Category: Landscaping

August 22, 2023

Top 5 Home Design Mistakes According to Custom Builder in Westfield

Couple looking out over a field of grass where there is a line drawing of a home design by a top custom builder in Westfield

Designing a dream home is an exciting endeavor, but it’s not without its challenges. As a prospective homeowner, you want every aspect of your new house to reflect your personal style and meet your unique needs. It can be difficult to fit everything you want into a design without running into issues. To ensure that your vision becomes a reality, it’s crucial to avoid common design mistakes that can lead to regrets down the road. We’ve consulted with a reputable custom builder in Westfield to bring you the top 5 home design mistakes you should steer clear of when crafting your ideal living space.

Ignoring Your Lifestyle and Needs

One of the most significant mistakes you can make when designing your home is ignoring your lifestyle and needs. A custom builder in Westfield emphasizes the importance of understanding how you and your family live day-to-day. Consider factors like family size, hobbies, and daily routines when planning the layout and functionality of your home. Failing to do so can result in wasted spaces or insufficient room for activities that matter most to you. In addition to taking your current lifestyle into consideration, thinking about future needs is important also.

Disregarding Future Expansion is an Expensive Mistake

Your current needs may not encompass your future requirements. Neglecting the potential for expansion can lead to costly renovations or the need to relocate. The custom builder advises leaving room for growth, whether it’s an additional bedroom, a home office, or a larger living area. Thoughtful planning now can save you from the hassle and expense of major modifications later. In addition to planning extra spaces, it is important to design rooms that can be easily converted for another use. For instance, built-in desks sound like a great idea for kids in school. However, once they leave the home, updating these rooms will involve major demolition and reconstruction.

Neglecting Natural Light and Ventilation is a Mistake per Top Custom Builder in Westfield

Natural light and proper ventilation contribute significantly to the comfort and ambiance of your home. Overlooking these elements can lead to a gloomy or stuffy atmosphere. The custom builder suggests strategically placing windows and doors to maximize sunlight exposure and facilitate proper air circulation. This design decision not only enhances your living experience but also saves energy by reducing the need for artificial lighting and excessive air conditioning.

Landscaping choices also have a lot to do with natural light. Planting deciduous trees where they will shade the home in the summer, but allow the sunlight through in winter. This cuts down on energy usage by decreasing the temperature inside the home in summer and increases it in the colder months reducing the strain on the HVAC system.

Overlooking Storage Solutions

Ample storage is a hallmark of a well-designed home. Underestimating your storage needs can lead to clutter and a lack of organization. The custom builder advises incorporating built-in storage solutions during the design phase, such as spacious closets, well-designed kitchen cabinets, and functional furniture with hidden compartments. These additions ensure that your home remains tidy and clutter-free, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality. Experienced custom home builders in Westfield have seen all types of storage solutions. They are experts in what works and what doesn’t, making them an excellent resource for homeowners.

Sacrificing Quality for Trends

While incorporating trendy elements can make your home feel contemporary, it’s essential to strike a balance between current styles and timeless quality. Following fleeting design trends without considering their long-term viability can result in a home that quickly looks outdated. The custom builder recommends focusing on durable, high-quality materials and classic design principles that can stand the test of time. You can then incorporate trends through easily changeable elements like decor and accessories.

Listen to Your Custom Builder in Westfield

Designing your dream home should be an exciting and fulfilling journey, not one fraught with design regrets. By avoiding these top 5 home design mistakes highlighted by a trusted custom builder in Westfield, you can ensure that your new abode perfectly aligns with your lifestyle, needs, and long-term vision. Remember, a well-thought-out design enhances comfort, functionality, and aesthetic appeal, making your home a true haven for years to come.

October 28, 2022

CedarCure ™ Plus MosquitoCure ™ Equals a Bug-Free Property

CedarCure and MosquitoCure knockout pests

Pest control is a huge industry. There are a lot of options that cover a wide range of critters. Products come in powders, traps, liquids, and more. Most people assume that in order to get rid of insects and bugs the only solutions are toxins and poisons. It’s not hard to understand why everyone thinks this. Mostly because it used to be true and largely because that is what is advertised. Thankfully, the industry is making a change. Included within the variety of products available on shelves today are organic gardening products that are just as, if not more, effective. If you are looking to control and get rid of pests like grubs, ticks, and mosquitoes in your yard, use the power combination of CedarCure ™ and MosquitoCure™. Effective within hours, exempt from EPA registration, and safe for beneficial insects are just a few of the benefits of these products.

Pest Control Isn’t Just for People

If you love spending time outside in your yard every chance you get, you know how important pest control is. But pest control isn’t just for people. Stop covering yourself in DEET and retreating inside every time mosquitoes make an appearance. Take the offense and treat your environment to stop infestations at the source. Prevent insects from ever becoming a problem with effective yard treatments with products like CedarCure™. This product can be used on lawns, shrubs, and trees. When used as directed, people and pets can re-enter a treated area in as little as a few hours. Plus, the aroma of Cedar Cure has no effect on beneficial garden insects like butterflies and ladybugs.

Pests aren’t just a nuisance to people. Things like grubs can wreak havoc on a lawn causes large dead patches. CedarCure ™ is labeled to control a large number of pests that annoy both people and the environment including, but not limited to:

Mosquitoes
Ticks
Fleas
White Grubs
Ants
Millipedes
Pillbugs

Pet Owners Love the CedarCure ™ and MosquitoCure™ Combination

The pests that we hate the most are also the ones that target our pets the most. Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are the most hated pests of pet owners because they can all transmit deadly diseases. Pet owners also hate having to cover their pets in chemicals to prevent these dangerous bites. A better solution is to use a non-toxic product in the environment to greatly reduce the population of all three pests. Give the population of fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes an extra kick when you apply both CedarCure ™ and Mosquito Cure. MosquitoCure™ specifically targets the top 3 pests so when used in combination with another product that targets them also it essentially removes them from your environment.

It’s What’s Inside That Matters

The active ingredient in Cedar Cure is Cedarwood oil. This essential oil targets almost every instinct an insect has to survive. It prevents these bugs from being able to find food and mates and makes it impossible for them to reproduce. The first stage of control is that CedarCure ™ forces insects to leave the area because they can’t find food or mates. This immediately disrupts the life cycle reducing the population. For those that stick around, the oil gets absorbed into the insects through the fact that insects breathe through their skin. Once inside, cedar oil attacks the neurological and biological systems. Flight, confusion, paralysis, and death are the only results when you use this product. Another bonus of CedarCure ™ is that because it attacks the insects in so many ways, they are unable to build up a resistance to it.

MosquitoCure™ includes a combination of a number of essential oils to directly affect the nervous system of fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Inside the bottle are Cedarwood oil, Lemongrass oil, Citronella oil, Rosemary oil, Garlic oil, and Red Thyme oil. While these oils are lethal to the intended targets, they are safe for use around children, pets, and even fish.

When it comes to safety, both products have a variety of safety titles. Cedar Cure is exempt from EPA registration under the FIFRA. These products are known as minimum risk pesticides by the EPA. Both products are labeled as such because they present any significant danger to people or the environment.

August 5, 2022

Monmouth County Tree Companies Love These Trees

Monmouth County tree companies love the colors of this Maple in the fall

Not many people get to choose what trees grown in their yard. So many homes come with already mature trees and just have to manage what they have. For the lucky few that get to pick and choose which trees inhabit their yard, it can be hard to pick just the right tree for just the right spot. One of the best resources to help you decide are Monmouth County tree companies like Ben Bivins Tree Experts. Professionals like them are a perfect place to ask about trees for your area since they are local experts. Don’t waste your time and money on a tree just because you like the look of it. Where you plant it, when you plant it, and how you care for it all impact the success or failure of your tree.

The Superior Hybrid Poplar is a Favorite of Monmouth County Tree Companies

Fully mature, these trees can reach 50 feet. A big plus for homeowners that choose this tree for their yard is they are a fast-grower. They can add five to eight feet to their height with each passing year. Perfect for providing shade, Poplars require very little maintenance, are fairly disease resistant, and also help supply a yard with much needed privacy in a neighborhood setting. Their conical shape is popular and their silver-green leaves add beauty wherever they are planted. They are also popular with wildlife, which can be both a positive and a negative depending on where they grow.

Maples are Popular in New Jersey

Monmouth County tree companies recommend Maples for many reasons including fall display of colors

Almost every New Jersey native can recognize a maple tree. One great thing about Maples is that there is a wide variety of species that all come with their own list of positive attributes. Take the Japanese Maple, for example. These compact show stoppers have gorgeous red leaves and are easily shaped to fit into any space. If you love the red leaves of the Japanese Maple, but need a larger tree for your yard, check out the American Red Maple. New leaves have red rimmed edges and all the tree puts on an impressive color display in fall. Red Maples grow an average of twenty feet per year with a mature height of about 50 feet. If you’re looking for an even taller Maple variety, the Silver Maple is perfect for you. They can reach heights of over fifty feet and some can grow up to eighty feet tall.

Some Homes Need the Perfect Tree to Provide a Wind Break

A wind break is something the helps to reduce the effect of strong winds on a home and the surroundings. In order for a windbreak to be the most effective, it should work all year long. Evergreen trees are perfect for this and an ideal example per Monmouth County tree companies is the Arborvitae. The American Arborvitae, in contrast to Maples and Poplars, is a slow-growing tree. With a slim profile, they grow in a pyramid shape with a mature height of up to sixty feet. Homeowners can easily manage these evergreens with shaping and shearing, if necessary, but if not, they require little interference. Another great windbreak species is the Eastern Redcedar. These hearty trees are tolerant of a range of temperatures and weather conditions.

Monmouth County Tree Companies Love These Flowering Trees

Sometimes a tree is purely for beauty. There is nothing quite like a flowering tree and New Jersey can successfully sustain a number of these beauties.

Monmouth County tree companies love the delicate white flowers of this dogwood variety

The Dogwood is a very popular spring flowering tree in NJ. They come in a variety of colors like white, pink, and red. Much shorter in stature than shade and other trees, Dogwoods, depending on the species, only reach a height of about 15-20 feet. Most varieties like a bit of shade and do well when planted under the canopy of other trees making them great for many yards.

Cherry trees are another great option for Monmouth County yards. Similar to the dogwood, they come in a number of colors including white, pink, and purple. Some of the species of cherry trees grow a bit taller than dogwoods topping out at around 30-40 feet making them a better choice for larger spaces.

The Sweetbay Magnolia is an absolute vision. In addition to the elegant white flowers, these trees give off a pleasant, sweet, lemony aroma when flowering. They are compact, fast growers that attract many songbirds to your yard.

Monmouth County Tree Companies Help Trees Thrive

No matter what type of tree you decide on, most species will at some point require some type of maintenance. Trimming, pruning, and in the worst case scenario, tree removal are popular tree services that are essential and provided by all Monmouth County tree companies.

May 18, 2020

Benefits of Fiesta and CedarCure Turf Care Products

Fiesta, CedarCure, Organic turf care, Gas powered push mower on green lawn

When it comes to tree and turf care for professionals, we feel it is super important to use organic products. Most of these products are going to be used in areas that are heavily trafficked by children, adults, and pets. We highly recommend using organic products in these areas due to the high exposure to pets and people. Plus, it’s better for the environment and wild animals as well. Two products that are great for turf care are Fiesta weed control product and CedarCure minimum risk pest control. We found a great company, Tech Terra Environmental, who provides both these products plus a whole host of other tree and turf care. Plus, all their products are organic! You can’t beat that!

Let’s look a little more in depth at both of these products.

Fiesta Weed Control

This is a broadleaf, post-emergent weed killer formulated with iron chelate. It is fast-acting even in cooler weather, giving results in most cases the same day! This product kills the root of the weed which makes it very potent pesticide. Fiesta is great for use almost anywhere including parks, lawns, turf, and athletic fields. It is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a Biopesticide which means it is a pesticide “derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals.”

There are no toxic effects on honey bees when Fiesta is used as directed. It is also very stable which means no special handling. This product is full of positive attributes like being rain fast within three hours, non-toxic, eliminates moss, algae, and lichens, and is productive in a large range of temperatures. It works on such a vast range of weeds so be sure to read the label to see a portion of the list. You can reseed as soon as 24 hours after application even with all that being said! This product is that safe!

The way the Fiesta is so effective is by using an iron chelate formula. Through the magic of chemistry, iron remains soluble in this solution allowing it to be taken up quickly by broadleaf weeds. In addition, the same chemistry that makes it so effective on weeds keeps it safe for grass. The product helps control the spread of a variety of weeds including, but certainly not limited to lawn burweed, moss, Canada thistle, and dandelion. Fiesta is a very innocuous product with no odor and it is safe to reenter the area as soon as the application is dry.

CedarCure

CedarCure is an organic pest control product. Because it presents such a low risk to humans and the environment, it is exempt from having to register with the EPA. Because of it’s safety level, the label on CedarCure says it is a minimum risk pesticide. This product is extremely affordable, effective, and very safe. It works using cedar oil and resulted in 100% mortality rates during testing. These tests also revealed just how quick the product works. It showed full mortality of bed bugs in under 30 seconds and fleas in under 40 seconds. It helps control infestations of many bugs including ants, millipedes, pillbugs, and mosquitoes. One other great advantage is that insects do not build up a tolerance to it. This means you can trust the product to be effective each time you use. Repetitive and consistent applications every three to five weeks works best to control populations.

CedarCure Has Multiple Modes of Action

With how effective the product is on larval stage insects like white grubs, users may be concerned with it killing beneficial insects as well. There is no need to worry. CedarCure has no effect on good garden insects like butterflies and ladybugs and is only lethal to non-beneficial insects. It works via a few modes of action. One of the primary ways it works is due to the fact that insects breathe through their bodies. When they absorb the aroma of the cedar oil, it immediately begins to affect the neurologic system. When this happens, the pest suffers paralysis, confusion, and death.

The second mode of action is the damage the cedarwood oil formulation has on insect eggs and larvae. CedarCure is effective at killing pests before they hatch by eroding the exoskeleton of eggs and larvae. With the high mortality rates of eggs and larvae, even if this was the only mode of action, population numbers would quickly decline.

Lastly, disruptions to the insect’s ability to survive forces adult populations out of the area. We are all familiar with the stress of moving. That stress affects the insects as well by upsetting the egg laying cycle. Thereby, stopping a new crop of bugs in its tracks.

Fiesta and CedarCure are Two Products Every Landscaper Needs

No matter if you are in charge of maintaining the county golf course, park, or playgrounds or the town cemetery, when you need safe, effective products, use Fiesta and CedarCure. Both of these products are safe for use around people and pets! Following the application, both products allow for quick re-entry times. This makes both Fiesta and CedarCure great products to use in public spaces. When you need safe, effective, affordable weed and pest control, you need Fiesta and CedarCure sold by Tech Terra Environmental.