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CREATING
PARADISE
by Kyle Buchholz
Are you asking yourself, “How do I create paradise?” In fact, the travel magazine Conde Nast, has just completed a poll asking their readers to name
the best island on the globe. And, by a narrow margin, named Maui
as the best island in the world!
To create your own private and perfect ‘paradise’ in your back
yard is what I’m talking about. If you’re a do-it-yourself type person,
all you need is imagination and some money. Or, if you lack imagination, hiring a professional will be the best way for you
to go.
For do-it-yourselfers, you must strive to create a sense of harmony with your
natural environment. A balance soothing all 5 senses will complete the frame
of the picture in your mind. You must think horizontal and vertical. Large expanses of grass need to be accented with contrasting plants, rock gardens, water features such
as streams, waterfalls, and fountains and different textured plants. Swimming
pools are a focal point of landscaping and their design from color and materials used will create a centerpiece to base the
rest of your balanced landscaping upon. Swimming pools also offer an added advantage
of being able to play in your “landscaping.”
After you have created a matrix as the frame of your picture, then color needs
to be added by looking at plants and flowers that are grown in your neighborhood to see what grows the best. Consideration of water demands are significant as well as direct sun light versus
shaded areas. Landscaping magazines
and design magazines will be helpful for the do-it-yourselfer.
If possible, always try to have a plan of what you have as a vision in your
head. In this way, you will be able to arrive at a close cost estimate based
upon volume or square footages for relevant materials. The ‘paradise’
you will create will give you a sense of gratification and fulfillment that only comes with making your dream a reality by
doing it yourself!
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CareFree
Pools Of Hawaii.....
The most extreme pool ever!
CareFree Pools of
Hawaii offers 50 designs, in various sizes and shapes to suit your individual needs, and more exclusive options than any other
fiberglass pool in the market, giving you virtually unlimited design possibilities. Why settle for yesterday's technology....When
you can have tomorrow's. CareFree Pools Of Hawaii is installing fiberglass pools in 2-3 weeks which compares with 6-12 months
for concrete pools. CareFree Pools has an in-house crew to ensure quicker installation.
Jim Whitcomb, owner
of Haleakala Plumbing for 28 years and swimming pool veteran and co-owner Barry Hodgson, with 35 years experience building
swimming pools, have formed CareFree Pools Of Hawaii to meet the growing swimming pool market in Hawaii.
CareFree Pools Of
Hawaii are chosen over conventional concrete pools because they are stronger, have a faster installation time, better quality
control, and operation and maintenance costs are less. Fiberglass pools are impervious to algae; need no acid washing, painting
or re-plastering and no liner replacement.
For free estimates
call Barry at (808) 870-0798
Website: http://carefreepoolsofhawaii.com
Email: carefreepoolsmaui@yahoo.com
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FINDING
THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR
By Tina Ili
As the New Year starts,
contractors are anticipating the deluge of business that is ready to start. Prospective customers, those who have either waited
longer to do a re-model or just starting a new project are eager to get started. Because of New Year’s resolutions
or by necessity, people want to start kitchens, bathrooms, or a complete make-over.
A spokesman for AGC
(American General Contractors) recently said that many people are excited about getting a project completed without first
taking the time to plan. The problem arises about which contractor you hire.
- Careful consideration should be taken in selecting someone to change the world in which you live.
One way to start is to check out references and reputations of several contractors.
- Licensing, insurance, experience, checking with the Better Business Bureau, seeing job completions that are like your job, time for completion, are just part of the equation
for hiring a contractor.
- Be sure that the contractor you are planning to hire has at least five years experience under his belt.
- Make sure the contractor is an expert doing the type of work you need.
* The contract should contain clear wording
that
you understand and agree upon
and materials to be used, start and
completion dates and the scope of
work.
- Do not neglect to call the people on his reference list and ask if they were satisfied with the
job done, if there were any delays and if there was, ask the reason why?
- Check any subs the contractors hired. How dependable are they? Hire a lawyer if necessary. Make sure the contract is
legal. Make sure you are protected by construction law.
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HALEAKALA SOLAR
By Justin Lesniak
Hawaii depends on imported oil for over 90% of its energy needs. With
the price of oil skyrocketing Hawaii is actively searching for renewable energy sources. One of the
most reliable forms of renewable energy is solar power.
Solar energy
can be utilized to heat hot water, swimming pools, and spas. It also can produce electricity directly from the sunlight. The
average solar system can save $600-800 per year. Solar power has become so important that the State of Hawaii and the Federal government offer tax credits to those who install a solar energy system.
These credits total 65% of the cost of the solar system. In addition the electric utility company offers a $1000 rebate
to those who install a solar system. Besides paying for itself in savings a solar system increases the value of your home.
Haleakala
Solar was founded by James Whitcomb. The inspiration for starting the company was Whitcomb’s desire to help the environment.
“When I was young I thought I could save the world from its oil appetite by using solar energy”.
Haleakala Solar
Inc. has been providing solar energy systems since 1977. During the last 29 years Haleakala has installed over 7,000 solar
systems. These systems collectively save over $4 million in energy costs and save over 56,000 barrels of oil. Per year! Haleakala
provides employment for 21 people on Maui. Haleakala Solar provides installation and service on any type
of solar system. The company has a variety of financing plans with no money down.
Haleakala
Solar has installed several dozen commercial solar systems including the largest privately funded solar system in the Million
Solar Roofs Initiative. To receive more information about solar energy call 808-871-8654.
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Aloha from the Maui closet company. We specialize in Murphy bed, home offices, storage areas, entertainment centers,
and of course, closets. There is always so much wasted space
in closets that by some simple additions, you can more than double its use. With limited space, we can design and
incorporate a Murphy bed along with side cabinets for books, hanging, TV’s, or an office area. Murphy beds need
only 16" of depth. Imagine all the open space your room will have, and still accommodate sleeping. Also very comfortable
to sleep on, and beautiful. Endless finishes and designs to fit your room and your needs.
I have been "in the closet" business for 18 years now and love my job!! Every client has different needs and
various sizes of closets. It is amazing to see all the possibilities transformed into design with a free consultation.
Our showroom and factory are located at 310 Hukilike Street, unit M in Kahului. We build every thing right there on location and have the finest craftsmen in the world.
Everyone takes great pride in their work, and we work as a family to give every client our very best. We all strive
to go beyond the clients expectations, and yes, problems do happen but we are never satisfied until our clients are happy
and we are proud of the job. Everyone at the Maui Closet Company works with a passion for what we do, and that is continuous.
You will feel it the minute you come into the showroom.
We give free design consultations and estimates to everyone. Whether it is a $100 free slide and tight mesh wire job or an African mahogany furniture quality job with framed glass doors,
etc., we take pride in it and give it 110%. Call for a free design consultation or come and visit us at the showroom.
Normal office hours are Monday thru Friday 8-4 but we would be happy to meet with you before or after hours or on Saturday.
Come see what a difference we can make.
THE MAUI CLOSET COMPANY
310 HUKILIKE STREET UNIT M
KAHULUI,
HI 96732
808-871-7996
(OFFICE)
808-873-0146 (FAX)
808-264-3763 (CELL)
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QUESTIONS
YOU SHOULD ASK BEFORE HIRING AN ARCHITECT
By Teresa Tuimaseve
Trying to find the proper
architect for your project may seem daunting. But, YOU will be spending YOUR
money to pay for the best representation of the “dream” that is in your mind.
The AIA has a few suggestions that will enable you to select the right architect for your project
· What is the architect’s experience with cost estimating?
· How long should the project take?
· What service does the architect provide?
· As the job progresses, how will fee changes be handled?
· What should you expect the design to entail?
· How will decisions be made? And how much will your
wants and needs be taken into consideration?
· Does the architect have time for your project? And
is he or she really interested in doing it?
· How does the architect establish fees? How much,
and when, will payments be due? Will payments be tied to milestones in the scope
of the project?
· Who will you be working with from the firm you select?
Will the person you are interviewing be the main contact or will someone else handle communications?
And don’t forget to
check references. It is important to check with past clients and ask pertinent,
hard questions about what their experience encompassed. Ask if the architect
did what he said he’d do? Did the design turn out as expected? Communication is so important. Any suggestions about better communication with the chosen architect are
very important. Due diligence will make this a pleasant and rewarding experience.
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