Whether you call it Xeriscape, Dryscape, Desertscape or something else, Drought Tolerant Landscaping has become far more popular recently in Southern California. It has become far more common to see that your neighbors have removed their water guzzling front lawn opting instead for their curb appeal to be derived from a low maintenance lawn alternative. A beautiful, virtually maintenance free curb appeal can now be realized with a well designed drought tolerant landscape and we understand why this type of curb appeal is so...appealing!

Our company, JNR Home Improvements believes the popularity of desert landscaping stems from a combination of the desire each of us has for a beautiful home and the lack of time most of us have to maintain one. Yes, a drought tolerant yard saves water but, we feel it is equally important that it saves time. Time that is so tough to find in today's busy world. Our company helps you take back the time you would have spent on maintenance giving you more time for the important things. One of our core tenants include enriching the lives of both client and employee and we believe that has led to JNR Home Improvements being routinely recognized for our amazing, low maintenance, time saving, outdoor living spaces. Our company has received accolades and awards from online websites as well as local newspapers for both design and service.

We truly believe that a well designed, professionally installed, low maintenance outdoor living space that includes desert landscape or virtually maintenance free artificial turf improves our clients lifestyles. This type of design makes a home stand out amongst a sea of partially yellow, unkempt lawns that line the street in most neighborhoods. The difference this type of style makes, when done by a pro, is tremendous.  

 Our clients feel a sense of pride and relief coming home from work or their children's soccer practice to see a yard that makes their home look more like a dream than a to-do list. This sense of pride swells once you realize you're not paying a gardener to maintain it each week or, better yet, knowing you won't have to spend your only day off fighting to start a lawn mower before sweating as you cut the grass instead of watching the game. Our extensive list of happy desert landscaping clients know their yard will look just as beautiful even though they haven't worked on it all month. This time saving aspect should be enough but wait, there's more! 

 Most homes in the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita use as much as 70% of their monthly water on outdoor landscaping. Once an incredibly efficient drip irrigation system is installed or the sprinkler system is eliminated completely, depending on how far you go with your low maintenance design, the difference in your water bill will be immediately noticeable.

 The bottom line is this. Desert landscaping, when done right, can be beautiful. A well done drought friendly landscape design and installation adds value to the home, saves precious time, saves water, meets watering restrictions and can make your home the neighborhood envy. 

 With incredible financing options available, a monthly payments that are often lower than current water and maintenance costs, it is a no brainer. Your budget benefits, the whole family benefits. Desert landscaping is a win-win and that is why it has become so popular. 

 JNR Home Improvements was voted the best landscaping company in the Antelope Valley by readers of the AV Press. Call us NOW to find out how we can help you.
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You're considering a patio cover to define your outdoor space and make it more usable but unsure of the best material choice. JNR Home Improvements would like to help you make an informed decision.
This is how wooden and aluminum patio covers compare in the areas that make the most impact on buying decisions.

Appearance:

• Wooden patio covers and Aluminum Patio Covers can each feature a beautiful wood grain. A wooden cover will, of course feature that naturally while an Alumawood style patio cover has that wood grain embossed into the metal. 
• Wooden covers typically require "knee bracing" for additional support. This bracing is the "Y" shaped corner braces at the top of each post, often creating a cluttered look and a possible hazard if a taller guest happens to walk beneath the end of the patio where these bracing happen to be just above eye level. Aluminum patio covers do not require knee bracing, eliminating the clutter, resulting in a very clean appearance.
• An aluminum patio cover will never have a warped beam, splits or cracks. Wooden covers often look much older than they actually are after they have "settled". Unfortunately, wooden patios are typically built with "wet" lumber containing a moisture content of up to 30%. As this material dries, it shrinks, often causing your new patio cover to warp, split and even crack. 
• Once built, an aluminum patio cover will maintain its appearance and integrity for decades without ever splitting or warping. While a wooden cover may look nice immediately after construction, it is very unlikely that it will look as good after only one year.
• Design customization is possible with either type of construction to varying degrees. 

Maintenance:

• Aluminum patio covers require virtually no maintenance at all. An occasional rinse is about all you'll ever need to do.
• Wooden covers, as mentioned above, will move quite a bit in the first year as the building materials dry. It is not uncommon for a few elements to need replacement after they have properly settled. Very often, the heavier beams used for the header will twist and split in this timeframe causing some costly repairs fairly quickly. This is typically not covered by a builders warranty.
• If a new wood cover is painted, it will need to be touched up, at a minimum, one year after construction due to settling. 
• Painted or stained wood patios will need a fresh coat every few years to keep them looking nice as well as to ward off decay and degradation due to the elements.
• Wood is an organic material and also requires a yearly inspection for termites and rot. 
• Wooden patio covers will need to be re-roofed every five to ten years.
• Aluminum patio covers win the maintenance aspect hands down. There is practically no maintenance required at all.

Function:
Most patio covers main function is to provide shade and define the space. While both wood and aluminum patios or pergola can do this, there are some distinct differences.

• Insulated aluminum patio covers can provide a measurably cooler shade than any other type of construction including, of course, wood. With three to six inches of expanded polystyrene insulation in an aluminum insulated cover, heat simply cannot transfer through onto the patio beneath. This is most noticeable in areas with full sun exposure. 
• Lattice covers can be customized to provide as much, or as little shade as desired and are available in both materials. With a lattice cover, however, maintenance becomes a much more important factor as repainting small wooden slats can prove extremely tedious.
• In most cases, aluminum patio covers can be attached directly to an existing concrete slab compared to wooden construction that would require the concrete to be saw cut for footings leaving unsightly cuts and patching .
• Both aluminum and wooden patio coverings can be engineered to accommodate for high winds and snow loads.
• Aluminum awnings and patio covers can provide a class A fire rating as required in certain areas of Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Acton and other areas of L.A. County which are considered fire zone 4 and have more stringent material requirements.

Cost:
When comparing the most common type of basic wooden construction, wood patio covers typically come with a cheaper price tag than aluminum. This is quickly offset however by considering the cost of maintenance in just the first few years of ownership. 
Although a high quality aluminum patio can have a higher upfront cost, the idea that it will not require additional maintenance, always look great and have a greater impact on the resale value of your home should be considered.

Bottom line:
If you are planning to live in the home for more than a year after the patios construction, aluminum covers are a the clear, long term solution. You will eliminate typical patio maintenance, always have a great looking outdoor living space, have cooler shade, never get a splinter or have to worry about bug infestations. 

For a free quote on your new aluminum patio cover, contact JNR Home Improvements.

With all the options available for synthetic grass, it can get difficult to know which questions to ask. As an authority in the artificial turf industry, JNR Home Improvements wants to help you become an informed consumer. We are highlighting a few of the important questions you should ask to reduce your risk before choosing a company and product.
 
Questions about the company:

Are they a licensed contractor?

In the State of California, any project with a combined labor and material cost over five hundred dollars needs to be performed by a licensed contractor. As virtually all artificial grass installations will exceed that amount, checking an installers contractor’s license should be your first question. After confirming they are licensed, be sure to check that the company carries workers compensation insurance. It is CA law to do so and it protects you, the customer as well. Unfortunately, installers get hurt sometimes on the job. If the company you have hired does not have workers comp insurance, the medical expenses can wind up being the homeowners responsibility.
 
Do they specialize in turf installation?

Many gardeners have added fake grass as a sideline. While they may be good at trimming grass, pruning plants, and fixing sprinklers, they are likely not very experienced at installing artificial grass professionally. A proper installation is much harder than it looks and requires a very experienced installation crew to ensure a lasting synthetic grass installation.
 
Can you visit previous installations?

A reputable turf company will have a list of installations you can see before making your own decision. Our company is happy to give out a list of front yard “showcase” locations ranging in age from very recent up to more than ten years old. Our high-quality turf makes it practically impossible to tell a ten-year-old installation from a ten month old installation.
 
 
 
 
Questions about the turf:

How does it drain?

Most synthetic turf products available today utilize a perforated or “hole punched” backing. What this means is the faux grass has a solid backing with small holes poked through it every 4”-6” intended to allow rain or other fluids to pass through. If the area is going to be used by dogs or kids, this type of backing falls short. A 100% permeable backing is of vital importance for most artificial grass installations in order to allow fluids like dog urine, spilled soda or your BBQ condiments to completely pass through into the base material beneath. It also allows air to penetrate which reduces the chance for nasty mold or mildew to form under the lawn. In fact, many municipalities have adopted a rule requiring air and water permeability on synthetic lawns.
 
Where is it made?

Our EasyTurf artificial grass is made in our own FieldTurf factory right here, in the USA. EasyTurf is the residential arm of FieldTurf, the industry’s leading sports field turf manufacturer and installer. FieldTurf is on more recognizable professional sports fields than any other product. With over 25 years of research and development, FieldTurf has patented many of the most innovative synthetic grass technologies used in their state of the art manufacturing facility in Georgia.
Many other products are shipped from over seas and simply do not have the same level of quality control as products made in the USA.
 
What type of infill will be used?

Infill is an essential element to all artificial lawns. The infill weighs down the turf, provides necessary cushion and acts as a ballast, keeping the turf fibers erect. If an infill is not used, a synthetic lawn will mat down, and look worn out in a very short period.
The traditional infill used for decades in our own EasyTurf synthetic grass has been a combination of sand and crumb rubber. This combination gives an incredibly soft and natural underfoot feel. In recent years, the most common infill type has been sand. We also offer an acrylic coated sand that is a wonderful option for yards with heavy dog use. The coated EasyFill offers a built in anti-microbial agent making it a perfect match for dog runs or areas that kids and dogs will frequent.
 
 
How will it be installed?
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Base preparation is one of the most important factors to a long lasting synthetic lawn. “Failure to prepare is preparation for failure” ~ While local soil conditions and availability may cause the exact ratio and type of base materials to change, the overall concept does not. A proper base requires the use of an angular aggregate that varies in size to allow for both drainage and compaction. This base material should be at least 2” deep after compaction for virtually any installation with certain areas and soil conditions requiring additional depth.
The actual turf needs to be secured with using proper spikes around the perimeter as well as staples, seam tape and glue at the seams. The weight added by infill on top of the turf assists in securing the artificial turf to the ground.