MITRE CONTRACTING, INC.

Kitchen Remodel in Manassas Virginia

In this entry we feature a small kitchen remodel / renovation we completed this spring.

This project included new cabinetry, granite counters, hardwood flooring, recessed and under-cabinet lighting, and a slightly revised layout featuring a raised counter space.

The cabinets are "Waypoint" brand, supplied by Taylor Made Kitchens out of Stafford, VA. They feature real plywood vernier cabinet boxes, 5/8" solid hardwood dovetailed drawers with full access ball bearing glides, roll-out trays in all base cabinets, square raised panel doors with six-way adjustable concealed hinges.

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Please CONTACT US if you would like us to provide a quote on your new kitchen or bath. 

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BEFORE PICTURES                                               AFTER PICTURES

     
CLICK TO ENLARGE ANY PICTURE IN A SEPERATE WINDOW 

      

Here we see a close up view of the paneled beadboard 1/2 wall with corbels supporting the raised granite countertop.

 Wall cabinet ends with raised panels. All existing 12" bulkheads were removed, 36" tall cabinets were installed along with a nice 3 piece crown molding build-up. Also note the light rail molding along the underside of each wall cabinet for the under cabinet lighting.

 
 
This homeowner chose to go with a very nice undermount copper two bowl sink, and matching bronze fixtures.

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Please call or email us anytime if you would like us to come to your home and give you a free, no pressure, no obligation consultation, for your next home improvement project. From a simple bathroom makeover up to a full fledged kitchen or bathroom renovation, let us help you design and build the space of your dreams.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

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Home Enhancement & Renovation Through Fine Custom Carpentry & Millwork Installation

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Some other home improvement /  finish carpentry projects include: Crown Moldings, Chair Rail mouldings, Wainscoting, Coffered Ceilings, Beamed Ceilings, Baseboard moldings, Stair railings, Stairway re-treads, renovations of old outdated railinsg & stairways, Built-In bookcases, cabinetry, entertainment centers, office spaces, mantels / mantles... and much more! 

Asbestos Hazards During Home Remodeling or Renovation

Asbestos As a Hazard During Remodeling

Asbestos was used in thermal insulation and floor tiles prior to 1980. Intact and undisturbed asbestos does not pose a health risk. Asbestos becomes a problem when, due to damage, disturbance, or deterioration over time, the material releases fibers into the air. Therefore, during remodeling and renovation activities, asbestos exposure can become a problem.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos refers to a mineral fiber, with the term describing six naturally occurring minerals found in rock formations. The compound consists of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metal components. These mineral fibers are very small and light, normally invisible to the naked eye. Their use in insulation is due to the fact that they are heat resistant and extremely durable. The presence of asbestos is not necessarily health threatening. As long as the material is not damaged and it is well sealed, not allowing mineral to escape, there is no associated health risk. When the material can be crushed or reduced to powder by hand pressure, allowing pieces to escape, a health risk may be imposed.

Why was it used?

In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. Asbestos became popular in commercial buildings until the early 1970s because it is durable, a fire retardant, corrosion resistant and a good insulator. It is estimated that there are 3,000 different types of commercial products containing some amount of asbestos.

What are the associated health effects?

Asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems if inhaled. The tiny fibers can impair normal lung functions, and increase the risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest and abdominal linings), or asbestosis (irreversible lung scarring that can be fatal). Symptoms do not surface immediately but the long term risks include chest and abdominal cancers and lung diseases. Symptoms may not be present anywhere from 20 to 30 years after the first exposure. Severe health problems from exposure have been experienced by workers who held jobs in industries such as shipbuilding, mining, milling, and fabricating.

How do I know if asbestos is in my home? How do I get rid of it?

If you suspect a material in your home contains asbestos, treat it as if it does until you can get it tested. The only way to be sure whether or not you have asbestos in your home is to have the material tested in a laboratory. Look in your local directory under Asbestos or Laboratories for specialists that are able to perform these tests.

Typical places you may find asbestos in your home include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Insulation Roofing and siding shingles
• Textures paint or patching compounds on wall and ceiling joints
• Stove top pads
• Vinyl floor tiles Blanket or insulating tape around hot water and steam pipes in older houses
• Insulation on oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets
• Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings

Remember, asbestos that is kept intact and properly sealed will not pose a danger. If it is in good condition, leave it alone. If the material is damaged at all, do not touch or move the material yourself. Call a professional to perform this work. Before you remodel your home, find out whether or not asbestos is present in your home.

See this: Asbestos Concerns During Remodeling  for further information.

 

Stairway and Railing Renovation

Boxed Stairs to Open Stairs

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 Small foyer stairway that we remodeled from a boxed stair tread design to an open tread design.

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BEFORE PICTURES

  

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Scope Of Work:

• Modify existing treads to accept new solid 5/4" oak treads and oak risers
• Modify existing stringer to accept new stair treads, risers and brackets
• Add new outside stair stringer and mouldings
• Add oak newel posts and railings... "Over The Post" Design
• Primed 5015 balusters - balusters & newel posts are all bolted into the treads / floor joist
• Stain and polyurethane new oak stair treads, risers, newels and railing

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One side note: Please notice that the stair treads are actual treads... not hardwood flooring! Whoever you choose to have your stairway renovated with, make sure they use the proper methods and materials. I have seen far too many stairways just covered over with harwood flooring, which in the end looks like you have a stairway covered over with hardwood flooring! When we are finished with our stairway improvements and retreads, they look just like new stairs. You should not be able to tell they were ever re-done. We ONLY use real solid 5/4" thick oak treads, and real solid oak risers not plywood verniers (or hardwood flooring).

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     See more Railing and Stairway Remodels on our Before and After Pages:  HERE   under the Balustrades, Bannisters, Stairways, Stair Railings Section  Or look in our Stairways & Balustrades Album

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 If you would like us to quote you a price on renovating your stairway or railings in your home, please don't hesitate to CONTACT US anytime. We will be glad to come out, take measurements, discuss your ideas, offer some of our own, and hopefully work together to improve the quality and value of your  home.

Thank You, Roger Beesley

Please call us at  703-330-3486, or email us here ,

 

Stairway & Railing Replacement in Northern Virginia

Here we feature a few pictures of a recent stairway and stair railing remodeling project. This Vienna, Virginia homeowner chose to go with wrought iron balusters with oak railings and newel posts.

The scope of work included, removing the old railings, replacing the loose broken stair treads with new solid oak 5/4 thick treads. Adding a full bullnose starting step with a volute fitting on the new rails along with new paint grade risers and brackets. Also installing oak newel posts and (over-the-post) style railing system with black wrought iron balusters. Refinishing the existing oak hardwood floors in the hallway and landing areas. Staining, finishing and painting the new railings and stairway topped off the project.

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Here are a couple before pictures: (click to enlarge)

   

Not very good pictures, but as you can see the railings were practically falling down and had been improperly installed to say the least.

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COMPLETED PICTURES

New oak treads & railings, painted risers & brackets, black wrought iron balusters

New bullnose step allowing a nice full volute and going with an over the post style railing, really changed the entire look of the rail system and added to the Foyer 

Newly refinished oak harwood floors to match the new oak railings.  

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Here are a couple pictures of the new remodeled lower level railings

  

These railings were installed on the lower level boxed in type stairs. Notice the left hand railing with the "S" fitting going to the wall handrail, allowing a continuous rail design.

 
 

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One side note: Please notice that the stair treads are actual treads... not hardwood flooring! Whoever you choose to have your stairway renovated with, make sure they use the proper methods and materials. I have seen far too many stairways just covered over with harwood flooring, which in the end looks like you have a stairway covered over with hardwood flooring!

When we are finished with our stairway improvements and retreads, they look just like new stairs. You should not be able to tell they were ever re-done. We ONLY use real solid 5/4" thick oak treads, and real solid oak risers not plywood verniers (or hardwood flooring).

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     See more Railing and Stairway Remodels on our Before and After Pages:  HERE   under the Balustrades, Bannisters, Stairways, Stair Railings Section

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If you would like us to quote you a price on renovating your stairway or railings in your home, please don't hesitate to contact us anytime. We will be glad to come out, take measurements, discuss your ideas, offer some of our own, and hopefully work together to improve the quality and value of your  home.

Thank You, Roger Beesley

Please call us at  703-330-3486, or email us here ,

More Than Just Mouldings

Even though we install miles and miles of mouldings for our customers... we also specialize in many other areas of finish carpentry in Northern Virginia and the surrounding counties. We do more than just mouldings.

In this blog we would like to feature a few pictures of some custom built-in cabinetry. This built-in consisted of two units on either side of the fireplace with a mantel feature connecting the cabinetry. Also we built a 1/2 wall bookcase topped off with some 8" tapered columns.

First take a look at a before picture of the family room area:

   

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AFTER PICTURES:

 
This picture shows the final product. Each unit is around 7' wide by 10' tall. Arched valances, plain stiles, open adjustable shelves on the upper units with closed storage below.  

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HALF WALL BUILT-IN BOOKCASE WITH COLUMNS

 

 

  

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The specifications of these particular built-in cabinets and bookcases are:

• 3/4" Birch vernier plywood casework
• Poplar wood facings with cabinet bead detail
• 3/4" birch ply counters with 1.5" wood edgings with "ogee" profiles
• Recessed toe kick design on the built-ins & flush toe on the 1/2 wall with baseboard
• Inset solid square raised panel doors with concealed euro style adjustable hinges
• Adjustable 3/4" birch ply shelves with 1.5" wood front edgings with beaded detail
• Arched valances topped with a matching crown moulding

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See more BUILT-IN CABINETRY  pictures HERE  or HERE

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If you would like us to quote you a price on building some built-ins for your home, please don't hesitate to contact us anytime. We will be glad to come out, take measurements, discuss your ideas, and design a built-in according to your wishes / needs. Let us show you that we do more than just mouldings!

Thank You, Roger Beesley

Please call us at  703-330-3486, or email us here ,

 

Curved Stairway Renovation

This blog posting features a curved staircase remodel project we just completed in Ashburn, VA.

The original curved staircase had carpeted treads and risers that were made from standard builder grade pine and plywood materials.

The scope of work included removing the existing carpet, removing the old treads and risers and replacing them with custom made solid oak stair treads and solid oak risers and decorative brackets.

The new oak treads, risers and brackets were then hand sanded, stained and finished to match the existing hardwood flooring.

The handrails were not replaced as the original railing were in great shape and looked fine. The bannister was disassembled as needed and rebuilt.

 Note also that the balusters were reinstalled by bolting each one into the new oak treads. Previously they had only been sitting in a drilled out hole and nailed in with brad nails.

BEFORE PICTURES:

 
 
 

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AFTER PICTURES:

 
 

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DURING INSTALLATION PICTURES

 
 

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When upgrading a carpeted stairway to oak, you need to clarify the scope of work with the contractor you choose. There are a lot of flooring companies that simply cover over the existing treads with hardwood flooring and nosings... leaving you with a set of stairs that looks like someone installed hardwood flooring up the stairs! Another thing to consider, is do you want a hardwood flooring company re-installing your handrails?

We install actual custom made solid stair treads... not hardwood flooring. We install solid risers not verniers or hardwood flooring. We have years and years of railing fabrication and installation experience in order to re-install your existing stair railings or brand new updated railings.  Quite a few of our customers update the railings at the same time as the stair-treads. Wrought iron balusters seem to be  in demand these last few years.  Your newly re-treaded stairway should look just exactly like an original stairway... not a renovated one.

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Custom Curved Stair Treads fabricated and installed by Mike Hart of IKCO Construction, Inc. Located in Alexandria, VA

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Please call us anytime 703-330-3486, or email us, and let us provide you with a free in home consultation and free no obligation price quote for your next home improvement project. We service the entire Northern Virginia area and all the surrounding counties.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

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Fill out our CONTACT FORM for your free quote on a new mantel, built-in or moulding installation!