clean energy bill in response to the Gulf oil disaster

This is a big week. Tomorrow, President Obama is bringing a bipartisan group of Senate energy leaders to the White House to craft a clean energy bill in response to the Gulf oil disaster. And afterward, on Thursday, the Senate Democratic Caucus will meet again to decide its course of action.

But in the face of pressure from corporate lobbyists, there's a very real chance that the Senate will wind up with a bill of half-measures, slapping a band-aid over the approximately 3 million barrels spilled into the Gulf so far, while ignoring the untold damage we cause by consuming over 2,000 times as much oil every year. We have to address the underlying causes of our addiction to dirty energy, not just the symptoms -- and as President Obama said earlier this month, "The only way the transition to clean energy will ultimately succeed ... is by finally putting a price on carbon pollution."

Join Repower America and 17 other organizations in signing an urgent letter to President Obama and Senate energy leaders demanding they make comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation a reality -- and we will deliver your signatures directly to the White House.

Nearly one full year after the House of Representatives passed comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, the President is calling on the Senate to find consensus and pass a bill that addresses America's addiction to fossil fuels.

But time is running out to pass this legislation before Capitol Hill grinds to a halt in August so lawmakers can campaign for the November midterm elections -- even as oil may still be still pouring into the Gulf. To adequately address the disaster on our hands, this legislation must accomplish four essential goals:

1. Respond directly to the Gulf oil disaster to begin to remedy the damage and hold BP accountable
2. Reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels
3. Set limits on carbon pollution
4. Improve energy efficiency and expand renewable energy production

Our letter to the President and Senate leaders emphasizes these essential points and stresses the need to include them in a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill, and pass this bill as soon as possible. Seventeen partner organizations have already signed on, but that's not enough: We also need as many citizen co-signers as possible to demonstrate to our leaders in Washington that Americans all across the country demand a comprehensive solution.

Read the letter and add your name before the White House clean energy meeting tomorrow.

Thanks for your work to help America get the strong bill we deserve,

Maggie L. Fox
Chief Executive Officer
The Climate Protection Action Fund

Contributions or gifts to the Climate Protection Action Fund are not tax deductible.

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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Part 2-Whether you're finishing a basement or remodeling one- be sure to include a bathroom

Basement Bathroom Ideas Part 2

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Tuck in a Tiny Powder Room

You can fit a powder room into a sliver of space by working with a cabinetmaker to build a narrow vanity outfitted with a bar-size sink. The toilet needs a space 19 to 21 inches wide and 27 to 31 inches deep. Eliminate shadows with wall sconces

Include a Laundry

This handsome basement bathroom includes a marble-top furniture-style vanity, full shower, and stone tile floors. Paneled closet doors at one end open to reveal a stacked washer and dryer.

A basement laundry room needs a floor drain to handle overflows or leaks and an exterior wall location so you can vent the dryer to the outdoors.

Design a Multipurpose Basement Bathroom

This basement bathroom does double duty as the bath for a guest bedroom and an exercise space. A treadmill tucks into the corner just beyond the partial wall, where it can take advantage of an above-grade exterior window. If your basement doesn't have a window, a partial wall could accommodate a wallmount television to keep you entertained while you work out.

Expand Space with a Light Palette

Limestone floor and wall tiles combine with white paint and limestone fixtures to make the most of natural light entering through the glass-block window. The light palette makes the space feel larger than it is.

The table-style vanity with an undermount sink and limestone countertop offers clean lines for an uncluttered look. Fluorescent tubes on each side of the medicine-chest mirrors provide shadow-free illumination for shaving or putting on makeup.

Craftsman Style for the Basement Bath

Any natural light helps keep a basement from feeling cavelike. These high windows admit light and a glimpse of the outdoors.

The wide woodwork and built-in vanity reflect the architectural style of the home, giving the basement bathroom a look as finished as the upstairs rooms. The moss green color of the walls picks up the hue of the slate tile floor. Balanced by plenty of white, this strong color gives the bath cozy character.

Include a Shower and a Tub

An integrated tub and shower clad in travertine tile work in tandem in this basement bath. The window in the shower is high enough to provide privacy while still allowing for ventilation and light.

Neutral Tones for a Guest Suite

Similar neutral tones throughout the bath and adjacent bedroom make this small suite seem larger. This neutral decorating scheme also helps the guest suite feel welcoming because the style of the space is comfortable for everyone.

Create Coziness with Pattern

A sliver of space wedged under the stair provided just enough space for this 5x6-foot powder room. Instead of trying to make the room feel larger, the owners emphasized intimacy with a large-scale wallpaper that mimics a print room.

The faux-crown molding at the ceiling line is a wallpaper border. A pedestal sink, antique dresser, and toilet fit comfortably within the space, and there's even room for bookshelves set between the wall studs.

Beautify the Basement Bath

The same materials that are appropriate for upstairs master baths can make a basement bath feel light and luxurious, too. Here, marble flooring puts elegance underfoot while soft blue-gray ceramic tiles make a practical, water-resistant wallcovering up to the molded-tile chair rail.

Design for Style and Comfort

In this newly finished basement bathroom, a glass-block wall admits light from the adjacent living space but provides complete privacy. The generous "belly" sink extends out from the cabinetry, offering more basin area without consuming additional floor space.

Built-in open storage accommodates towels and bath necessities. Opposite the towel storage is a walk-in steam shower.

Scotts Contracting is available for all your Remodeling Needs email scottscontracting@gmail.com to scedule a free green site evaluation

Whether you're finishing a basement or remodeling one- be sure to include a bathroom

Basement Bathroom Ideas Part 1 of 2

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Add a Stylish Powder Room

If your basement will serve primarily as a space for entertaining, you may need only a powder room instead of a full bathroom. Because a powder room is a small space with only a toilet and sink, your remodeling budget may stretch to include striking materials, such as stone tiles for the walls and a stylish sink with gooseneck faucet.

Indulge in Luxury Features

If your basement will include a guest suite or a bedroom for a parent or a teen, a full bath is a must. Just because it's in the basement doesn't mean the bath can't be as luxurious as one upstairs. A curved-front sink and walk-in shower are two luxury features in this lower-level guest bathroom. Rough-hewn stone tiles in a variety of shapes and sizes add visual interest to the space.

Plan for Good Lighting

Lighting is important anywhere in the basement but especially so in the bathroom. When planning a basement bathroom, remember lighting fixtures in the shower area must have waterproof lenses. Ceiling lights in front of this wall-size mirror illuminate the vanity and provide ambient lighting.

Choose Water-Resistant Materials

Just as in an upstairs bathroom, you'll want to choose materials with functionality and style in mind. Stone tiles are a popular choice for floors and walls because they are durable, water-resistant, and easy to clean.

In this tiny, practical corner, there are six different surfaces. Because they're complementary in texture and tone, visual harmony prevails.

Expand Space with Mirrors

Mirrors stretch wall to wall and countertop to ceiling to make this modest 5x7-foot basement bathroom seem bigger than it is. The mirror also increases light by creating the illusion of double the windows and bouncing back illumination from light fixtures.

Checkerboard wallpaper is visually busy, but the perspective is enhanced by the mirror reflection, making the room seem deeper. A sink that measures 18 inches front to back saves on valuable counter space.

Find Room for a Full Bath

Because it's generally not the main bathroom for the house, a basement bathroom doesn't have to be large. An area about 35 square feet can accommodate a toilet, vanity, and shower or bathtub. Building codes allow ceiling heights of 84 inches--6 inches lower than other living areas.

Compact but not tiny, this basement guest bathroom includes a generous vanity, toilet, and shower stall. Close the pocket door, and the bathroom teams up with an adjacent office to serve as a welcoming, private guest suite.

Use Color to Enlarge the Space

A checkerboard of ceramic tiles in two closely related tones covers the walls and floor in this bathroom and makes the space look bigger. Solid color and lack of pattern are the secrets.

An angled shower to the right uses the space more efficiently than a typical square shower.

Glass Blocks for Light and Privacy

If you can locate your basement bathroom on an above-ground exterior wall, consider glass-block windows to usher in light and provide privacy. A large mirror over the sink reflects both the window on the opposite wall and the pendant lights, bouncing more light through the room.

Adding a bathroom to the basement requires connecting the fixtures to the main drain, which may mean cutting through a concrete floor. If you have the headroom available, an alternative solution is to elevate the bathroom so the new plumbing lines and drain can be hidden under the new floor.

Make the Bath Accessible

In a basement that is wheelchair-accessible, it's a good idea to design the bath with universal-design principles in mind. Proving that universal design can be as beautiful as it is practical, this stunning marble-lined basement bath features a shower free of doors and raised thresholds, making it easily accessible.

The adjacent vanity compartment features a dramatic pedestal sink and mirrors lit by long warm-light fluorescent tubes.

Soften the Bath with Fabric

Fabric outlined in decorative cording gives these bathroom walls a soft, finished touch. Reserve this treatment for basements where condensation and moisture are not a threat.

A powder room is an ideal candidate for upholstered walls because it's small enough to keep the job manageable. Staple batting to the walls, then stretch and staple lengths of fabric over the batting. Use hot glue to secure decorative welting over the staples.

The lower walls are painted to resemble stained wood wainscoting with bamboo molding.

Scotts Contracting is available for all your design and design build bathroom remodels and also supplies free Green Site Evaluations. email scottscontracting@gmail.com for additional info

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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

Basement Stairway Ideas Part 2

Scotts Contracting Offers Basement Remodels for every budget

Scotts Contracting supplies free Green Estimates for every Project

Click Here to email Scotty for a Project Proposal

Create Understair Display Space

Turn the space under the stairs into a display cabinet for collections. Wire the cabinet for lighting so you can spotlight special objects.

Add Style with the Balustrade

Golden oak balusters, stair rail, and a support column match the trimwork and cabinetry in the basement, creating continuity with the upstairs spaces. Adding style to the staircase can be as simple as affixing solid rectangles of stained wood to every other pair of balusters, creating pattern and interest.

Choose a Distinctive Railing Design

White beaded-board wainscoting, wood-tone trim and stair treads, and colorful walls lead the way down these winder stairs. The railing features a gridlike design for safety and style. (The spaces between balusters, whether posts or a grid design, should be smaller than a toddler's head.)

Break Up the Descent with a U Shape

U-shape stairs lined with a Craftsman-style wooden balustrade lead to this basement. This stair design requires more floor space than a straight run of stairs, but it's a good choice when a straight run would be too steep.

Emphasize the Diagonal

Instead of a stair rail and balusters, this straight-run staircase features the design equivalent of three parallel handrails. The design emphasizes the strong diagonal of the staircase and maintains an open feeling for the descent into the basement. It also requires fewer materials than traditional posts or balusters would.

Suit the Staircase Style to Your Decor

A dramatic open-tread staircase built of industrial materials ushers visitors into a clean-lined, contemporary space designed for entertaining.

Stretch the Spiral for a Relaxed Descent

This sleek, open-tread staircase spirals down gracefully from the first floor, delivering visitors to the lower-level quarters with a flourish. More relaxed than the typical space-saving spiral, the staircase feels open and easy to climb as a result.

Scotts Contracting Offers Basement Remodels for every budget

Scotts Contracting supplies free Green Estimates for every Project

Click Here to email Scotty for a Project Proposal

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Scott's Contracting scottscontracting@gmail.com http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com 

Basement Stairway Ideas Part 1

Scotts Contracting Offers Basement Remodels for every budget

and also supplies free Green Estimates for every Project

Click Here to email Scotty for a Project Proposal

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Site Stairs Carefully

If the upstairs hall and basement floor are both carpeted, you'll likely want to carpet the stairs as well. If you're building new stairs or relocating the current ones, consider which areas you're connecting before you decide on placement.

Avoid connecting a noisy area to a quiet one. For example, a stairway from the basement play room or media room that leads near an upstairs home office or bedroom could prove disruptive. Build stairs parallel to ceiling joists to save on installation time and materials.

Open the Stairway for an Airy Look

Removing the door to the basement and opening the enclosed stairway created a light, airy feeling in this passage to the subterranean living space. A bar area with two beverage refrigerators--one for wine and one for kids' sodas--separates the lower-level family room from the guest bedroom.

Use the Staircase Wall for Storage

The staircase design you choose will depend on local building codes, your available space, and the style of your home. If you choose a U-shape design like this one, consider putting the lower staircase wall to work as display and storage space. These built-in cabinets flank a basement bar area.

Take Advantage of Space Under the Stairs

Take advantage of space under stairs to create accessible storage. Mullioned glass-pane doors make this smart understair hideaway look as if it's always been there. Baskets placed on the shelves are stylish storage solutions for miscellaneous things that make their way down to the basement.

Design for a Smooth Transition

Stairs are a transitional space, and the materials you choose for them convey a subliminal message about the character of the space they lead to. This run of carpeted stairs changes near the bottom to three steps with thick stone treads and floors of stone and dark wood. The shift in materials suits the basement's function as a wine cellar and entertaining area.

Stencil the Stairs

Personalize ordinary wood stairs with stencils. These stair treads were painted with homemade stencils using floor-and-deck enamel. For safety, avoid high-gloss paints and finishes that may be slippery.

Add Style with a Custom Stair Rail

For continuity, the same stone tile used on the stairs continues in the guest suite in this basement. The custom-crafted stair rail features stained-glass inserts and ornaments. Work with a metalsmith to design a custom stair rail for your home.

Make a Grand Descent

This sweeping staircase is more about design than function. A staircase like this makes for a comfortable descent from the upper level, but it also requires a lot of space.

Go Contemporary with Open Stair Treads

Open stair treads and railings of braided stainless-steel cable help preserve lower-level views and a feeling of openness on the staircase.

Save Space with a Spiral Staircase

Spiral stairs provide contemporary style and usually take up less room than other staircase designs. Typically 4 to 6 feet in diameter, they need little floor space.

Bear in mind, however, that you won't be able to move furniture or other large objects into the basement via spiral stairs. Building codes often prohibit spiral staircases leading to rooms larger than 400 square feet.

Scotts Contracting is available for the Construction of your basement Project. . . supplies free Green Estimates for every Project.

Click Here to email Scotty for a Free Project Proposal

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Common Remodeling Mistakes

Tips for avoiding common and costly remodeling mistakes. brought to you by Scotts Contracting

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Pitfalls to Avoid

With so many potential remodeling pitfalls, it's wise to learn from the mistakes of projects past. Knowing what not to do when you take on a remodel will help you make the most of your time and money, and ensure that your project doesn't end up on the trash heap. To make it easier for you, we've compiled a list of the seven most common—and costliest—remodeling mistakes.

1. Rushing into your project.
"Develop a good plan, price it, then work it, If you think through your project and you know what you're looking to do, that's half the battle.

"When we go into a project, for example, we make a site visit first to get a feel for what our client wants. Then we develop a design and plan that is revised sometimes three or four times. By the end of the revision process, we have a project that is well put together, addresses perceivable eventualities, and will accommodate the unforeseen events that are inevitable in a remodel."

2. Choosing the first contractor you interview.
Take your time. Get several bids. Check each potential contractor's references, and check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if the contractor has ever been reported as being unethical. Make sure insurance coverage is in place: Every contractor should have business liability insurance, and every subcontractor working for that contractor should be covered under workers' compensation insurance. Make sure that if the contractor is subcontracting work, those companies are insured. A contractor may carry insurance, but the company that's actually doing the work might not.

Find a contractor who fits your personality and is open to communication. Look for one who will sit down with you, lay out his or her plan of attack, write it into a contract, show you the breakdown of labor and materials (or the flat rate), then have you sign the contract before the work starts.

3. Creating an unrealistic budget.
By "unrealistic," we mean a budget that doesn't allow for wiggle room. Generally speaking, you should calculate your budget, then increase it by 20 percent. That should be your budget. The 20 percent cushion will provide some peace of mind when the demolition of your kitchen walls reveals rot in your load-bearing studs, or when it becomes clear that an entire wall needs rewiring.

4. Being overly frugal.
"Don't get swallowed up by the penny-pinching mind-set," "Take vinyl flooring: It's cheaper than ceramic tile, but it isn't that much cheaper. And if you choose tile, the finished product will really set your house apart from the typical spec house in suburbia. That being said, don't be foolish when thinking about tackling a challenging project. If something is beyond your skill level, don't try to save money by doing it yourself; hire a professional."

5. Paying more for building materials than you need to.
There are myriad ways to trim your materials costs, says Don Payne, a builder and remodeler in Concrete, Washington. "If you're not rushed for time, it pays to keep your eyes peeled for the materials you need at garage sales, estate sales, moving sales, flea markets, etc.," he says. "You can get materials from salvage stores, friends, and business associates. I've even developed relationships with drywall companies who give me damaged drywall sheets because it's cheaper than paying a dump to take it. And it doesn't have to look cobbled together. If your contractor is at all competent, the finished product will look every bit as good as if you had bought brand-new materials."

6. Making your home clash with the neighborhood.
A sure way to sour relationships with your neighbors and potentially harm your home's resale value is to change your home's size or facade so it contrasts sharply with the character of other homes in your neighborhood. If you live in an area filled with bungalows, Cape Cods, or other traditional styles, for example, think before you transform your home into a contemporary design statement. Likewise, carefully consider any additions so they don't overwhelm the houses that border or face your home. It's a matter of context, says Michael Lander, principal of the Lander Group in Minneapolis. "If you're in an existing neighborhood that's rarely a forum for drastic statements of individual taste, do your best to make your home blend into its surroundings," he says.

7. Changing your mind. A lot.
Once your project has begun, try your best to stick with your plan, "If you don't, it can get expensive in a hurry,"  "We do walk-throughs with our clients before we hang drywall, because far too often we get people who change their minds after the drywall is up. Usually the changes require tearing out the drywall and starting over, and that's money that doesn't have to be spent."

 "We get a lot of people who let themselves be persuaded by their architect, a subcontractor, or a family member to change something that they later regret," he says. "There needs to be a certain level of sticking to one's guns."

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

One Story House Remodeling Photos

How To Add Curb Appeal and Save on Home Energy Needs

Power Point Presentation of how Incorporating Green Building Practices can 

Add Curb Appeal and Save on Home Energy Use

Both of which will Add Value to your Home in Comfort and Appraisal Value

This Wrap Around Porch was 

Designed and Built by Scotty, Scotts Contracting

The Final Photos will be added soon!

Download or View the Power Point Slide Show of the project here

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs for your Home or Business in the Greater St Louis Area and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP.

The Following Photos were supplied by: http://www.bhg.com/topics/home-improvement/windows/windows.htm

Simple Ranch Redo

All it took were windows to reveal this home's sparkling soul. The old horizontal windows were replaced with vertical models that visually stretch the home, and bump-outs on each side of the entry provide dramatic vertical interest. Stucco overlay covers the bricks to complete the bland-to-grand makeover and unite the new exterior elements with the old.

Simple Ranch Redo

All it took were windows to reveal this home's sparkling soul. The old horizontal windows were replaced with vertical models that visually stretch the home, and bump-outs on each side of the entry provide dramatic vertical interest. Stucco overlay covers the bricks to complete the bland-to-grand makeover and unite the new exterior elements with the old.

Fresh Exterior Renovation

To make the home seem lighter on its feet, the homeowners painted the exterior pale yellow and accented with wine trim. The porch was transformed into an alfresco aerie enclosed only by railings. French doors carry more light into the living room, and olive green door panels camouflage the parking spaces below.

Fresh Exterior Renovation

To make the home seem lighter on its feet, the homeowners painted the exterior pale yellow and accented with wine trim. The porch was transformed into an alfresco aerie enclosed only by railings. French doors carry more light into the living room, and olive green door panels camouflage the parking spaces below.

Exterior Overhaul

Black-granite siding sets off this home's new facade, and the peaks and valleys of the old rooftop gave way to a more contemporary shape. New limestone hardscape replaces poured-in-place concrete steps and finishes off the fresh look.

Exterior Overhaul

Black-granite siding sets off this home's new facade, and the peaks and valleys of the old rooftop gave way to a more contemporary shape. New limestone hardscape replaces poured-in-place concrete steps and finishes off the fresh look.

Shingles-Style Addition

A total redo of the original home plans and the addition of a two-story wing transformed a tiny '50s ranch into an elegant, Shingle-style house. The new wing provides the home with a casual living area topped by a master bedroom suite, and the new exterior look attracts the eye.

Shingles-Style Addition

A total redo of the original home plans and the addition of a two-story wing transformed a tiny '50s ranch into an elegant, Shingle-style house. The new wing provides the home with a casual living area topped by a master bedroom suite, and the new exterior look attracts the eye.

Entryway Overhaul

A new double gable draws the eye to the mahogany front door, and natural materials—stacked Tennessee fieldstone, cedar shingles, and wood siding—complement the home's wooded surroundings. The stacked fieldstone, in particular, defines the entry, and elegant windows echo its curve.

Entryway Overhaul

A new double gable draws the eye to the mahogany front door, and natural materials—stacked Tennessee fieldstone, cedar shingles, and wood siding—complement the home's wooded surroundings. The stacked fieldstone, in particular, defines the entry, and elegant windows echo its curve.

Scotts Contracting is available to assist in all your Green Building Projects

Email: Scotty, scottscontracting@gmail.com to schedule your

"FREE GREEN" Estimates

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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com