www.cslb.ca.gov

This is California State License Bureau’s website.  On the left hand side, under the picture of the Governor there is a link called “Instant License Check.” Click on this and choose how you want to search for the contractor.  I suggest you use the license number, which every contractor should prominently place on all their promotional material. You will get the full business name and address, entity, date issued, date expires, classifications and descriptions and; bonding and Worker’s Compensation coverage.

By the way, Boston Brick & Stone is a licensed contractor, our license number is 783578, use this website to look us up.

www.cslb.ca.gov/generalinformation/library/guidesandpamplhlets.asp

On the left hand side of this page are “Quick Hits,” click on “Guides and Pamphlets”. You can choose from 16 pamphlets to download or print at no charge.  There are Tips, Checklists and how to handle problems with contractors, etc.  These “Guides and Pamphlets” are very helpful for anyone who is contemplating a simple repair or a complete renovation of a home.

Bookmark both links as an easy way to reference the information as you need it.

An experienced licensed Masonry contractor can create a plan that establishes the ideal location of the outdoor kitchen by combining the client’s preferences and the current building codes requirements to come up with a design that is convenient to all indoor and outdoor activities. They will also advise homeowners on establishing lines for water, electricity, gas, and drainage along with samples of construction materials catering to the client’s preferences, consistent with the overall design. The goal is to convert part of your backyard design to an outdoor kitchen that is aesthetically pleasing, fully functional and will last for decades.

For examples of outdoor kitchens designed and constructed by Boston Brick & Stone, a licensed General Contractor specializing in Masonry check out the gallery on our website www.bostonbrick.com.

1.  To prevent mold on your patio, don’t water it.

2.   Being green has more to do with knowing how to care for the plants you    like.

3.   Set the BBQ so that the smoke does not blow over the outdoor dinning area.

4.    Dead heading flowers encourages new flowering growth.

5.     Before planting in an attached planter, make sure it is lined with a moisture barrier.

6.      Out door Fireplaces should be 10 feet from any building.

7.      Dead heading does not necessarily mean you are a fan of the Grateful Dead.

8.       Outdoor fireplaces must be a minimum of 5 feet from the property line in most municipalities.

9.        Rain water run off is the #1 cause of settling cracks and other damage.

10.     Over watering near the house is the #2 cause of settling cracks and other damage.

11.      Outdoor fireplaces can be attached to the building as long as the chimney is 2 feet higher than any structure within 10 feet.

12.              Fire pits cannot be constructed on a combustible material, such as a wood deck.

13.       Outdoor fireplaces must be 2 feet higher than any building within a 10′ radius.

14.      Fire pits should be constructed based upon sound masonry principles.

15.      BBQ set conveniently to the Kitchen without attention to the direction the smoke is blowing is a common mistake.

16.     Smokey BBQ’s are not conducive to fun outdoor parties.

17.     Root bound to a plant is the same as very tight shoes on a human.

18.      Set the BBQ so that the smoke does not go into the house.

19.       Going green means doing a better job of maintaining your entire yard, not giving up the plants you love.

20.       An outdoor Fireplace set under a canopy of trees can cause a smoky environment.

21.        When planning an outdoor kitchen, determine the location of gas, water, electricity and drainage before breaking ground.

22.       If you don’t have a lot of dirt use pots.

23.       Outdoor kitchens expand the living area of your home.

24.       Add Ladybugs to the garden to fight white flies and aphids.

25.      Lighten the watering load in pots by filling a 1/3 of the way with packing peanuts, and then add soil and plants.

26.       Water in the evening after the sun goes down to lessen evaporation.

27.     Add heavy mulch to beds to keep soil moist for longer periods between watering.

28.     Take advantage of Southern California’s 9 months of perfect weather, expand your home with an outdoor patio.

29.    Outdoor potted plants may need more water than their friends in the ground.

30.    Take advantage of companion planting to keep pests at bay.  www.companionplanting.net.

I have been surveying many of you over the past few weeks and you have told me you have concerns about our pricing.  I took these comments to the owner of Boston Brick & Stone.  He has reviewed all of our pricing and adjusted our prices for repairs and rebuilds.  Our pricing is now very competitive.  We do use cutting edge technology in full compliance with the current building codes.  Our inspections and estimates reflect the in-depth research our chimney experts continue to conduct.  Because of their findings we have been able to save chimneys that even last year would have had to be rebuilt.

I know some of you are still skeptical.  OK here is my proposal.  If you get an inspection and estimate from Boston Brick & Stone you do not agree with, call me direct.    If you get a bid for different work at a lower price from one of our competitors, call me.  In either case, I will pull the information and take it up with the technical team.  I’ll make sure you get a complete and accurate assessment quickly.

Your deal is very important to us.  Our goal is to get your client a safe, functional fireplace in their future home.

The most common chimney damper is a movable plate that sits above the fireplace before the flue pipe. Pulling the lever toward you opens most dampers.  When the damper is closed it helps keep heated air from going up the chimney and wind from blowing ashes all over.  Many older homes in the Los Angeles area do not have dampers.  In these cases the most cost effective solution is a top mounted damper that is part of the chimney cap.

It means you have a fireplace and chimney made of bricks or blocks with a clay tile pipe (a masonry chimney).  The clay tile pipes are between 12 and 24 inches high. They are usually oval in California; however different architectural designs may dictate a different shape.  The tiles that form the pipe are stacked one on top of the other.  They are sealed together with mortar.

Over the life of chimney and flue pipe, creosote and rain water combine creating an acid that eats away the mortar between the tiles causing “Gaps and Voids” in the joints.  As the fireplace is used, the smoke, heat, ash, sparks and gases move up the flue pipe exiting the first opening of least resistance which is supposed to be at the top of the chimney.  But gaps and voids make it possible for the heat, smoke, ash and poisonous gasses to escape through the gaps and voids into your home.  That is why gaps and voids are a fire and health hazard.

There are solutions.  The best Boston Brick & Stone has found for flue repair is Fireguard.  Check out this link:  www.firesafeinc.com/firegaurdgallery.html

I mentioned to the founder of Boston Brick & Stone, Don Hall that one of our customers was very happy with the work we completed. We had saved her chimney and cost her half what our competition was charging.  Don smiled and said that’s because Dave Laverdiere (the owner) has a strong working knowledge of the fundamentals of chimney structure and understands the building codes. This makes it possible to come up with solutions that meet both structural and code requirements and get the customer a safe functional chimney at a much lower price.

Thinking outside a very well understood box, that’s what sets Boston Brick & Stone apart from our competition.

Remember third grade science?  There are three things necessary to start a fire; fuel, oxygen and a source of ignition (heat).  When these combine a chain reaction occurs and fire is created.

In a fireplace, the fuel is the wood; the ignition is from either a lighted wad of newspaper or a log lighter and the oxygen comes from the surrounding air.  So why doesn’t it always work?  The trick is the correct balanced combination of the three necessary factors to start and keep a fire going.  It takes practice and patience but there are other factors that can suppress the chain reaction that makes a fire in an indoor fireplace.

If you are sure you have all the elements for a great fire, but all you’ve got is smoke, check out Dave Laverdiere’s article “Fireplace Drafting: What Affects the Draft” at

www.bostonbrick.com