Well, the boss calls it a bubble bath…

A unique solution, from your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

…as you’ll see from this video. Officially, it’s an outdoor spa and bath tub, and in this case, there was a tiny problem. Literally so. The access panel was too small to allow the owners proper access to the internal workings. This is the kind of task that many companies aren’t interested in as a job. It’s also an example of not really finishing a project off properly; here at Grueter Construction we pride ourselves on an A-Z approach, making sure everything than can and should be done for a project is properly and professionally completed before we sign off on it.

Often the solution is simple and takes only a little time to effect. Here for example, we carried out work which could be titled ‘Providing a bigger entrance’ – because that’s just what we did. A larger door, with proper flashing around it, and magnetic catches to keep it in place, allowed the owners to access the plug, plumbing and motor for any maintenance work.

Incidentally, after you’ve watched the video, if you check out our earlier blog: ‘One soaked fence, one protective hat – problem solved’, you’ll find a second video highlighting another piece of innovative thinking that was of great value to the same client.

Here at Grueter Construction, we all love coming up with workable answers to problems in or around the home. So, if there’s something you need, whether a large project or small solution, take a moment to call us on 626-798-9525. And if you hear a whirring sound, it will either be the team hard at work on our equipment, or our brains considering the possibilities!

Truly an ace in any deck

All about lifetime decks, from your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

We’re not playing cards here, but we are talking about an important deck. It’s the one at your home, the place where so much of family life, and the entertaining of friends, is carried out. If you’ve ever noticed a deck that seems to have seen better days, it’s not usually an attractive sight. Whether faded or marked, damaged or unkempt, it doesn’t make you want to spend much time there – and certainly not have young kids crawling around on it.

Here at Grueter Construction, we offer a lifetime decking option. It’s one that should need no more than a coat of paint from time to time to keep it looking good and fully functional. It manages to fight off everything from high heels to foul weather, it doesn’t attract or reflect the heat on those warm Californian days, and is as impervious to water as a speedboat or surfboard. It’s also simple to repair if damaged by an unlikely event, such as falling space debris or a stray entrant from the county ax-throwing championships!

This terrific product is available in a wide range of finishes and colors, to best match the style and ambiance of your property. Installing it, the Grueter team follow a simple five-step process – and you can learn all about it by taking just over two minutes out of your busy day or quiet evening to enjoy this video.

Then, if you’d like to find out even more about how to add this decking to your property, call us on 626-798-9525 for an obligation-free discussion.

Where do you scratch your back?

No job is too custom or innovative for your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

We don’t mean high up or low down, to the left or right. We’re talking geographical location here. Joe, here at Grueter Construction, already has a handy and home-made back scratcher available when needed in his office, and naturally, another at home for those relaxing scratches. But what to do when he was on the move?

A serious problem you might think – but check out our latest video and see how easily he solved it. We should warn you; this is the guy who, as a kid, performed a range of wooden construction projects on his own Stingray bike! He calls himself a ‘hands-on contractor’ and you’ll soon recognize that this was a form of behavior which certainly began in childhood.

Now, all this might seem a touch whimsical, because it is. But there’s also a serious point behind it. All the team here at Grueter Construction love to come up against a challenge – and it doesn’t matter whether it’s big or small, commonplace or back and head scratchingly unusual. You could say that this company is wood-based solutionists, but that sounds like the kind of act that would put on a show in nightclubs!

Anyway, do please watch the video, and if it leads you to think of a part of your life where skilled wood craftsmen could help you make a difference, the simple first step is to call our friendly and ready-to-help team. The number to call is 626-798-9525; you know all our team can never forget it – you could almost say it’s ingrained in their consciousness…
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No shelf too small or quirky!

No job is too small for your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

OK – that may not be the best suggestion if we were looking for a new business slogan, but it does tell you something of what we are about here at Grueter Construction. Yes, we’re lucky enough to be asked to be part of major home reconstruction projects across the state from our base here in Altadena. But, you know, like golfers who target the majors, but truly enjoy playing in some of the less high-profile tournaments as well, our team just love it when we are asked to undertake a small job that gives us the chance to do something unique.

This video shows a great example. Our client had asked for a truly eclectic shelf design for their home, and our brilliant cabinet maker, Robert Romero, went to work to produce this truly beautifully-crafted shelf and corbels result. He chose cherry wood for its close grain, and porous properties, making it really receptive to staining, and then easier to keep clean compared to some wide-pore alternative woods such as oak.

Please take a moment or two to have a look for yourself; the story is told in this short video. After you’ve viewed it, and remembering that we just love the small jobs that other companies may turn away from, call Grueter Construction on 626-798-9525 and simply tell us what you are looking for. Joe Grueter has more than 35 years’ experience in all forms of carpentry, and he just loves to get his head round those ‘different’ jobs!

Mullions, muntins and perfectly framed!

Perfectly framed, by your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

Great craft words these are – we’ll talk more about them shortly, and you’ll see a full explanation in this terrific video. It’s a prime example of the efforts we always make to match the style and substance in your home.

We have a terrific and dedicated team here at Grueter Construction, and when you watch this video you’ll meet one of them, and appreciate the extra efforts we make to get end results that are just what our client is looking for.

In this case, we are working to restore the eves on the first and second floors of a craftsman home down on California Boulevard. The sample you’ll see was created in-house simply because it’s difficult to find an exact match to the wood sash sticking style or coping that was used in older homes.

Therefore we created a sample for the client, who really loved it. Using this as a basis for crafting the doors themselves, this sample is available for you to view when you visit us here at Grueter Construction. Where we can, we work with and support local door companies; if they don’t stock exactly what we need, as in this case, then we craft it ourselves.

Now, as promised, a few words about a couple of terms we use: mullions and muntins. These are ways of dividing up the glass in your door into the style you wish. If you watch the video now, you’ll see an example.

After watching it, if you feel Grueter Construction could be of assistance in remodeling your home, or it’s raised any questions in your mind, please call our friendly experts on 626-798-9525.

One soaked fence, one protective hat – problem solved

Custom fence solutions, from your friendly Pasadena neighborhood construction company

Sometimes, what can seem like an insoluble problem can have a fairly easy and extremely cost-effective fix. This turned out to be the case when a customer contacted our team here at Grueter Construction about the beautiful redwood fence on their property.

The problem was that, when it rained, the water was working its way into the wood. The result was that their magnificent custom fence had turned a touch dishevelled – just like you might if you were frequently left to stand out in the rain!

The customer’s initial worry was that a whole new fence would need to be put in place, and that’s certainly not an inexpensive course of action. Which is where the ‘hat’ comes in – just as it would for you if you were heading out into a rainy day.

In this case, the ‘hat’ was a sheet metal cap along the top of the entire length of their fence. This then directs the majority of the rainwater away from the fence and straight onto the ground. Of course, it will still get hit by some rain on windy or stormy days, but with many less extensive soakings than before.

Hat in place, it was time to apply the ‘makeup’. In this case we gave the beautiful redwood a thorough painting and it looked almost like a new custom fence again! It’s now good to go into its second lease of life and should stand proud for years to come.

You can see for yourself in this video; and if Grueter Construction might help you with a similar problem, just give us a call on 626-798-9525.