We will be meeting this Sunday at the Calvary Baptist Church at 2PM.  Denise Turner from the ASID will be speaking on the "Basics of Interior Design".  She will be doing a workshop where she goes over someone's plans step by step through the project.  She also has many, many ideas on what to speak about so she will be touching on many subjects (kitchen and bath design, color palettes, keeping on budget, aging in place, the reality of reality TV and more) and asking what she can speak on the next time she comes.  If you'd like to bring your plans/ideas/samples please do so!

As Larry Conard says, what I am buying is a kit house from Capital Steel.  A company in Escondido will erect it.  Then I have a contractor that will finish out the inside.  I have a floor plan I developed with an architectural student.    I had to wait for my last insurance check in July to know how much I had to work with.  I now have the engineering plans from Capital Steel signed by a California Engineer.  Next step is for East County Soils Engineering to go through those plans and specify foundation.  Then Larry can start the permitting process.

Mine will be tan with green trim around doors,windows, corners of building and the roof will be green.  Will make it a home look with my choice of windows and doors. Maybe add shutters.  Biggest problem is that the colors are limited.  The steel is already "painted" so it isn't like you can go to the paint store and choose among 20 different shades of brown, etc.  They do have other veneer finishes available (such as stucco, brick etc).

I am buying it so I don't have to worry about termites ever again.

Since the support beams are 10 x 16", in theory, if you needed it, you could make the walls that thick for REALLY thick insulation ...

Cedar Glen residents are one step closer to rebuilding homes lost in the Old Fire

08:02 AM PST on Tuesday, December 7, 2004

FOR RELEASE:                                                              :
December 8, 2004  (#101)                                              

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER JOHN The Commissioner demonstrates how to perform a thorough accounting of belongings; homeowners can protect their financial health by properly recording assets in advance

         FRESNO - Standing in a Fresno resident's home as the holiday season begins, Commissioner John Garamendi warned all California homeowners to conduct a home inventory as soon as possible to make sure that their homes and possessions are properly covered.

         "It is essential that you document all of your possessions before disaster strikes," said Commissioner Garamendi.  "If a tragedy strikes, you'll be asked to provide your insurance company with copies of bills, receipts or other documentation to support your claims.  Dealing with a disaster at home can be a tremendously stressful time. Relying solely on your memory to inventory your precious assets is a mistake you will want to avoid."

        A complete household inventory list will provide:  a permanent record of the home's contents and their value; serial numbers listed for electronic items so stolen items can be easily identified; and a good indication to the insured of whether or not current insurance coverage is adequate.

Photographs
        If possible, photograph or videotape household possessions.  Pictures are helpful when an item is hard to describe on paper or if a purchase receipt cannot be obtained.  Labeling each photograph with information about the item - and if a camcorder is used, providing a commentary of each item and date-stamp on the video - will be highly useful.  Remember to go slowly so that each room is thoroughly covered. 

Protect and Update the Inventory
         Store a copy of the inventory in a safe-deposit box, work office or relative's house, and include copies of any important documentation or receipts.  The list should be updated semi-annually to ensure an accurate recording of the home's contents.  Sample property inventory lists are available from the California Department of Insurance Web site at www.insurance.ca.gov, and from many insurers - particularly as downloads from their Web sites.

          A report released October 25, 2004, by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) indicated that many of the homeowners who suffered total losses in the 2003 Southern California wildfires complained that they were underinsured.  Of the 2,734 "total-loss" claims filed with insurers, 22 percent - or 676 - generated complaints regarding the handling of the claim by the insurer.  By comparison, CDI usually receives complaints from approximately one percent of all claims in most lines of insurance.  Nearly half of the wildfire complaints - 316 of 676 - involved underinsurance.

          The Commissioner added that homeowners shouldn't depend on their insurance companies to keep them informed of the need for additional coverage on a year to year basis, nor for complete information on how to best protect your assets.

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Please visit the Department of Insurance Web site at www.insurance.ca.gov. Non media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800.927.HELP. Callers from out of state, please dial 213.897.8921. Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD), please dial 800.482.4833.