P NORTHJERSEY.COM | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | 1H
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE RECORD
Homescape
INTERIOR DESIGN ❚ HOME IMPROVEMENT
GREENER FASTER
Designed For Living:
You can have it all at home
in the backyard.
3H
All together now:
A new look at
multigenerational
family living space
The pros and cons of
accessory dwelling units
BY DONNA ROLANDO
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
PHOTO COURTESY OF WELCOMIA/GETTY IMAGES
Soil preparation and grading of the ground surface are important first steps to installing sod, which should be done on
the day it is purchased or delivered. Each roll of sod weighs about 25 to 30 lbs., requiring a certain amount of strength
to comfortably handle and move. Depending on the size of the lawn area, professional installation may be advisable.
Sod alternative to seed
creates same-day lush lawn
Eliminates hit or miss results of growing grass
By TERI GATTO
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
Gardening is a lot of work,
but it is also fun and satisfying.
The benefits reaped are
priceless: blooming flowers,
thriving bushes, budding trees and
flourishing wildlife. And while lawn
maintenance may not be the sexiest
aspect of gardening, a poorly maintained
lawn will detract from the
most beautiful of gardens and outdoor
living spaces.
Let’s take stock. Are the weeds
taking over your lawn? Does the grass
look lifeless? Are there dirt patches?
Reseeding can mitigate some of
these problems, but it will take about
six months to transform an anemic
lawn into a lush grassy space. And
even then, there is little guarantee
that the weeds will not slowly creep
back again.
Installing sod, however, can give
you a perfect lawn in one day — a lawn
that is easier to maintain and that will
thrive for years to come.
WHAT IS SOD?
According to Kelsey Lain Gurda of
Pine Island Turf Nursery, Pine Island,
NY, sod is simply an established lawn
that has been cut into strips and rolled
for easy transportation and installation.
“It takes us at least 18 months to
CATLANE/GETTY IMAGES
Thorough and daily watering are
vital to restablish the root system of
a sod lawn. Using a sprinkler system
is recommended for large lawns.
grow a lush lawn,” explains Gurda.
“Once the lawn is established, our
harvester machines that are equipped
with sharp blades, slice the sod roots
under the thatch layer. The roots
must be strong enough to hold the
sod together; if the grass is too young
it will fall apart when we try to pick it
up to roll it.”
Sod is available in different types
of grass, depending on the part of the
country you live in.
“There are Southern grasses that
do much better in Florida for example;
we don’t grow those types here in the
Northeast,” Gurda adds. “The most
popular sod varieties in our region are
grade A bluegrass and tall fescue.”
Growing a lawn from seed is hard
work, time consuming, and often hit
or miss. There are no guarantees
that after sowing the seeds, fertilizing,
watering, and mowing you will have
a lawn that is thick, healthy and weedfree.
“When you sod your lawn, you
can go from bare dirt in the morning
to a full lush lawn — no dirt, no mud
— and your back yard is ready to go,”
says Gurda.
A roll of sod can cost between
28 to 45 cents a square foot depending
on the type of grass you select.
Professional installation can run $1 -
$2 per square foot. Grading and tilling
the area prior to the installation of the
sod is extra.
In addition to providing you with
an instant lawn, sod also helps with
erosion. “The layer of sod prevents
soil from washing away during heavy
See INSTALLING SOD, Page 4H
Get your pool season off to a swimming start
By FRAN J. DONEGAN
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
Whether it be hosing off the patio
furniture, cleaning the BBQ grill
or getting the garden in shape,
most homeowners have rites
of spring that they perform every year.
For some, there is no more important chore
than getting the swimming pool open and
ready for the upcoming season.
OPENING ACTS
If you are an owner of an in-ground
pool or even a large aboveground pool, it’s
wise to have a professional pool service
company open the pool at the start of the
season. (A service company should also
close the pool in the fall.) Even if you plan
on doing the day-to-day maintenance yourself,
a service company will do the steps
that get the season off to a good start. Just
removing the cover, especially one that
is held in place by anchors installed in the
concrete deck around the pool, is best left
to the pros.
Besides removing the cover, a service
company may remove the plugs in the
skimmers, hook up the pumps, filters and
other equipment, such as heaters. They will
make sure everything is running smoothly
with no leaks. Some companies may install
ladders, slides and the like. Most will apply
a dose of pool opening chemicals. Whatever
PHOTO COURTESY OF PHOTOSVIT/GETTY IMAGES
Pool service companies are especially busy opening and servicing pools this year
for homeowners, many of whom expect to be spending a lot more time in their backyards
this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
the routine is for pools applies to adjoining
spas, as well.
It is important to understand which tasks
the service company will perform because
every company operates differently. Many
companies that specialize in openings also
do equipment and vinyl liner repairs and
installation, but some don’t handle chores
like vacuuming the pool. “We do five to
seven openings a day and each can take
two, sometimes three hours if there is an
issue,” says Angelee Lockhart of Amundsen
Many Americans are embracing home life as
never before. Rather than serving as simply a
pitstop, home is taking on an expanded role as an
office, school, exercise studio, and more. But could
home life get a little sweeter with more family connections?
As homeowners embark on a new normal for their
post-coronavirus lives, their plans could very well include
keeping older family members close by with the creation
of a multigenerational space.
One way to achieve multigenerational living for
grandparents, parents, or perhaps adult children is with
an accessory dwelling unit. These units are designed to
give loved ones a connection to family while retaining their
independence. Just like a separate apartment, they have
their own entrance, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living
space, yet are close enough to family for pizza night and
an occasional helping hand. Although accessory dwelling
units do not abound in North Jersey, concerns about
nursing homes during the pandemic have the potential
to pump up their popularity. Is an accessory suite in your
family’s future?
“More and more families
are considering staying
in their homes longer and
having multiple generations
of family members
live together. This way
they can be with their
loved ones for a much
longer time and care for
them,” says David Caputo,
president of the North
Jersey Chapter of the
National Association of the
Remodeling Industry.
Charles Oppler, broker/owner
of Prominent
Properties Sotheby’s
JUPITER/GETTY IMAGES
International Realty, also
This stacked washer/dryer,
sees the definition of home
concealed in a closet, saves
life as evolving. “It’s a place
space in an accessory dwelling
unit for a family member.
to have dinner, teach your
kids, a place where you’re
working every day, and from a safety standpoint, you
want as much of your family as you can at home,” he says.
Whether that will translate into more accessory dwelling
units or just a quick fix like utilizing the guest bedroom,
remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say the world situation
is giving empty nesters food for thought.
“Those people who are downsizing are thinking twice
about it. They want to have space for parents or children,”
says Oppler, who is also president-elect of the National
Association of Realtors.
Oppler notes that an accessory dwelling unit is not
something you do to increase your home’s resale value,
although it may reduce the number of days on the market.
So, think about family needs first.
There are several different ways to create an accessory
unit — everything from converting a basement or garage
to a full-blown addition. Deciding the best course for your
family will take reflection on your needs and your budget.
See MULTIGENERATIONAL, Page 2H
& Riley Pool Services in Riverdale, NJ.
“Once the pool is up and running, it can
take hours to clean it.”
A typical opening will cost $250 to $350,
depending on the service. Service companies
will usually handle filter and pump
maintenance, such as backwashing sand
filters and rinsing other types of filters,
as well as vacuuming the pool for an extra
charge.
WATER TESTING
Testing the water will get it off to a
good start because the tests let you know
if the components in the water are balanced.
Balanced pool water is pleasant to
the touch, and it helps chemicals, such as
chlorine and algaecides, work effectively.
Unbalanced water can sting the eyes of
swimmers, and it can harm pool equipment
and vinyl liners.
Some pool service companies operate
retail stores and have the facilities to test
pool water. It’s best to wait until the pool’s
pump and filter have been running for
24 to 48 hours before testing. “Over the
winter, the water kind of separates into
layers, so the first four to six inches will be
more acidic than the rest of the pool,” says
Lockhart. For accuracy, test the water once
it is circulating.
When you have the test results, the pool
See POOLS, Page 2H