Kuhn Construction

The Hoarder Gives Back. | St. Louis General Contractor

My dad is a collector. We jokingly call him a hoarder but really he isn't, he's just a lover of all things old. Pieces of history that have a story. Tiny pieces that once made up someone's home. He has SO many things crammed organized nicely in his shop, it's really a treasuretrove of items and one that I've used many times to find something cool!

Recently, a local artist, Ashley Drissell, came by and dug through everything to find some pieces to use for her artwork. Rick and Ashley are kindred spirits in that they both create beautiful art from discarded items.

Here are some examples of items Ashley was interested in...

I've used pieces of his old trim for projects around our house, we have an awesome old window hanging in our hallway and my kids LOVE "working with PawPaw" out there with all of his odd bits!

BUT none of us are professional artists in the same way Ashley is and we can't wait to see what she creates using the things she pulled from the Kuhn Shop! We'll be watching her website (LINK) to see if anything we recognize pops up!

Also, I just had to share Ashley's kind words for my dad...

Dear Rick,

I want to sincerely thank you for sharing your work and your passion for turn-of-the-century homes with me. As an artist I value craftsmanship, quality, and nostalgic respect for the past. I can see that you share these qualities for your work, home, and family. Your contribution of salvaged and recycled home items from your own personal collection is not only magnanimous, but will help me greatly in the preparation for my graduate M.F.A. thesis show. My art explores notions of family, memory, nostalgia, and tangible and intangible connections to my familial past. The pieces you gave me will serve as placemarkers for memories- or a tangible evidence of a past which might otherwise be remembered by photographs or stories. I can't wait to see how each piece will evolve into a more visceral narrative as I begin to layer, sculpt, and build.

I am grateful for your generosity.

CASA Playhouse is going to new heights!! {st. louis remodeler}

Not only are the walls coming up, but the whole house is coming up too! We had some exciting entertainment the other day as the Red Bird Crane transferred the playhouse to a new work platform. We snapped a few pics of all the hoopla. Enjoy!

 

 

Prayer Request {St. Louis Remodeler}

We at Kuhn Construction are requesting your prayer's for little Parker Allen.  This is Rick and M.J.'s 4 year old grand daughter.  She has been in the hospital now for a week.  Something that started with a seizure, then an infection, and now unknown issues that are being tested for.  Jodie, Parker's mom has a blog that she is keeping up during all this.  Please read, and leave a comment to let her know your thinking and praying for Parker.

Link: http://www.jodifiedblog.com/

Thank you {St. Louis Remodeler}

Taken from Field Training Services, monthly newsletter

 

Tip of the Month

   I have found the source of all our labor problems! Henry David Thoreau is quoted as saying "The truly efficient laborer will be found not to crowd his day with work, but will saunter to his task, surrounded by a wide halo of ease and leisure" 

With all deference to the other great things that Thoreau may have done this is certainly the way to bankruptcy! So the question remains, how do you motivate people to work efficiently and on a budget.

   The key is in one simple truth, not all people are motivated by the same thing. And what makes it more complicated is that the key is often found in their upbringing and training. Business owners and managers for years have been dangling a carrot, a single type of carrot, out in front of employees and have only found themselves frustrated. For some it has been money in the form of bonuses. For others it is the ability to work with no one "breathing down your neck". And for others it has been yelling and screaming. (More of a club than a carrot!)  What they find is that some people respond and others simply drag their feet.  The ones that respond prove that this works and the ones that drag their feet prove that "most employee do not want to work".

   How To?  Adopt motivational styles that meet a variety of people. There are five basic motivators that come up when we talk about employees. We will tackle one a month for the next few months.

   The first is Learn how to say thank you in many ways. Studies have shown that being appreciated is the number one motivation for employees. Sometimes it is as simple as saying thank you. But for some of your field staff it must be tangible, something they can put their hands on. Perhaps after a difficult week, you bring  coffee and doughnuts to the job site.  Or publicly recognize effort that someone made to help the company. Or take everyone fishing. What is interesting to me is that in some cases any bonus that you may give is not about the money, but is simply a tangible way of saying thank you.

Lets help out the NICU {St. Louis Remodeler}

The Kuhn's daughter Jodie is helping donate money to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Childrens Hospital.  Please read the invitation and pass-on to anyone in the area that might be interested.  Thank you.

The good, the bad and the ugly {St. Louis, Mo. Remodeler}

   

So not all jobs that we get are fun, pretty, or enjoyable.  One such recent job we had a call on, was from a long time client.  She called the day after a storm frantic, that her basement had just backed up with sewage from the storm.  This can be one of the nastiest jobs ever!!  You never know what you’re getting into.  Fortunately, after meeting the client at her house, we determined that the sewage was from rainwater, not a waste sewage back-up.

So we quickly started the procedure of getting out all the wet items that could be discarded, got fans going and remediated all the water.  Once the contents of the basement were cleaned out, it was time to take the next step in stopping mold from growing.  We determined the height of the water and created a height of 18 inches off the ground to cut and remove the drywall around the perimeter of the basement.  This would allow us to get, remove the insulation in the cavity which would be wet and allow us to thoroughly dry all areas.  Once completed, we were ready to close the walls up and prepare them for paint.

Mold is as very serious concern.  If you ever have a water or moisture issue that can cause mold, you first need to talk with a professional and have them look at your situation.  Mold is a fungus that can grow for a long time undetected, but can cause several medical conditions.

Spring Maintenance Tips {St. Louis, Mo. Remodeler}

 
  
  

With spring here it’s time to start some spring cleaning and maintenance around the house.  Here are a few important areas’ that should be addressed early in the season to prevent issues once the weather turns hot.

 

Replace or clean your furnace filter

It should be checked once a month and replaced or cleaned as needed. Some filters are reusable and are supposed to be taken out, washed with a hose and re-inserted. A dirty filter can lower the efficiency of the heating/cooling system, increase heating costs and cause fires.

Have a professional air conditioning contractor inspect and maintain your system as recommended by the manufacturer

These steps can help decrease the chance of fire, save money by making the system run more efficiently and help prevent breakdowns.

 

Things you can maintain:

Check the condensate hose to be sure it is not blocked with algae.

Clean the outside condensing unit screen of leaves.

Listen for unusual noises

 

Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter

Keeping this clean of cooking grease will help keep a stovetop fire from spreading.

 

These are just a few of the preventative maintenance steps in saving money and ensuring your mechanics are operating properly.

 

If you have any questions or need a referral for a contractor, call us at 314-966-5846

Spring is Here!! {St. Louis remodeler}

The first day of spring is also called the vernal equinox. “Vernal” and “equinox” are Latin terms meaning “spring” and “equal night” respectively.

 

Did you know what Sat was?  The first day of spring, that’s correct.  For those in the mid-west, you would have never known with snow fall.  But, there are some un-known facts that accompany the first day of spring.  First, the first day of spring, is also called the vernal equinox.  In Latin vernal means spring and equinox means equal nights.  The idea behind the name means that on the first day of spring, we would have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.  It doesn’t truly work out that way.

Here are a few more unknown trivial facts for you to use at your next trivia night.

1.  If you were standing at the equator on this day, this is only one of two days that the sun passes directly overhead at noon.

2.  This is only one of two days that the sun actually rises in true east and sets in true west.

3.  Some people say that this is also only one of two days that you can balance an egg on end. 

 

I’m not a huge believer of folk lore, but I do no that spring and summer are now closer than winter.  I am one of many that believe the winters are getting longer each year.  Yeah for spring and warm weather!!!  Happy first day of spring!! (Belated)

 

The remodel of a remodel - {St. Louis Remodeler}

Twenty years ago, Dan and Peggy West, of Webster Groves, solicited 4 contractor's on a bid to remodel the kitchen of their home.  Rick Kuhn, of Kuhn Construction Co. (KCCI) was one of four companies bidding on the job.  Dan and Peggy reviewed the bids, and awarded the job to KCCI.  Rick put his lead guy on the job, Larry Pickeral.  At the time of the project, Larry was approximately 39 years old, married, and two young children. 

The kitchen project went well, and a new relationship was formed between the West and KCCI.  Over the years, KCCI has done numerous projects for Dan and Peggy.  Peggy stated that with the house being 110 years old, there are always projects on the horizon; so for the last five years, the same KCCI lock box has been on the back of the house.  The West feel comfortable working with KCCI, and went on to say that they trust all of the employees to be a steward with their money and property.   

So here we are present day, KCCI is back at work at the West's home starting a full kitchen gut and remodel.  One of the carpenters on the job is Jordan Pickeral, son of Larry.  Jordan has been taught quite a bit from his father, and said that its an honor to get to tear down a kitchen that his dad built.  The kitchen has officially entered the demo phase, and we will be updating the project regularly over the next few months.

 
Before

 
Day 2 of Demo

Anyone know where M.J. is?? - {St. Louis Remodeler}

With Kurt out on vacation and Rick out running around the jobs and appointments, its been lonely around world headquarters.  So I got curious and decided to look around for Mary Jane (M.J.).  Well, she wasn't at her desk, so I'll check the kitchen.  Normally, by 10 a.m., you can tell if she's in the kitchen, the aroma works it's way into the dungeon where my desk is chained.  So not in the kitchen, I'll peak in the front room.  As I step in the front room, I briefly have flash backs of war torn Kosovo.  Chairs are over turned, the toy box is up side down, batteries from the remote skattered, and the dog is tied to the rocking chair with a pair of panty hose.  Now I start to worry, call the police or............. then it dawned on me:

She had all the grand kids, ALL FIVE