Check out our December newsletter!
Cousins Construction CHRONICLES
CALLTHECOUSINS.COM | (412) 347-1040
DECEMBER 2025
MORE LAUGHTER, MORE CHEER
The Heart of a Milligan Family Holiday
We all enjoy laughing at holiday movies about families that don’t get along. Remember the McAllister family in “Home Alone”? Or the Griswolds in “Christmas Vacation”? These crazy family meltdowns are funny at any time of year. The Milligan family probably wouldn’t make a very good Christmas movie. We get along too well. We laugh a lot over the holidays, but mostly over the fun we have together. Gift-giving for us is always an opportunity to play good- natured tricks on our relatives. We have been playing pranks on each other for as long as I can remember. When my siblings and I were kids, my parents bought each of us several smaller gifts every year, plus one big gift that we wanted badly. Sometimes, they would wrap that one big gift and tag it as “to” somebody else! Then they would tell us kids that they had run out of gifts. I won’t soon forget the pain I felt as a kid watching my grandpa open the Nintendo GameCube I so desperately wanted. After I realized everybody else was laughing, I claimed my GameCube … and learned to take a joke in the process. When our extended family gathers for Christmas each year at my parents’ or my uncle’s house in Virginia, we have 30–40 people altogether. Everybody brings food, and several cooks gather in the kitchen while others have a family football game outdoors. We had a great 5-on-5 street football game one year, with all of us running back and forth and throwing bombs all afternoon until dinnertime. For gifts, we have a white elephant exchange. We each bring one gift costing no more than $25 and contribute it to a common pool. Then we draw names and take turns picking gifts and stealing them from each other. We do a whole lot of running around and laughing while we all compete to end up with the best gift.
the ornaments Grandma gave each of us every year since we were toddlers. She always gives me a cross of wood, glass, clay, or ceramic. These little crosses remind me of how instrumental Grandma Sharon has been in building my faith. We all look forward to those. I am just thankful we have a family that has these gatherings, that we all get together, and that everybody actually likes each other. Every year, I am excited to see everyone. I know a lot of families don’t have that. In our business, we employ several family members, and Calvin and I believe our strong family upbringing has helped make our company as strong as it is. We try to bring the same sense of responsibility and camaraderie to our clients as we feel toward our family. Regardless of how our clients act toward us, we try to treat each one like family. We see that as the foundation for our ability to grow our company.
From our family to yours, Calvin and I wish you and your loved ones a holiday filled with laughter and fun!
—Sam Milligan
My grandma Sharon always gets each of us an ornament. When we decorate the tree together, we reminisce about all
1
CALLTHECOUSINS.COM | (412) 347-1040
Published by Newsletter Pro | NewsletterPro.com
Ever notice how some spaces feel better than others? You can walk into a room and instantly feel more relaxed, even if it’s unclear why. It turns out that a room’s shape might have more to do with that than the furniture inside. Lately, curved architecture is trending in residential home design, and one of the main reasons is the positive shift in mood these curves bring to a space. Studies show that people prefer curves and rounded edges to hard angles. It makes sense when you think about it. Nature is full of curves. You see them everywhere: tree canopies, rolling hills, river stones, and even our bodies. Familiar forms put our minds at ease. Some research links curved spaces to reduced stress, a feeling of safety, and a boost in mood. In home design, curves promote good flow and soften transitions between spaces. And builders today have more ways to bring rounded elements into a home. CNC machines, 3D printers, and new drywall framing systems make creating soft-edged interior spaces and design elements easier and more affordable. But you don’t have to renovate your house to bring in the curve. You can ease into it. Home Design That Flows The Power of the Curve
a circular one, and suddenly the flow of a room changes. If you are remodeling, consider an arched pass-through between the kitchen and dining room or a rounded edge on the kitchen island. Built-ins with curved shelving or banquette seating can soften a space without taking over the entire layout. What matters most is how your eye travels. Curves can guide you through a room, and simply adding a few to your home’s layout can change how it looks and feels. That’s a design choice we can all get behind.
A round mirror in the hallway changes the way light bounces. A lamp with a soft arc can pull a corner together. Swap out a square coffee table for
ASK YOUR CONTRACTOR More People Want to Know: ‘Are You One of “the Cousins”?’
Our employees, Calvin, and I have encountered growing number of strangers around town who ask, “Hey, are you ‘the cousins’?” Thanks to our company trucks, billboards, and radio ads on KDKA-AM, our company is gaining a higher profile. People all over our service area are
seeing company trucks with our new brand logo and colors. Calvin and I have been recognized: “Hey, I hear you guys on KDKA all the time! Are you actually one of them?” Even during sales appointments, our sales reps get asked, “Hey, are you one of the cousins?” Our brand and logo are more recognizable than ever. We’re happy about this because we believe our brand lends credibility to our work. To us, our logo conveys what we have been saying from the beginning: We are a family-owned local business. Being cousins, and making that relationship part of our brand, makes us want to stand by our work even more than we already would. We aren’t just another contractor that can avoid angry customers by disappearing and starting up a new LLC under another name. Our
names and likenesses are out there, sending a message that we are fully accountable. We hold to our word in everything we do. We hope our growing visibility in the community will give homeowners more confidence in doing business with us, showing that we are a professional outfit, we do right by people, and also … we like to have fun. We think it’s just more fun for a consumer to deal with a brand like us, rather than another multi-letter XYZABC Construction Company. Clearly, even though it has only been a few months since we re-branded our company, our new name and logo are starting to catch on. We are looking forward to continuing to build our presence in the community, as well as the trust our neighbors have in our work!
2 CALLTHECOUSINS.COM | (412) 347-1040
@CousinsRoofingSidingDecks
The Good Book “You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
How One Contractor Tried to Overcharge a Senior Homeowner, and Lost Siding Scam
Galatians 5:13–14
Dealing with competing home-improvement contractors can be a challenge for people who don’t do it every day. That was the issue facing one of our recent customers, Kim, who called us to bid on installing new siding on her house. As an older adult living alone, Kim doesn’t negotiate major home- improvement contracts every day. She called several contractors for siding quotes. One of the first that responded was a big regional company. By the time Kim finished dealing with them, her head was spinning. First, they quoted her a heart-stopping price of $93,000 to install vinyl siding over her old wooden siding. When Kim resisted, they asked, What is your drop-dead number? Kim gave them a number, and to her surprise, they met it by cutting their price dramatically to $38,000 … but only if she signed up on the spot! Kim was getting suspicious at this point, but the salesmen wouldn’t leave unless she signed. So, she did. We heard this story from Kim when we visited her the next day to give her an estimate. After inspecting her house, we concluded that even at $38,000, the larger company was still price-gouging her because they planned to do a shoddy job of installing cheap, inferior siding. Doing the job the right way, by removing the wood on the home’s exterior and installing high-quality siding, would still be two-thirds less than the high- pressure salesmen’s original quote. Fortunately, Kim was able to revoke her agreement with the larger company. Pennsylvania law affords homeowners a three- day right to rescind any home-improvement contracts signed at their home, for any reason, and to receive a refund of any down payment. Kim’s story serves as a cautionary tale. A growing number of big regional companies are moving into the home-improvement industry. Some have plans to buy and consolidate smaller operators, set prices as high as the market will bear, and eventually resell the companies at an additional profit. Many of these companies are backed by deep-pocketed private equity firms. This isn’t happening just in our area; it’s a nationwide trend toward industry consolidation. We were happy we could reach Kim before she fell victim to an overpriced deal. And we’re delighted she has joined the ranks of satisfied Cousins customers.
Testimonials
“We needed the siding replaced on our second floor. They also did soffit and fascia and gutters. Cousins did a spectacular job on our home. The work ethic and integrity of the crew was exceptional. They were working with a home built in 1902 and not updated in 50-plus years. As they came to areas of concern, they were very honest on the best option to move forward. We are thrilled with the finished product. I cannot wait to start painting the bottom siding a dark brown to contrast the beautiful job they did on the top story and porch siding … I would highly recommend this company.” –Kathleen J.
OUR SERVICES:
• Roofing • Siding • Gutters, Soffit, and Fascia • Decks • Roof Construction • James Hardie Siding • Windows and Doors
• Design and Build • Architectural Drawings • Concrete • Stamped Patios • Outdoor Kitchens • Outdoor Living Spaces • Repairs
3
CALLTHECOUSINS.COM | (412) 347-1040
@cnscousins
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2681 Sidney St. Pittsburgh, PA 15203
@CousinsRoofingSidingDecks
@cnscousins
INSIDE 1
Ho-Ho-Hilarity: A Milligan Family Christmas
2
A Softer Approach to Modern Living
Friends and Neighbors Are Noticing Our Presence Around Town
3
A Not-So-Slick Siding Job: How a Pushy Contractor Got Shut Down
CNS Testimonials
4
Creating a Home Office That Feels Good
Simple Fixes to Your Office Setup Cozy Up Your Workspace
Are you trying to work in a home office that feels like a storage closet with Wi-Fi? You’re not alone. Small changes can make it cozy, less cramped, and maybe boost your productivity.
Start by clearing your desk. Tuck away wires, receipts, and plastic trays. Then add one soft thing. It might be a knit blanket over your chair or a small throw pillow. If it’s in your budget, get a new chair. Something comfortable but supportive will make a world of difference. Swap your overhead light for a small lamp with a warm glow. You can also add a candle. Scented candles bring warmth to a room and can have a soothing effect. A plant is a nice finishing touch. Real or fake, it doesn’t matter. Green things make a space feel alive. You don’t need a complete redesign. These quick, easy additions can give your home office a new vibe.
4 CALLTHECOUSINS.COM | (412) 347-1040
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator