with you about your needs. He or she can make suggestions on blending the deck in with your existing home, and is knowledgeable about local building codes and obtaining the proper permits.

A professional will also map everything out in 3D software and look at traffic flow and placement of furniture, to gauge whether the deck is too big or too small.

What’s more, if you’re doing a deck, try to find someone who specializes in decks. If it’s a patio you’re looking for, look for someone with patio experience, as different approaches are required for each.

If you’re adding an outdoor kitchen, you’ll need someone to do the plumbing and gas lines. If you’re adding an entertainment system or lighting, you’ll need an electrician as well.

DIY: About 65 percent of all decks are built by homeowners trying to save money, but these structures are often done without permits, and that can come back to bite homeowners when they go to sell. While a deck can certainly be a DIY project if you’re confident enough in your building abilities, keep in mind that a lot goes into a deck to make it look right and stay level. Again, because deck additions can recoup around 80 percent of their cost when you go to sell your home, it’s often worth it to invest in a skilled professional.

Permitting and codes: If your deck is more than 200 square feet, you’ll likely need a permit. If your deck is more than 30 inches off the ground, you’ll need a permit. If you’re doing retaining walls that are higher than 3 feet, you’ll need a permit. Higher than 5 or 6 feet and you’ll need an engineer.

Plus, every county/parish has different building codes for decks. Some places allow cable railings; others prohibit them. If you’ve got a septic tank or well on your property, that can affect where your deck can go. Deck builders will be able to read your site plan, assess where the setback is and if there’s a well or septic tank, and create the drawings to submit for a permit.

When to do this project: When the weather is nice is obviously a good time to build a deck, but adding a deck is also a good opportunity to think about your backyard as a whole. Many deck builders work with landscapers, pool companies and other outdoor professionals to create a full-package makeover.

How long it will it take? An average deck that’s between 300 and 500 square feet will take about one to two weeks to build. If you’re adding a porch, pavilion or gazebo, it will take at least another week. A simple townhouse deck without many corners that’s 100 to 300 square feet could take as little as three to four days. But it all depends on where you live. Some states, like earthquake-heavy California, may require that everything be done by a structural engineer for approval. Some places issue permits in a couple of hours; others can take up to two months. Other factors include whether you’re in a flood zone, whether you’ll need to cut down trees and whether you have a septic tank or well on your property. A good deck professional will be able to look at your site plan and determine these factors.

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Candytuft

Yarrow

Plumbago

Friday, March 11 – Downtown Alive!

Saturday, March 12 – Family Adventure Day

Sunday, March 13 – EggstravaganZoo

Enable Personal Hotspot

Connecting via Wi-Fi

Connecting via Bluetooth

Connecting with USB

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