Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

New Hanover County, NC builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages both locals and visitors to attend the Fourth Friday Gallery Walks. These monthly walks are self-guided tours through several downtown Wilmington, NC galleries and studios featuring exhibitions of various artistic genres including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, photography, sculpture, woodwork, glass, metals, ceramics, mixed media and more. Showcasing art and art-related events, Fourth Fridays also include opening receptions, artist discussions, live music, wine tastings, food sampling and other traditional and non-traditional art-based activities. The next Walk is January 22, 2010 and goes through November 26, 2010. For more information call 910.763.3737, visit www.WilmingtonFourthFridays.com, or become a Facebook Fan of Fourth Friday Gallery Walks!

Brunswick County, NC remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages those in the area to visit our local winery, Silver Coast Winery, for a Wine & Chocolate Pairing Event. On February 6, 2010, come out to Ocean Isle Beach, NC enjoy tasting award-winning wines paired with scrumptious handmade chocolates and a Silver Coast Signature wine glass for only $15.00. Seatings are on the hour beginning at noon and the last one will be at 4:00pm. Reservations are limited so please call Silver Coast Winery at 910-287-2800 or email sharon@silvercoastwinery.com to get your tickets before they sell out. For more information, visit their website!

Wilmington, NC remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an article from BankRate.com’s Paul Bomberger with tips on how to approach remodeling your home without a home equity loan. Bomberger addressed the points below as well as pointing out that almost one-third of the country’s homeowners have near negative equity on their home. To read the complete article, click here!  

• Personal savings
• Credit cards
• Hold a garage or yard sale
• Sweat equity
• Borrowing from family

Pender County, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an article from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide on how to ensure you have an eco-friendly environment for your newborn. Below are the eight elements of a Green baby nursery and for more helpful hints from the USGBC, visit www.GreenHomeGuide.com!

1. “If you are pregnant, do not paint the room yourself. Have someone else—family member, friend, or hired hand—paint with one of the new water-based low-VOC paints.
2. Painting should be done at least a month before the baby is due, and it can be cured by using a room space heater.
3. Stay away from new carpeting. Better to just leave whatever flooring is already there and clean it well. If you have to put down new flooring, consider natural linoleum.
4. Your baby will spend many hours sleeping, and at times will need the room to be dark and peaceful during the day. Consider wooden shutters (with a nontoxic paint or finish) or aluminum mini-blinds that will allow you to adjust the light as needed.
5. The crib is your baby’s “home” and needs to be as pure as possible in every way. Choose real wood, natural finishes, and untreated pure cotton and wool, preferably organically grown.
6. Most toys sold in major toy stores are made from plastics. Plastic is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. There are many natural cloth and wood toys available on the Internet.
7. Be sure to provide good ventilation in the nursery, and at the same time watch out for drafts. Newborns need to be kept warm, but they also need fresh air.
8. Once you have a nontoxic nursery, keep it safe by using only natural and nontoxic cleaning products and pest controls. See The Green Guide’s Buying Guides for product recommendations.”

Previously we blogged on the highly anticipated grand opening of the new theatre in Brunswick County, Playhouse 211. Now St. James Plantation, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to update our readers on Playhouse 211, as posted by the Wilmington Star News late last week. It seems zoning issues will delay the opening until possibly October 2010. Click here to read the complete article and we will be sure to keep our readers updates on Playhouse 211 as the information is available!

Landfall builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a recent article from Professional Remodeler’s Editor in Chief, Jonathan Sweet, on the Home Star, or “Cash for Caulkers”, program. Sweet outlined the five issues below on what will hopefully boost energy efficiency and jobs, and to read each in more detail, click here!

1. WHAT WOULD THE MONEY GO FOR?

2. WHAT’S THE POTENTIAL IMPACT?

3. WHAT’S BEHIND THE PROPOSAL?

4. DOES THE PROPOSAL COMPETE WITH THE AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT?

5. WHAT’S THE LIKELIHOOD OF HOME STAR GETTING PASSED?

New Hanover County, NC luxury home builder would like to share an article from Wilmington’s WECT news station. Gavin Johnson reported that the Animal Planet network will feature Wilmington Fire Station Number Seven for their life-saving efforts for pets in house fires. Below is an excerpt and to read more, click here!

“Last September, firefighters rescued a cat from a burning house. They used an animal oxygen mask to save the cat’s life.

Producers with Powderhouse Productions heard about the story and felt it was important to share it with the world.

‘We found the story through an online search,’ said producer Ann MacMullan. ‘Often we’re searching and searching for these wonderful stories and they could land us anywhere.’

More than 40,000 pets a year die from smoke related causes. Wilmington’s Fire Department is one of the few fire stations in the country with oxygen masks for dogs and cats.”

Photo Courtesy of WECT.com

Previously, Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes wrote about the current investigation on the adverse health effects of Chinese made drywall. Now we’d like to share an update on the investigation from Nick Bajzek, the Products Editor of Professional Remodeler. Below is an excerpt from his article and to read more, click here!

“Massachusetts-based Environmental Health & Engineering recently concluded a five-month indoor air quality study for the U.S. government and the Consumer Products Safety Commission. The study found a strong association between the presence of Chinese drywall, low-level concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and corrosion of metals in homes. (For updates on the Chinese drywall situation, check www.housingzone.com/chinesedrywall.)

The EH&E study included 51 homes in five southern states. Of that group, 41 homes where property owners had reported corrosion of wiring or piping, and there were 10 similar homes about which no complaints had been filed. The findings were presented to a Congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol just before Thanksgiving.

‘Not all drywall is alike,’ says Jack McCarthy, president of Environmental Health & Engineering. ‘Not all Chinese drywall is alike. It depends on what it’s made of, not the country it came from.’”