Chesapeake Bay's Independent Newspaper ~ Since 1993
1629 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403 ~ 410-626-9888
Volume xviii, Issue 12 ~ March 25 - March 31, 2010
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This year, Jack Frost wreaked havoc on Bay Country piling 60 inches of snow on our homes and splintering trees before leaving the mess to us. Bay Weekly helps you get past winter and into spring with this guide to local businesses that stand ready to lend you a helping hand with winter recovery — in all its aspects.
Once again this year, we introduce businesses from maid services to garden stores to flooring specialists to landscapers — all eager to help you refit your home and gardens for spring. As you page through The Big Thaw, keep your To Do list at hand for local solutions to repairing winter damage, saving energy and growing your gardens.
Thanks to the tons of snow that fell this winter, snapped limbs and smashed evergreens are everywhere. Now the melting snow has left gardens a muddy mess. Spring is time to rake away winter, and Architectural Gardens is up to the task.
“We’ll come to your home, assess damage and determine what can be rejuvenated or what needs to be replaced,” says owner Tim Salafie. “We’ll get muddy on your behalf.”
Salafie brings both design services and customized maintenance programs to your home. “We’ll come weekly, monthly or quarterly,” says Salafie. “Whatever fits your budget.”
Broken limbs and upturned trees bringing you down? Old Man Winter backed a hard blow this year, but Bay State Landscaping is ready to get even. Bay State Landscaping pros will raise small uprooted trees and shrubs, prune and tie up sagging branches, or replace any plants damaged beyond repair. And more.
“Bay State Landscaping is a full-service company,” says Wendell Lilly. “We service all aspects of your landscaping needs, including lawn care, yard maintenance, landscape design and installation, patios, sidewalks, irrigation, lighting, retaining walls and water gardens.”
The family-owned business has been serving Chesapeake Country for five years. Landscape designer Claire McGarity is the newest addition to the staff.
“Claire has more than 25 years of experience as both a designer and a landscape teacher,” says Lilly.
Let Bay State clean up the mess Old Man Winter left behind — and give you even more reasons to enjoy the warm seasons by giving your homestead a new look.
Blizzards and heat waves should stay outside. If temperature fluctuations in your living room call for a dedicated weather forecast, you need to call the experts at Belair Engineering. Woman-owned and managed, Belair Engineering has kept Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties temperature controlled for 49 years. Owner Debbie Risher was the first female president of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, National Capital Chapter. Her business has earned the Prince George’s County Small Business of the Year award. Community recognition like that means you can expect extraordinary service from Belair Engineering.
Company services extend to installing gas fireplaces, gas furnaces, humidifiers, air cleaners, cooling and heat pumps and home-emergency standby backup generators.
Branching into plumbing, Belair Engineering is also a reliable source for commodes, hot water heaters, garbage disposals and kitchen and bathroom fixture installation.
A highly trained staff is available whenever you need them: Belair’s emergency number keeps you connected when your AC is not.
Stop in the Upper Marlboro showroom for demonstrations and a free installation estimate. Savings continue online, where Belair provides discount coupons on seasonal services.
Light up your home — inside and out — after the long dreary winter with help from Charles F. Kerfoot Electric.
Kerfoot has kept Anne Arundel and Calvert counties bright for over 21 years: wiring new homes, remodels, renovations, additions, outbuildings and piers. Electrical services also include installing recessed or track lighting, service changes and heavy-ups as well as all repair work.
“We are reliable, dependable and dedicated to completing jobs at reasonable cost,” say owners Gina and Charles Kerfoot. “Our motto is quality work done with pride.”
What better way to leave a bad winter behind than to freshen up your home? A good house cleaning can wash winter’s blues away; it might even be the change of environment that motivates you out of the bad economy blues. “So do something good for yourself,” advises Cleaning Maid Easy owner Lucia Vaulina.
Cleaning Maid Easy is a small residential and commercial cleaning company staffed by honest, hardworking individuals who show concern and care for their customers. “We’re flexible,” says Vaulina. “We cater to each individual’s needs. And housecleaning is our specialty.”
This winter was a hard one, and there is a lot of work ahead to get our landscapes back in shape, but Complete Landscaping Service has seen hard winters before, having been in business since 1979.
The full-service, family-owned landscaping company has a simple objective: to ensure that their clients receive the highest level of service at all times. That’s why over 10 years ago they developed their Green Peace of Mind® pledge:
Deliver on time service; provide the highest level of workmanship at all times; provide maximum value for every landscape dollar; work with each client to create and maintain a long term property plan; install the highest quality plants and materials at all times; employ educated, experienced and enthusiastic horticulturalists, technicians and landscape managers to serve you; be accessible to respond immediately to our customer needs; dispatch well trained, uniformed crews; never rest until you are satisfied; and always keep our word.
“One of the things that make us special is establishing long-term relationships,” says company representative Tom Woods. “With over 350 on staff, we do it all well.”
This whimsical, small-town shop offers all sorts of charming bits and pieces to return the cottage feel of spring to your home. As the days lengthen, here’s the place to catch the light with stained glass window panels or crystal-embellished light fixtures that sparkle in the sunshine.
Cottage Chicks specializes in painted vintage furniture and kitchen wares, reasonable prices and personal services.
If owner Linda DeLuca doesn’t have that special something you’ve been searching for, she’ll add it to her shopping list as she visits estate sales and auctions.
Cottage Chicks also buys from individuals. “If you have stuff to sell, call us,” DeLuca says.
There is a way to make that 60-inch screen look stylish in your great room. Just ask Earl Simmons, master woodworker and furniture-maker and owner of Custom Wood Craft.
For 30 years, Simmons has been designing and hand-crafting built-ins, furniture and cabinetry in his Prince Frederick studio.
His custom-made pieces — four-poster beds, dining tables, desks, china cabinets and bedroom suites — are heirloom quality. Simmons usually works with the classic hardwoods: cherry, walnut, oak or maple. But if the design calls for it, he enjoys an artistic challenge with more exotic woods, like mahogany and teak.
“I’m happy to work from pictures,” says Simmons. “I help you determine if the design is doable in your space. If not, I’ll offer alternatives. I help my clients come up with what works for them.”
Don’t be daunted by custom built. At Custom Wood Craft, it means furniture or cabinetry built to your specifications with the same or better quality than you get at a high-end retailer — but at a better price.
“Making furniture is creative, and I love the challenge,” says Simmons.
It’s time to take it outside, say the good neighbors at Deale Hardware, with new outdoor furniture, umbrellas, flowerpots and more.
Kick back and soak up the sun in all-weather Adirondack chairs, indoor/outdoor chat sets and settees. The little ones get comfy in pint-size chairs, tables, umbrellas and two-seat kiddy swings with awning to keep the little swingers dry.
Take your meals outside, too. Get the taste of outdoors on a new Weber Grill, serve your barbequed feast on a new dining set and enjoy dessert by a crackling fire in a free-standing fire pit or metal fire ring.
Keep your newly furnished yard looking good with Stihl’s line of gas powered and electric weed whackers and edgers.
“We’re a center for all your garden needs,” says manager Michelle Weaver.
Of course you can also find all the tools you need to get your indoor, as well as outdoor, chores done at this locally owned hardware store.
Turn your garden’s winter catastrophe into opportunity with Designs for Greener Gardens.
“We’ll provide recommendations on storm-damaged garden restoration and redesign damaged areas,” says owner Nancy Moitrier.
The environment is always a consideration at Designs for Greener Gardens. Plant species are carefully matched to site conditions. “We love to design gardens to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects,” says Moitrier, who draws from a wide variety of trees, shrubs and perennials. Natural stone, rustic cedar and plants with personality add whimsy to many a Greener Garden.
“We are garden artists, and the earth is our canvas,” says Moitrier.
Designs for Greener Gardens’ full palette of services includes consultations, quick sketches, scaled designs, full installation and maintenance.
Sure, you can wash away your own winter woes. But Dr. Glass Window Washing does it professionally, power washing the muck from your decks, patios and siding with surgical accuracy — without blasting off your siding and splattering your windows.
Dr. Glass power-cleaning extends to all exterior surfaces, including your gutters. The doctor also brightens your outlook by cleaning your windows.
“Clean windows let 30 percent more light into the house,” says owner Bill Mitchell, who has been cleaning windows in the Annapolis area for 20 years.
“We do residences particularly well,” Mitchell says. “We attend to details, and we’re careful in your home. Outside, we’re conscientious about your landscaping.”
With over 1,000 customers in the Annapolis area, Dr. Glass is still taking appointments to give your home or business a healthy spring glow.
Snow-covered boots and paws can take a toll on floors and leave your house looking under the weather. Put a spring in your step with new flooring from Floor Systems.
“We sell and install most everything for your flooring needs,” says Danielle Murphy. “This includes carpeting, vinyl, ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles, hardwood or laminates.”
If spring’s greens have you looking to be earth-friendly, Floor Systems has plenty of options.
“We offer a wide selection of green products,” says Murphy. “There are many flooring choices made from recycled products.”
Bamboo floors are popular.
“Bamboo is an environmentally friendly, sustainable product because it grows so much faster than other woods,” says Murphy. For a kitchen floor, consider cork. Its forgiving surface is easy on the feet and knees.
“We strive to have the lowest prices and best quality work in our area,” says Murphy. “We work to find flooring that fit in people’s budgets. It is our goal to make every customer a happy customer.”
The wrath of winter has left many of us wringing our hands over the amount of elbow grease it’s going to take to put the bloom back in our gardens. Natalie Robert, owner of Good Deale Gardener, is here to save the day. And your back. Robert and her team install and maintain flower and vegetable gardens, and do general yard care, clean up and small-lawn mowing.
“I want people to enjoy their yards and to be able to harvest fresh cut flowers, herbs and vegetables all summer long,” says Robert. “I don’t use harmful chemicals so I’m kid- and pet-friendly. You can eat a tomato right off the vine.”
By helping you grow your own food and using sustainable gardening methods, the Good Deale Gardener also helps you to reduce your carbon footprint.
The hot summer days will be a breeze you can enjoy in good conscience with the help of Good Deale Gardener.
The weather is now fit for humans, and outside is where we want to be. But after this winter, our yards may not be so welcoming. Great Scapes by ESI. to the rescue!
Are your old walkways and driveways beat up by the endless ice scraping and snow shoveling? Now that the ground has thawed, it’s the perfect time to let the skilled masons at Great Scapes by ESI replace those old scuffed paths with shiny new pavers.
Light up your winter-weary yard with landscape lighting. Spruce up your bedraggled landscape with a new design. Keep your spring green lawn fresh with automatic irrigation.
“Give us a blank slate. and we will do it all,” says owner Richard Heiberger. “Except build the house.”
They may not build the house, but all of their work is done in-house.
“I didn’t like dealing with sub-contractors,” says Heiberger. “So I hired them.”
The staff of dedicated craftspeople at Great Scapes by ESI designs and builds an outdoor space so nice you won’t want to go back inside.
If you don’t want to wait for April showers to bring May flowers, start your bloom season early at Greenstreet Gardens. The full-service garden center and gift shop spent all winter growing and nurturing perennials and annuals so you wouldn’t have to.
“We’ve been busy all winter planting right here on our farm so your yard will look terrific come summertime,” says Kevin Moran, public relations and marketing director.
After a tough winter, Greenstreet stands ready to help you get your hands dirty.
“We can provide replacement products, help beautify your yard and increase your property value,” says Moran. “Besides, planting gives you a great reason to get outside and enjoy the spring.”
So you’ll have the opportunity to soak up the sun as well as dig in the dirt, the garden center provides a wide variety of outdoor furniture and ornaments.
Novice growers are welcome. Greenstreet thrives on helping you green your thumbs.
“We like to form relationships with our customers,” says Moran. “Start off small, don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t be afraid to ask questions. That’s what we’re here for.”
Spring is the perfect time to revisit our health — and the quality of our water.
“Water makes up 70 percent of our bodies, which makes it essential to our good health and well being,” says Kate Edwards, marketing coordinator at Hague Quality Water. “Most people think they don’t have control over the quality of their water, whether it’s well or municipal, but Hague has a solution for everyone. Water filtration is assurance that you and your family are getting clean and healthy water.”
Hague Quality Water of Maryland has been improving water quality since 1992 with their customized, patented, whole-house, water-treatment systems, including a full line of filters and reverse osmosis drinking water systems.
With a range of treatment options, Hague will help provide you with quality water — for your taste buds and your health.
Tankless water heaters will give you unlimited hot water at approximately 40 percent less energy cost. They have a 20- to 30-year life expectancy with a 15-year warranty. If that’s not enough to fire up your interest, these water heaters qualify for a 30 percent energy tax credit up to $1,500.
Keep the whole house toasty with heating from Heidler, Inc., which sells and services a full range of heating systems including new high-efficiency gas and oil-fired boilers, radiant in-floor heating, hot-water baseboard heating and energy-saving programmable thermostats.
The plumbing pros at Heidler, Inc. offer full-service bathroom and kitchen remodeling and custom design services. Plumbing, carpentry and electrical work, plumbing fixtures and faucetry, custom and stock cabinetry, ceramic tile, marble, granite and porcelain, and solid surface countertops and surrounds are just a few of the options they offer.
Heidler, Inc. has been serving the community and has been committed to excellence since 1947.
See a complete list of services and products at www.heidlerplumbing.com.
If 60 inches of snow has left your majestic trees a pile of splinters, visit Homestead Gardens before you start sharpening your saw.
“If you bring in pictures of your damage to our diagnostic counter, we can give you advice on what to do,” says Homestead marketing director Tim Hamilton. “It was pretty significant damage this year. Most perennials should be okay, but trees and shrubs, especially Japanese maples, were splitting.”
Hamilton cautions that most tree-removal services are inclined to recommend removal without assessing whether the tree can be saved. Homestead’s arborist can properly evaluate your trees.
This year, Homestead is celebrating a new branch on the family tree with the opening of a Severna Park store, right along Route 2, that features home styles, plants, patio furniture and more.
At either location, garden novices can find inspiration and advice so their green thumbs burgeon. Hamilton recommends starting your garden with something you can appreciate at mealtime — vegetables and herbs. Get more ideas for a palatable planting day at Homestead’s annual Edible Garden Weekend April 24 and 25.
If transforming your muddy backyard into a secret Eden seems daunting, Hamilton assures you that advice from Homestead’s trained staff will put you well on your way.
“It’s really not that difficult,” Hamilton says. “You put it in the ground, and you take care of it a little bit.”
Everything is done in-house at In Home Stone. Everything, that is, but the quarry work.
“We don’t use any sub-contractors,” says Charlie Koppels, president. “We import and stock our stones, we make our own templates and do all of our own installations. We pride ourselves on customer service.”
Located in the Annapolis Design district off Chinquapin Round Road, the company’s 20,000 square foot production showroom is filled with stone.
Granite, polished or with a matte texture similar to soapstone but with the durability of granite. Marble in multi-colors — reds, purples, whites, browns, greens — quarried from every corner of the world. Stone with movement, stones without.
At In Home Stone, you’ll also find environmentally sound choices.
“We offer ice stone, which is a totally recycled product made from concrete and glass,” Koppels says.
Another green choice is eco-friendly silestone, an engineered product made from recycled granite and glass.
“Fifteen years ago, there were only three stones to pick from,” Koppels says. “Today there are thousands of choices. There is a stone out there for everyone.”
So many choices feel overwhelming? Let the experts take the lead.
“Just bring us a sample of your cabinets and floors,” Koppels says. Our staff of designers will help you choose the best product, one that suits your style, cabinetry and budget.”
Need tile to complete the look? No need to go across town; just across the street is In Home Tile. It’s a one-stop shop with a vast selection of floor tiles, backsplash tiles, ceramic, stone and glass tiles.
For smaller jobs, wander through In Home Stone’s remnant yard of pieces left over from bigger jobs. These smaller pieces are perfect for vanity tops, bar tops, fireplace facings and tub surrounds.
It is just as Charlie Koppels says: There is a stone for everyone at In Home Stone.
Kinnahan Contracting / Annapolis BuilderKick off spring by kicking out your old, inefficient water heater. Kinnahan Contracting can move you into spring with a new solar hot water system.
“With current government rebates and electric savings, the system pays for itself in little time,” Mike Kinnahan says.
Start your own green revolution and harness the power of the sun — and the expertise of Kinnahan Contracting/Annapolis Builder. You’ll be seeing green, with a future potential savings of thousands of dollars.
If you’ve learned to love native plants, it’s because of the work of Mary-Stuart Sierra and her ilk of dedicated localists. When Sierra put out her first spring catalog in 1989, her Lower Marlboro Nursery was one of very few places specializing in plants native to this region.
Unlike most imported exotics, native plants support the local ecology, provide food and shelter for wildlife and help protect the Bay.
“Odd as it many seem now,” she says, “few gardeners in our area had ever heard of plants like purple coneflower, oakleaf hydrangea, heuchera or Virginia sweetspire. Now they’re garden mainstays.”
In 21 years, Sierra says, “we’ve reached a point where appreciation of native plants in the wild and their use in cultivation is not just a growing trend but has become a genuine shift in attitude toward our indigenous flora.”
That change in attitude means Sierra can finally take a rest. 2010 will be Lower Marlboro Nursery’s last year. So this season is your last chance to discover her hand-grown wonders.
“Please rest assured,” Sierra says, “that I am not simply selling off remainders this year. My stock is always limited, but I haven’t lost my passion for sowing seeds and experimenting with new plants. I hope this spring’s list includes plants you may find intriguing.”
Browse the online catalogue, and shop by mail. Or make a spring pilgrimage to Lower Marlboro Nursery open houses:
• Earth Day Weekend: 10am-5pm F April 24 & Sa April 25; 11am–4pm Su April 26
• Mother’s Day: 11am-4pm Su May 9
• May Madness: 10am-5pm Sa May 15 & 11am-4pm Su May 16
• Other times by appointment
In the tiny village of Friendship just above the Calvert County line in Anne Arundel County, The Magnolia Shoppe boasts a gift and home décor selection too big for its small size. Find gift shop staples including candles and holiday decorations. But there are many more charming, quaint and decorative items here to adorn your home and your person.
This spring, The Magnolia Shoppe is raffling an eight-and-a-half-foot tall stained glass wind chime to benefit the Christopher W. Swanson Support Charity in its goal of providing counseling and respite homes on Chesapeake Bay to war veterans (www.ssgswansonveterancharities.org). Chris, of Rose Haven, died in Iraq on July 22, 2006. He was 25.
Raffle tickets on sale thru June.
After a few months of being snowed in, the only thing more oppressing than cabin fever is the thought of spring cleaning. The Maids offers you a simple way to clean up your act.
“Turn the cleaning duty over to us and set yourself free,” says owner Wayne Phillips. “Don’t be tied down Saturday and Sunday cleaning the house.”
Let The Maids round up dust bunnies, disinfect bathrooms and get pet hair out of furniture. The company promises cleaning that will fulfill even the most stringent standards.
“We offer a satisfaction guarantee,” says Phillips. “If anything we clean doesn’t meet your satisfaction, we’ll come back and clean it free of charge.”
The Maids’ customer survey reports that 96 percent of their clients refer The Maids to their friends, family and neighbors.
The company strives to ease your mind as well as your burden, ensuring that every worker in The Maids is bonded and insured for your safety and security.
A deep, warm soak will take the ache out of winter-tired muscles — and arthritis, rheumatism, back pain or sore knees. And a Maryland Walk-In Tub makes it easy; you don’t have to lift a leg to enjoy the benefits. Just walk in, sit back and enjoy thousands of air bubbles, generating a comforting experience of water and heat, creating a luxurious healing body massage.
Licensed and insured, Maryland Walk-In Tubs has been serving Maryland, D.C., Virginia and the Eastern Shore for more than 35 years. The star feature of a walk-in tub — besides the ease of getting in and out of it — is a 100 percent leak-proof door with a lifetime warranty, an ADA compliant seat, easy-to-reach controls and a hand-held showerhead.
Maryland Walk-In Tubs proudly backs all of their tubs with a Best in the Business warranty, ensuring trouble-free soaks for years to come. Please call for your free consultation.
Sometimes a chair isn’t just a chair. Instead of choosing an anonymous assembly line-made piece of furniture, browse Millwood Furniture, where pieces are inspired by history and shaped by human touch and traditional techniques.
Millwood Furniture is crafted in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from cherry, oak and choice-cut pine, according to the traditions of the Amish and Mennonite communities.
Each piece gets the individual attention that makes it sturdy, comfortable and beautiful.
The Millwood staff knows the traditions, can answer your questions and fill you in on history. To further your understanding of the crafting process, visit their web site, where finger-joining, dovetailing and steam-bending practices are demystified. To add more handmade touches to your home, browse Millwood’s selection of handmade quilts and crafts.
If you can’t find what you want, ask for it. Out-of-stock pieces can be special ordered, or the skilled carpenters of Millwood will craft a customized piece to order.
The family-run Millwood Furniture shares space in Annapolis’ Amish Market, where you’ll find farm-raised and home-made foods and home-crafted products to add comfort and custom to your home.
Before you start planning your spring landscaping projects, rid your lawn of debris caused by winter storms or start on a spring deep-clean with help from Patuxent Roll-Off. Instead of terrifying trash collectors with mountainous stacks of garbage bags, call the locally owned waste removal service for help with an extreme clean.
“Our waste removal services will provide residents with the capability to remove small to large amounts of accumulated yard debris from winter’s harsh snows,” says Kim Hannon. “This is also a perfect time for getting rid of unwanted junk or starting a home improvement projects.”
Patuxent Roll-Off brings a dumpster — small or large, depending on your needs — to your home. Fill it and forget it. The company will pick up the container when the job is done.
Those who think green need not worry; Patuxent Roll-Off offers economy-sized recycling services for greener jobs.
If you aren’t sure what size your mess is, talk to Patuxent.
“We provide one-on-one service from the beginning to the end,” says Hannon.
With Patuxent Roll-Off there is no need to delay your job. Call the dispatcher for next-day service.
It’s time to leave behind the winter doldrums — in weather and in real estate — and look forward to sunnier days. Broker Carol Cook has a spring in her step as she assesses the outlook for real estate. “The market has been difficult for the past several years. But the indicators show an upward trend.”
Her positive approach is a boost to her clients, whether looking to buy or sell. And because Cook has kept her agency small — just herself and two agents — she knows your individual needs and goals.
If you are thinking of selling your home or are searching for your dream house, Cook and her team are ready, willing and able to help you find the perfect buyer or property.
“Because I’ve been in real estate since 1984,” says Cook, “I have become skilled in all aspects of real estate, mortgage banking and settlement services.”
Don’t let the national news lead you to believe there’s no hope. Instead, take advantage of the improving market with A Real Estate Advantage.
SeaScapes owner Lisa Payne spent the snowy winter filling up her new North Beach store with everything you need for summer enjoyment with indoor-outdoor living décor.
“Now that I have the space, I have furniture,” says Payne. Indoor-outdoor wicker furniture — loveseats, barstools and chairs — can all be custom ordered to your color and pattern specification.
This spring brings a growing selection of garden décor: stepping stones, statuary and birdbaths, some able to light your garden after dark.
New to the shop is a selection of bathroom accessories. Choose whimsy, classic or beachy. “Everything you need to decorate your bathroom in your style, we have,” says Payne.
Plus a large selection of barware and wine accessories, many hand-made, one of a kind — and priced under $11.
“My goal is to stay unique,” says Payne. “And uniquely affordable.”
What’s new in Deale is actually not new at all. Second Wind Consignments is chock full of gently used home decorative items.
Specializing in home furnishings, décor and marine hardware, the consignment shop takes in and sells used high-quality items. On any given day find lures, rods, teapots, rocking chairs, china, garden furniture, lamps and jewelry. What you won’t find is clothing, shoes or kiddy toys.
The selection changes daily because you’re not the only treasure hunter out there. And, if you dare, you can watch prices on your picks drop over the three months of consignment.
Second Wind is about recycling as well as shopping. Because somebody else is waiting to carry home the cute things that haven’t quite found a place in your home. End your energetic bout of spring cleaning at Second Wind, and you’ll have more than your own virtue to reward you.
Consignments accepted Tuesday to Friday. Please call ahead.
If keeping your house warm this winter caused your utility bill to skyrocket, maybe it’s time to change your view. Contact See-Thru Windows & Doors for a free estimate and discover the benefits of replacing old windows and doors.
“Every homeowner has suffered with high energy costs,” says See-Thru’s Southern Maryland sales representative Bob Yoho. “Our energy efficient windows come with a 40 percent energy saving guarantee.”
The savings don’t stop with your energy bill. Most of See-Thru’s windows and doors qualify for up to $1,500 in tax rebates.
You needn’t worry that See-Thru will leave a hole in your house. See-Thru’s AAMA-certified experts can usually complete an installation within one day. The goal is to make you happy and your home energy efficient without wasting your time or wallet resources.
“Think of it as what you used to expect,” says Yoho of See-Thru’s commitment to customer service. “Not what you’ve come to expect.”
Nothing says spring like a bright green turf.
The seasoned pros at Shady Oaks Turf Farm will help you cover up those winter-ravished bare spots. The Moreland family has been growing your future lawn for over 35 years on their 200 acre West River farm.
As certified Maryland sod growers, Shady Oaks’ fields of sod are inspected twice a year by Maryland Department of Agriculture.
“Their inspectors make sure we’re using Maryland-certified seed that has been tested for quality and germination,” says owner Ross Moreland. “And they make sure the variety is what we say it is.”
If you’ve never used sod, the Morelands will be happy to instruct you on site preparation and how to manage your turf through our hot summers.
“It’s important that the ground is properly prepared before you lay the sod,” says Moreland. If you’ve done what needs to be done before putting down the green mats, you’ll have a lush green lawn in hours. And with the proper care, it will stay that way.
Call before you go. “Our sod is harvested fresh to order,” says Moreland. “I guarantee it won’t be sitting, drying out for days before you get here.”
A good hardware store is like a museum — one that crosses science and industry with contemporary art — and has a big gift shop.
There’s plenty to enlighten and entertain you, regardless of need. Good ideas abound, sparking your invention, so that you soon think of new things to do and ways to do them. There’s a tool for every project; if you can’t find it on the shelf, you can order it.
You don’t get those advantages shopping on the web, where you’ve got to know what you’re looking for. Neither do you get easy access to good advice, nor easy returns.
At Sneade’s Ace Hardware, you get all that — plus the ability to shop online, if you live too far away to enjoy shopping in person, at stores in Owings and Lusby.
So Sneade’s combines the best of both worlds. If you know what you want and Sneade’s doesn’t have it (the electric lawn mower you’ve researched, for example), Sneade’s will order it, often at a better price than online merchants — plus saving you the shipping cost. If your new mower’s not up to the job, they’ll return it, saving you more trouble — and more shipping.
Helping homeowners through a distressed home sale — and helping potential buyers find such properties — is Beth Luskey’s business. An agent with O’Brien Realty, Luskey is designated as a Certified Distressed Residential Specialist and Short Sale and Foreclosure resource.
“There is so much negativity about real estate,” says Luskey. “I want to be a part of the solution by finding buyers for the properties while servicing homeowners who are facing foreclosure, helping them see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Spring’s warm sunshine brought on the long-awaited meltdown, but all that snow left behind a stream of damage in its wake.
“This winter, a lot of homes and businesses suffered structural damage,” says owner Wade Zulauf. “Ice dams caused ceiling leaks and the heavy snow pulled down exterior trim work around garages, windows and doors.”
If you know what he’s talking about, give him a call.
Zulauf has been in the building business as a general contractor for 16 years.
“We are a small family company,” he says. “We remodel kitchens and bathrooms and build and repair decks.”
Even if all you need done now is repairing snow-beat window trim, don’t hesitate to call.
“No job is too small,” says Zulauf.
Finally. Spring has arrived and summer is on its way. It’s time to roll out the barbeque and wicker. And WEL Built Remodeling wants to give you the perfect platform for outdoor living.
“Decks, sunrooms and porches are our specialty,” says owner Wendell Lilly Jr. “We’ll build you a new one or revitalize the one you’ve got.”
A “truly native” local company, WEL Built Remodeling has been in the neighborhood for more than 35 years.
“We’re Annapolitans, and we pride ourselves on attention to detail and professional work ethic,” says Lilly. “Our sub-contractors are local and have been working with us for years. I think this stability is important to our clients.”
WEL Built Remodeling isn’t limited to outside work.
“We remodel kitchens and baths, finish basements and install replacement windows and doors,” says Lilly. “We’ll be happy to give you ideas to meet your home improvement needs within your budget.”
Tired of looking at the same old walls? Welcome spring with something new. Or something old. Wimsey Cove Framing can help you either way.
Refresh your existing artwork and mementoes with a new matte and frame. Display last summer’s shell collection in a shadow box.
Wimsey Cove can also help you put something new on those walls.
“We are an art and map gallery,” says owner Elizabeth Ramire. “We are the only source for local historical maps, and we are the largest frame shop in Southern Anne Arundel County.”
The woman owned-business specializes in conservation framing, formats and odd shapes and sizes. It’s one of the few places in the area that will stretch and frame needlepoint.
“Local artists are always bringing us new work with unusual views,” says Ramire. “We are a center for people who love art.”
Has your garden oasis been ravaged by Jack Frost and his cohorts?
Replenish your greenery with help from Willow Oak Flower & Herb Farm.
“We have a beautiful selection of perennials and can pretty much fulfill any gardening needs,” says owner Maria Price-Nowakowski. “If you’re not sure how to go about it, I teach classes on gardening and the use of herbs.”
To find further inspiration, bring a lunch and take a tour of Willow Oak’s public gardens, each featuring a different theme and a variety of bountiful blooms. The gardeners at Willow Oak plan to inspire you with their creative use of native plants.
While Willow Oak boasts a wide variety of blooms, their focus is on germinating the green movement in Maryland.
“One of the biggest things I do is encourage people to grow their own foods,” says Price-Nowakowski. “Instead of buying locally, grow it yourself.”
The garden also abets whimsy.
“May 1, we have a class called fairy day so young children can plant a fairy garden and learn why fairies are important,” says Price-Nowakowski.
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