“We can fit you in 8 weeks from today.” WHAT?? Don’t want to hear those dreaded words this fall and holiday season? July and August are the slowest months for many services. But as soon as kids go back to school then BOOM! everyone wants to get stuff done. Be smart and plan ahead right now. Pull out your calendar and pick up the phone. (The Wills Company Handymen offers 24-hour service and we’re always here for you no matter the date. Book ahead for your own peace of mind and that great feeling of checking something off your list.)
7 THINGS TO BOOK NOW (+ 9 Bonus Ideas to get you really organized for the rest of the year)!
Christmas Lights – Yes, really. The Wills Company makes sure your house is the spiffiest on the block every season. No tangled lights and scary ladders to deal with. Call us at (615) 352-1228 and when the time is right, our Wills Company elves will have you Martha Stewart-ready (or Clark Griswold if that’s what you want) for the holiday season.
While You’re At It: Order your holiday cards and have a family photo taken while you’re sporting a summer sun tan. No sending cards December 26th for you!
HVAC Check Up – Do the words “Heatwave” and “Polar Vortex” motivate you? Have a whole system HVAC check up now for your air conditioner AND heating.
While You’re At It: Change all the air-conditioner filters today.
Gutter and Window Washing – For the life of your roof, gutters should be cleaned more than once a year and not just after all the leaves are off the trees. Don’t spend another fall weekend on a scary ladder.
While You’re At It: Schedule your windows washed at the same time. Have screens washed and stored away for maximum sunlight this winter.
Paint and Wallpaper – There is nothing that gives your home a bigger bang for the buck like a fresh coat of paint. We have great, reliable, professional, clean, considerate painters for your every need. Call or email us to schedule.
While You’re At It: Wallpaper is IN IN IN. Try one wall or a small space if you’re timid. Read “Wallpaper a Small Space for Maximum Impact” from StyleBlueprint.com for more ideas.
Floors and Rugs – Getting your floors polished or completely redone is a smart investment for your home and one you’ll enjoy everyday. Carpet should be cleaned yearly.
While You’re At It: Send the throw rugs off to get cleaned too and order all new pads for under them.
Chimney Cleaned – This is a serious safety issue so don’t brush it off. We have a great chimney sweep service. So great, in fact, they will be booked SOLID by October so call or email us today.
While You’re At It: Order firewood from a reliable firewood provider (we have sources for you). Have it delivered and stacked away from any structures to reduce insect invasion. Stacking wood properly is an art as much as a science. Stacking tips here.
Lawn Renovation – Look around your neighborhood today. The guy whose lawn looks the best is the guy who over-seeded, aerated and fertilized last fall. Trust us. Mid September is the right time to get this done, giving your lawn enough time to set the seeds before all the leaves fall off the trees.
While You’re At It: Order daffodil bulbs. Mid September is the best time to plant!
Bonus Ideas for a little TLC and Motivation to Get Things Done!
Doctor Appointments – You probably have the kids back to school check ups taken care of but what about yours? The best doctors have 4-6 week waiting periods for openings so take care of yourself today and make your appointment before the end of year rush.
While You’re At It: Book the pets their vet check ups too.
Dinner Reservations! – Nashville is THE hottest food city in the USA with great new restaurants opening every month! Book some Date Nights now to reward yourself for all your smart planning and organization!Nashville Originals “RESTAURANT WEEK” is August 18 – 24 with special menu items and deals. See all the locally-owned restaurants participating here.
“What if we left Manhattan? What if the kids could grow up in an actual house? What if we decided on Nashville?”
Finding yourself at the “turn” of summer in need of some pool-side reading? The latest July/August 2014 issue of Elle Decor magazine will inspire you! “Heading South”, written by Julia Reed with photography by William Waldron, features a re-design and remodel that The Wills Company is particularly proud of. Grab a glass of sweet tea and enjoy. Want more photos of this project? Click here.
“When Jon and Keith Meacham move their family from Manhattan to Nashville, they can’t help bringing a bit of urban panache.” – Elle Decor, July/August 2014
“For Southern natives Keith and Jon Meacham, the idea of moving their family from Manhattan to Nashville suddenly becomes a reality when they discovered the perfect house…The fact that the house needed work was OK, too…there was time to finesse the details of the move and plot a thoughtful renovation. On the ground in Nashville, that meant hiring architect Ridley Wills. Wills is from Nashville and had known the Belle Meade house growing up.”
“Since Jon, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and executive vice president at Random House, had decreed early on that there would be no additions to the footprint, the first order of business was to get maximum functionality from each room.”
“The result is a charming collection of distinct rooms that flow easily and are constantly put to maximum use.”
“The sunroom off the living room was transformed into a library and office for Jon.”
“To create the large kitchen Keith had forever dreamed of, Wills stole space from the formerly grand dining room. The new round dining room can still seat a dozen, while the kitchen is now the bustling center of family life.”
“The kitchen, filled with books and dogs, children and drop-in visitors, is the gathering spot that all had hoped for.”
“Best of all, the house’s inhabitants are thriving in their adopted city- and there’s plenty of grass right outside the door.”
I can’t remember life without Vandy sports. Honestly I can’t. From the age of 4, maybe earlier, I started going to Vanderbilt basketball and football games. And when I was 5 years old I went to my first Vanderbilt bowl game, the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. I haven’t missed a bowl game in my lifetime (which up until the last several years was fairly easy to achieve). Naturally, when it was time to go “off” to college, I chose to go a few miles down West End to my beloved Vanderbilt. During that time, I had to endure some fairly “tough” seasons as a sports fan but like most Vandy faithful, nothing could shake my spirit.
Thankfully since my graduation Vanderbilt made a drastic shift in thinking and decided to become excellent in athletics. It is safe to say that they are moving in the right direction.
Part of that decision to become excellent involved hiring and retaining Tim Corbin. My first son was born right about the time that he was hired. And for some reason my son has loved baseball since he was 4 years old. As any parent can attest, we fall in love with things our children love. In his lifetime, Vanderbilt Baseball has been pretty easy to love. Not only do we have season tickets, my eldest son has been a bat boy for the last 2 years. So it is not an exaggeration to say that we remain “all in” with Vandy and specifically the 2014 baseball team.
Back to Omaha… When Vanderbilt reached the final series, my family’s attendance wasn’t optional. When your team is on the brink of a National Championship is not the time the time to re-think your allegiance! So it was set, the Harmers were going to Omaha for games 2 and 3 of the CWS finals. And while our whole family had “too much” going on, we anchored down and headed to Omaha. And what a wonderful decision we made. Game 3 was the best baseball game I have ever seen live or otherwise and easily the most electric sporting event that I have attended. To put it in perspective; my youngest son (seven), who can’t sit still long enough to finish a sentence, sat on the edge of his seat for the entire game and cheered every pitch, every play for nearly 4 hours! And he wasn’t alone. We were among generations of alumnae and fans who were all doing the same thing. And no one stopped watching, no one stopped cheering. There were hugs and high-fives every few seconds for 4 hours. Every time we got out of a jamb, made a big play, or simply got a routine out; the energy level climbed.
And then it happened… John Norwood turned on a 97 mph fastball that was high and inside to complete one of the biggest plays in the history of Vanderbilt Athletics, only the third home-run of the 2014 CWS, and Vandy’s first homer since May! But before we had gotten through all of our hugging and high-fives, Virginia had the bases loaded with 1 out. Talk about tension, energy, excitement, you name it we had it. But like they had done for the entire tournament, Vandy stayed focused on their mission and got out of the inning. Now they we were 3 outs away from history! Before I knew it fireworks were flying and black and gold glitter was being pumped to the sky by glitter machines that are reserved only for Champions. That’s right! Black and gold glitter was being pumped into the air to honor our National Championship winning baseball team. I still can’t close my eyes without seeing that scene play out. The celebration lasted ‘til nearly midnight. It was truly an unforgettable experience.
So as my wife and I began our trip home in the dark hours of the morning, shortly after the game, with the kids sleeping comfortably behind us; I quietly asked her what she had planned for my birthday that day. We both laughed. I can’t imagine a better birthday present for an old die-hard Vandy fan like me!
The Wills Company co-owners Wendell Harmer and Ridley Wills, each proud alums of the finalists in the 2014 College World Series: Vanderbilt and University of Virginia, put a little BET on the final championship game.
One of the best gifts you can give yourself is your weekend back. I should know because I gave this to myself last year for Father’s Day.
A few years ago The Wills Company realized that our clients were calling us with the same maintenance requests year after year. At first, we would simply handle them on a case by case basis. But we were noticing that many maintenance requests came in for critical issues that really could have been preventable had they been taken care of earlier – roof damage because of overflowing gutters, HVAC problems that a monthly quick-check could have detected earlier, dry rot around windowsills, basement mold. Big, ugly, EXPENSIVE stuff. So we decided to get proactive, to partner with our clients and determine what their houses needed and how to stay ahead of the curveballs that their homes were throwing at them and stealing their weekends away. (Forgive me for the baseball metaphor. I’m a little excited about my Vanderbilt ‘Dores going to the College World Series next week. Anchor Down!) What we came up with is The Wills Company Handyman Maintenance Program that is timely, precise, professional and efficient.
Here’s how it works: The Wills Company schedules a handyman visit to my home each month for the entire year. It happens like clockwork, and I don’t have to keep track of it anymore. The visits include; spring and fall tune-ups of my HVAC system and monthly replacement of my air filters. (How many times did you change yours this year? If it is less than monthly, you are increasing operating costs and reducing the life of your equipment.) My gutters get cleaned six times per year (we have a lot of trees), which will greatly increase the life and performance of my foundation drainage system. I love not having to get up on the ladder to clean them myself. Our home’s entire roof is inspected once a year and any minor issue is addressed before it becomes too big. Every month the exterior lights are checked and the bulbs are replaced, if needed. (Did I mention I don’t have to think about it?) In addition, all of the exposed wood on the exterior of our house is thoroughly inspected annually.
Our windows are washed once a year as well and we don’t have to lift a finger. The ductwork in the crawl-space and attic is inspected and sealed every year. Our water heater is properly maintained; and, last but not least, every month my wife and I get an email alerting us of our Wills Company Handyman’snext visit.
Can you imagine if your car dealership came to your house to care for your car at all the right times? That’s what The Wills Company is doing for our client’s and for me too…..and for my family because now I get to spend weekends with THEM instead of crawling around on ladders and running to Home Depot.
What a great Father’s Day gift! Want your weekends back? Give us a call to schedule a Handyman Maintenance Plan evaluation (615) 352-1228.
Wendell Harmer, co-owner and general manager of The Wills Company, is a native Nashvillian with over 20 years experience in the construction industry. He attended Montgomery Bell Academy and Vanderbilt University. Wendell and his wife, Wiff, have two boys and they love having their family weekends back!
Feel to contact Wendell at (615) 352-1228 or email him at [email protected].
Bringing the outdoors in and having a reason to commune with nature is good for your well being. According to studies, having abundant natural light in the home as well as looking out at gardens and nature is proven to elevate mood levels, give a sense of calm and even aid in healing and weight loss!
There are many ways to experience our natural surroundings. It can begin with a rethink of your INDOOR living space. The Wills Company in Nashville, Tennessee, recently added full length windows along the entire back and two side walls of a house that resulted in a beautiful light-filled view of the family’s wooded backyard. Maybe your house could be renewed with a screen porch, patio or skylights to letsun shine in and bring the benefits of light indoors?
You don’t need a large space and you don’t even have to like gardening to make good use of the outdoors. Bigger isn’t necessarily better. In fact, there’s no space too small for an outdoor oasis. (Speaking of oasis, how about an outdoor shower?) “We’ve built outdoor living areas in spaces so tight you’d never think you could do anything with them.” said Ridley Wills, design director at The Wills Company. The addition of a “splash” pool can transform a house and make every day a vacation. Even a smaller water feature such as a koi pond or fountain with softly running water can give that sense of serenity and tranquility.
As to outdoor features, Wills stresses the importance of emotional connections. One of the most frequently requested outdoor elements is a fireplace. In temperate climates, like Nashville, outdoor fireplaces are enjoyed almost year round and are symbolic of hospitality and a natural gathering place. Think about an outdoor dining area for entertaining friends or enjoying Sunday morning coffee and newspaper with the family. Or a swimming pool to enjoy having the neighbors or the grandchildren for a splash on a hot summer day. All of these outdoor improvements carry the promise of togetherness and happy memories.
Whether it’s a sun room, screened porch, covered patio, pool or pond, features in your home that bring you closer to the outdoors are more than just the sum of their parts. Are you longing to bring the outdoors IN this year?
Why not rethink your space this summer? The Wills Company is unique because we offer a complete solution for you. We handle all aspects of the renovation process, from beautiful design to expert execution. We understand how all the pieces fit together so you don’t have to. Give us a call at (615) 352-1228. We’d love to discuss your hopes and dreams for your home.
The Wills Company is an award-winning design, remodeling and handyman firm located in Nashville, Tennessee. Our residential projects range from whole house remodels to small repairs and updates.
