MITRE CONTRACTING, INC.

Why Install Mouldings

There are many great reasons for installing mouldings in your home. Whether your goal is to increase the value of your home, to showcase your own sense of style, to generate a faster sale of your home, or to simply reduce finishing costs. Mouldings offer you the opportunity to design and create the home you have always imagined!

Mouldings are one of the few things that you can add to your home that have the potential for immediate reward. Simply stated, installing wood mouldings increases the value of your home or business. Installing crown moulding, wainscot paneling, chair rails or ceiling treatments enhances architectural elegance and will distinguish your home from others. Using a variety of moulding profiles, moulding build-ups, in addition to traditional baseboards and casings will upgrade the look of different rooms and help to highlight the special care that you have invested into your property.

In addition to their structural appeal, mouldings also serve a wide range of functional purposes. Baseboards, for example are used to conceal the gap between your floor and wall. Similarly, casings serve to cover the openings between your doors or windows and wall. Mouldings also serve in the transition from different materials such as paint and wallpaper, or can be used to emphasize contrasts between the same materials. These extra details can help you to significantly reduce the finishing costs in your home.

Your home should be a place of comfort and inspiration. It is a true reflection of the way you live your life. Installing wood mouldings in your home allows you to display your creativity to everyone that comes into your home! Take a look at our photo galleries for some inspiration on how to turn your home into a unique and timeless masterpiece!

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Mitre Contracting, Inc.

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Services We Offer

Finish Carpentry

• Crown Mouldings ...any style or combination
• Chair Rails ...any style or combination
• Baseboards: new or replacement ...any type
• Shoemouldings: luan, oak, pre-finished, etc.
• Window Casings & Sills ...any style or combination
• Interior Doors: Replacement, Re-framing, Resizing and Repairs ...any style
• Railwork & Stairways ...all designs, wood types and styles
• Balustrades, Bannisters, Handrails, Newels, Volutes, Easings
• Wainscot: Beadboard, Panel, Raised Panel, Flat Panel, Wall Panel
• Shadowbox Wainscoting & Mouldings, etc. (paint or stain)
• Columns: Square, Round, Fluted, Paneled, Pilasters, 1/2 Columns, etc.
• Closets: Shelving, Pantry closets, Linens closets, Organizers
• Decorative Wall Panels, single, double, etc., any moulding

Custom Carpentry

• Built-In Bookcases: Offices, Libraries, Closets, Entertainment Centers
• Mantels: Design - Build - Install ... (paint or stain grade)
• Fireplace Surrounds & Mouldings
• Custom Cased Openings: Fluted, Paneled, Arched, Plain
• Entabulatures, Window Cornices & Valances
• Arches, 1/2 Walls, 1/2 Wall Bookcases, Architraves, etc.
• Coffered Ceiling Treatments ...any design (paint or stain grade)
• Ceiling Mouldings, Ceiling  Panels
• Beadboard Ceiling Treatments
• Niche Cabinets, Built-Ins

Home Improvements

• Kitchen Remodeling & Renovation, Cabinet Installations
• Bathroom Remodeling & Renovation
• Finished Basements, Game Rooms, Exercise Rooms, Rec. Rooms, etc.
• Wine Cellars Installed, Complete climate controlled rooms, Closet conversions
• Wet Bars, Coffee Bars, Kitchenettes, Breakfast Bars
• Cedar Lined Closets: tongue & groove, panels, etc.
• Stair Tread & Railing  Replacements, Forged Balusters Upgrades
• Porches: Ceilings, Columns, Rails, Flooring, Lattice, Stairs
• Pergolas & Trellises & Planters
• Sundecks: PT, Trex, Composites, etc.
• Gazebos, Arbors
• Garages: attached, detached, conversions
• Carports: repair, conversion

Handyman Services

• Exterior Doors: Replacement, Storm Doors, French Doors, Sliders, etc.
• Replacement Windows - Vinyl , Wood, etc.
• Door Hardware Installation: (Interior & Exterior)
• Attic Pull Down Stairs Installed
• Hardwood Flooring Installed: (unfinished, pre-finished, laminate)
• Exterior Cornice Work
• Rotted Wood Replacement & Repair
• General Carpentry

A versus B ..... Better Quality?

Does hiring a "Class A" contractor get you "Class A" quality?

Last year Mitre Contracting, Inc. was contracted to rebuild a customer's front porch. The customer had the porch repaired about 5-8 years earlier for the same reason; water damage. Upon initial inspection you could see it had extensive water damage and was beyond a simple repair job. The rot was through the roof sheathing, down into the joists, cornice and ceiling.

The porch was relatively small consisting of an almost flat roof with a decorative rail, supported by a couple columns.

As we got into the demo we could see the reasons for the damage.

1. Improper installation of the roofing materials & an improper application for this roof.
2. Damage to the newly installed roofing when they installed the rail posts.

Without getting into details, the previous contractor had simply put on some drip edging then laid down a membrane without adhering it. Then to top that off, when they installed the rail system they simply screwed the little post brackets they used, through the roofing  and applied some caulking over the screw heads.

Needless to say this project had water problems from the day that contractor walked off with the check.

I would find out later that the contractor they hired is a "Class A" contractor. They even have a website that promotes  their "Class A" status. I've since encountered many home improvement contractor's websites that recommend homeowners only give their business to "Class A" contractors, in order to get quality workmanship. I feel that position is misleading and shortsighted. I've met more than a few people who have their Class A license, that I would never let work on my home.

I'm not questioning the character of any contractor. You can have impeccable character and the best of intentions and still lack the know how or skills for certain projects. Just because a company has one representative that qualifies and gets an "Class A" license, doesn't automatically mean that the company as a whole or the people they hire are all of a sudden extra qualified. I would bet that a whole lot of so called "Class A" contractors in this area, sub out some of their work to unlicensed companies and even to day laborers.

I feel that quality workmanship comes from improving your skills through years of experience, enjoying your work, knowing the products, and having a desire to be the best at what you do.

The point that I'm trying to get across by this one example is that just because a contractor has a "Class A"  license doesn't mean your going to get "Class A" workmanship.

"Class A" is not synonymous with "Quality"

Wine Cellars

Our latest  projects update:

Over the last few months we have been contracting the installation of wine cellars. We now have contracts with two different companies that specialize in the design and sales of custom wine cellars. They seem to be getting more and  more popular in this area. Wine cellar rooms can be as simple as a single wall unit, or can be complete rooms with all the options and extras. Hopefully this will be an area of our business that will continue to grow. You can take a look at some of the wine cellar projects that we have installed  in our Photo Album entitled  WINE CELLARS.  The file "Wine Room Preparation" in the Resources & Info section has some information on the construction details you need to know if your thinking of building  a custom made wine room in your home.

Take a look at more wine cellar installations here: www.winecellarcatalog.com

Call or Email us for more information if you are interested.

The two companies we install for are:

1. Home Design Elements:   Home Design Elements Home

Contact: Dan Shannon

Email: dshannon@hdelemnts.com

2. Vintage Wine Rooms:   Vintage Wine Rooms

Contact: Ben Crawford

Email: crawfobc@gmail.com

HGTV.COM Dream Home Giveaway

Just a little note to let you know that until Feb. 19th you can enter to win the HGTV 2008 Dream Home. You can enter once each day.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dream_home_2008/text/0,,HGTV_30596_65296,00.html