Flipping Fellers February 2023 Newsletter

Project Update

Build Equity with Your Unfinished Space

by Amy Feller

When it comes to home remodeling, one of the most beneficial things you can do to build equity in your home is to build out your unfinished and underutilized space. In Minnesota, for most of us, I'm talking about your basement. Maybe you want a nice space for guests or you want to utilize your basement for more than free storage and a glorified walk-in fridge. Add a bedroom, bathroom, laundry, additional living room, MIL suite, man cave, bar, wine cellar … the options are endless!

What space in your house comes to mind that could be utilized for so much more?!?

Feller Contracting has transformed cold dark basements across the Twin Cities- adding bathrooms, laundry rooms, offices and building out living rooms so homeowners can optimize their space and equity.

The main project featured is a house we remodeled in Robbinsdale. There was so much stuff in this room, you could barely see the fireplace behind the desks, weight bench and player piano. We raised the ceilings, installed hard lids and added can lighting. Light colored finishes combined with the original wood, open up the space and make it feel like so much more than a concrete bunker!

Did you frame out your basement 30 years ago only to have life get in the way? Maybe you have a little one on the way and you need more room for your growing family? or you both work from home and need a little extra space?

Don’t let that unfinished space intimidate you. Whether you had a pipe burst, sewer backup or you've collected 30 years of stuff, don't let your space go to waste in 2023. What can you do to utilize your basement and make it an enjoyable space?

---

Contractor’s Corner

Why is My Basement So Cold??

by Dusty Feller

Most basements I refinish are COLD! It’s actually part of the reason homeowners don’t even think to finish or re-finish the space. Older homes seem to have adequate heat vents, but often they don’t have enough returns to properly circulate the air. Especially in unfinished spaces, it’s easy to add heat vents and returns. This gives your basement proper air flow and makes it a comfortable environment. If you have alternate heat sources such as electric baseboard or hot water baseboard with a boiler, additional baseboard heating can be added to the space.

Insulation is also very important. Since basements are typically below ground, they are naturally insulated with the cool ground temperatures. In between the floor joists on the exterior walls is a major culprit for drafts of cold air. It’s good practice to seal off this space (the rim joists) with foam insulation and spray foam.

Replacing old hopper single pane windows knocked out of wack from settlement and making sure windows and doors are properly sealed is also key in making your basement an energy efficient, comfortable living space.

Your ENTIRE house will benefit from having a properly vented and insulated basement.

How to fix your COLD Basement - in a nutshell:

Adequate venting - including air vents and returns

Insulation as required on walls and at Rim Joist locations

Replace old windows & properly seal windows & doors

---

Feller Fun

Pizza Meatloaf

by Amy Feller

I make meatloaf once a year on Valentine's Day. It's Dusty's favorite and our annual tradition. I choke down meatloaf and he loves it. I searched high and low for a meatloaf recipe I actually enjoy. My friend Angie shared this recipe with me and it has been a huge game changer for our family. (I actually made this 3 times last year!)

PIZZA MEATLOAF

Ingredients:

1 - 8 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese

1 - 14 oz jar Pizza sauce

2 lbs Ground beef

1 c Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs

2 large Eggs

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Reserve ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup pizza sauce for topping later. In large bowl, mix remaining mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce with ground beef, bread crumbs, and eggs. In 13 x 9-inch baking pan, shape meat mixture into 9 x 5-inch loaf, pressing firmly. Bake meatloaf for 30 minutes. Pour reserved pizza sauce over top of loaf. Bake 30 minutes longer, sprinkling with shredded mozzarella during last 10 minutes of baking time. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

NOTE: If making in a muffin tin, just fill each one, packing it in. Bake for 30-40 min until done.

PRO TIP: For a twist - use half ground pork. I mix in green & red peppers, onions and cut up pepperonis!

---

Meet the Flipping Fellers

Hi There!

If you don't already know us, we are Dusty and Amy Feller. We are the Flipping Fellers. We are real-estate investors, flippers and a realtor/general contractor team! We love to share our own projects. We also work with homeowners like you.

Dusty is a General Contractor who basically grew up on a jobsite. He uses his construction and manufacturing experience to run organized and streamlined projects. Amy is a Realtor and Real Estate Investor. With a background in commercial construction project management, she also helps Dusty run Feller Contracting.

We have 2 little girls and a chocolate lab named Yogi that keep us busy outside of work. We love the outdoors, skiing, biking, hiking, camping and all things Minnesota has to offer.

-The Fellers

---

---

---