Michigan New Home Builders

Hello Everyone!

I am really excited about this up & coming Comedy for a Cause on March  14th.  M. J. Whelan has been proud to sponser this awesome event for the last several years. I want to encourage you all to come out and support this great outreach. Comedy For a Cause helps to support the great work Promise Village is doing for troubled, abused and hurting children. It’s a great date night for you & your spouse. You can bring the kids (not too many comedy shows you can say that about!) Check out the links for date, times & more info. We would love to see you there!

Lisa

http://www.promisevillage.com/News/ComedyForACause.asp

http://www.promisevillage.com/

About Promise Village

The 70-acre Promise Village: Home for Children ranch is where abused and neglected children come to find consistent, caring treatment and teamwork. In the secure, loving and nurturing Promise Village residential treatment home, a dedicated and compassionate professional staff give individualized and specialized help to children who need another chance in life. 

The unique treatment program includes animal-assisted therapy, equine therapy as well as individual and group therapy on the working farm. Animal-assisted therapy helps children develop improved insight, self-esteem and trust. They learn about God’s love through “teachable moments” via the PROMISES Stage System throughout the day. 

The goal is to help children heal and strengthen families. At Promise Village, dreams really come true, promises are kept, hope restored and trust is found.

We would just like to let our clients and potential clients know that we, at M.J. Whelan Construction, we are proud to be  members in good standing of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) We are committed to serve and live by the NARI CODE OF ETHICS.Each member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry is pledged to observe high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility in the conduct of business: By promoting in good faith only those products and services which are known to be functionally and economically sound, and which are known to be consistent with objective standards of health and safety;By making all advertising and sales promotion factually accurate, avoiding those practices which tend to mislead or deceive the customer. By writing all contracts and warranties such that they comply with federal, state, and local laws. By promptly acknowledging and taking appropriate action on all customer complaints.  By refraining from any act intended to restrain trade or suppress competition. By attaining and retaining insurance as required by federal, state, and local authorities.By attaining and retaining licensing and/or registration as required by federal, state, and local authorities

If you live in Brighton, Howell, Fenton or Hartland MI and are are a looking for a Professional Master Builder or or a Professional Master Remodeler to build or renovate your dream home, you have come to the right place!  M.J. Whelan Construction is one of Michigan’s premiere custom home builders and remodeling companies and has been serving

Daylight Saving Time in the

As clocks go back to standard time on Sunday, experts say the extension of daylight saving time could mean energy savings for many households.Energy policy professor Marilyn Brown says a study shows the daylight saving extension produces energy savings of about 30 cents per family.It doesn’t appear to be much, but Brown says it adds up. She says the country the country spends about a billion dollars a year on energy already. With the daylight saving extension, the

Living in 

Matt and I feel extra blessed this year that we’re still enjoying fairly nice weather. It is 50 degrees out today, sunny, and not a cloud in the sky. Its NOVEMBER! Whats up with that? We have been taking advantage of this gorgeous weather to get our home ready for winter. Here are some great tips taken from  DIYoneline.com to help keep Old Man Winter outside where he belongs.Happy Winterizing,Lisa  Up On the Roof

• Check chimney for loose masonry.
• Check chimney and chimney cap for signs of smoke or water damage or leaks.
• Inspect the roof for loose, damaged or missing pieces.
• Check soffits for signs of moisture build-up. Soffit is the underside of an eave.
• Check flashings for lifting or poor seals. Flashing is a covering used to seal the base of chimneys and vent pipes.
• Clean out accumulated leaves and messy “gunk” from gutters and drainpipes.
• Run water through to make sure they drain properly and don’t leak. Repair and replace if needed.
• Check attic vent openings for nests or other blockages.
• Make sure vents and/or attic fans work properly.
• Look for signs of roof or flashing leaks on rafters and insulation.

Inside Your Home

• If you plan to use your wood stove or fireplace this year, check your chimney before hand for soot build-up. It should be cleaned before it reaches one-fourth inch thickness inside the chimney flu.
• Make sure fireplace and wood stove doors seal tightly, or install doors or covers to seal them.
• Close dampers, but don’t forget to open them before you light the fires!
• Check all windows and doors for air leaks.
• Putty, caulk or add weatherstripping as needed.
• Clean and lubricate window channels for smoother sliding.
• Check basement and cellars for _ and seal _ cracks or leaks in walls and floor.
• Make sure all vents are clean and operating properly.
• Test, clean and lubricate sump pumps.
• Discard accumulated junk.
• Clean permanent furnace filters and replace paper or disposable filters. Do this monthly through the heating system during winter months.
• Have furnace systems serviced once a year or as recommended by your manufacturer (or gas or oil company). Many chores, such as lubricating pumps, fans and motors, draining radiators, etc., are relatively easy. You might want to have a professional service them, and show you how, so you can do it in the future.
• Clean and vacuum baseboard heaters, heating ducts and vents.
• Remove or winterize air conditioners, following manufacturers’ directions.
• Check hot water heaters for leaks.

Outside Your Home

• Put away or cover outdoor furniture and barbecues.
• Check porch, patio and deck supports and foundations for rot, missing connections or other problems.
• Add slip-proof strips to steps, stairs or other slippery spots.
• Reset exterior light timers and make sure all outdoor lights are working.
• Check exterior walls for missing or loose siding.
• Caulk joints and minor cracks on exterior walls and siding.
• Look for deteriorating finishes. Minor problems can be patched to preserve the wood. Put bigger jobs, such as scraping and refinishing painted or stained areas, on the calendar for next spring or early summer.
• If you have storm windows, they should go up now before the weather turns.
• Drain and shut off sprinkler systems and other exterior water lines to avoid frozen and broken pipes. Leave all taps slightly open.
• Insulate exterior spigots and other pipes that are subject to freezing but can’t be drained or shut off.
• Rake and compost leaves and garden debris, or put out for yard-waste pickup.
• Trim trees and shrubbery.
• Plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips.
• Divide perennials.
• Clean storm drains and other drain pipes.
• Check the foundation for proper drainage. Spray with a hose, or watch closely during a rainstorm, to see if water runs away from the house. A little shoveling to reshape the earth next to the house may make the water run away from the foundation.
• Make sure the downspouts carry water at least three feet away from the house and onto ground that slopes and drains away from the house.
• Make sure dirt or piles of wood don’t come into contact with or touch siding. That can bring termites and carpenter ants into the house.
• Clean out window wells thoroughly.
• Seal driveway and walkway cracks, if needed, before ground freezes regularly.

M.J. Whelan Construction is proud to be recognized as a Professional Master Remodelor. A registered member in good standing with the Building Industry Association of SE Michigan, Michigan Association of Homebuilders and National Homebuilders AssociationIn order to qualify for the title Professional Master Remodelor,
BIA recommends remodelors meet the following conditions:· Be a member in good standing of BIA, MAHB and NAHB.
· Have been actively engaged in the building/remodeling business for no less than two years.
· Have satsfactorily completed the construction, sale or major remodeling job of no less than five homes.
· Have satisfied all licensing requirements.
· Provide, upon request, a list of previous buyer references.
· Conduct a walk-through inspection and make agreed upon corrections in a reasonable period of time.
· Keep informed, through information provided in Association publications, at Association meetings and seminars, of new building

Hi Everyone,OK, I have to start writing these blogs, not only help to optimize our website but also it will bring so much joy to Uncle Jimmy, who works so hard on our website. I just know that when he starts seeing keywords like “kitchen designs“, “basement renovations“, “custom homes” on this blog it just will bring SO much joy to his heart. Words like “home improvement“, “bathroom remodeling” and the BIG ONE-”Michigan Home Remodeling“, well, that will just put him over the top. I know that just by reading this he will be smiling at all these keywords all in one place. I am even trying to think of new ones that will help make his day. How’s this Jimmy? “Remodeling Trends“, “Oakland County Remodeling“, “Livingston County New Home Construction“. Ok, that enough for you now, I don’t want to overwhelm you. You need to calm down now. But I know you must be in a better mood by now. After all, when Uncle Jimmy ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. (you’re welcome Maureen)

Your basement can be a valuable extension of your home. We excel at creating basement designs that do not look like basements. An efficient design can create a personal space to serve any purpose that suits the individual needs of your family. A custom scrapbooking nook for her, a theater room for him, a space for homework for the kids, we will work with you to create a cozy, warm, new addition to your home. Experience that has the ability to use architecture to disguise old beams and ductwork, that knows the proper placement of lighting, and uses innovative technology, M.J. Whelan will create a beautiful basement just for you.  Coffered ceilings, entertainment centers, fireplaces, game rooms, architecture, archways, wet bars, etc… Maybe add a bathroom or even a finished kitchen. The possibilities are limitless.  

Planning a custom home, a room addition, or a remodel of any size, can be intimidating and overwhelming. With our solid background and experience we can make your experience comfortable and pleasant by offering you quality service and providing you with an understanding of the overall process.  We will walk you through the process from start to finish—design, blueprint, site planning, and construction—for a custom finished product every time. We dedicate ample time for the pre-construction phase in order to help our clients understand all their options, such as choice of materials, necessary project time, costs, etc. Our goal is your total peace of mind when the construction phase begins.Our services include a full range of design and construction services.   We not only strive  for excellence in all areas of custom renovations  and new custom homes, but to truly make your home a one-of-a -kind. Our top prioriy is our clients comlete satisfation. Serving the following communities
with custom built homes, additions and renovations for 15 years:

We have some fresh Kitchen design ideas cooked up for your home. Whether it’s a kitchen for your brand new home, a one of a kind custom kitchen remodel or just a simple kitchen update, we have an abundance of design ideas for you.  From French Country, European Cottage, Farmhouse, Contemporary, Eclectic, or traditional, are just a few of the looks we can create for your unique personal taste.  Our kitchen designs are limitless.   We will help you capture your personal style through design, resulting in a new or remodeled kitchen that meets your needs and exceeds all expectations.