Posts Tagged ‘green builders huntersville’

Exterior Finishing

Monday, January 18th, 2010

 

Exterior Construction

Exterior Construction

During the exterior phase of construction the interior can also be under construction, we will address interiors next week.

Garage doors can be installed before the concrete flooring is poured, but most door installation professionals would prefer the flooring intact first. All drywall should be hung, but not finished, thus allowing for a much smoother paint job later. Keep in mind that your garage doors are a very important aspect of your home, especially during bad weather. All DV Wise custom homes demand a smooth and obstacle free door installation project for our sub-contractor, because when the weather is at its worse, your garage doors are too.

The brick used for your home is a major aesthetic point for your home. An unprofessional job here will haunt you forever. We use seasoned, local professionals only for all our brick and stonework. Good or bad brickwork will greatly affect the curb appeal, resale value, and be a constant reminder of a job well done or a few dollars saved. Brickwork can not be repaired without a major renovation. Doing it right the first time applies greatly here.

Our siding contractor will be installing the siding, soffits and gutters. Contractors rarely enjoy working behind someone that does the same work they do. Again, a penny saved may be many dollars lost.

Stucco is applied best during spring and summer conditions. Patience pays off well waiting a month or two for better conditions. Applying stucco is done in phases, with the color applied in the final step.

We consider your driveway and garage flooring long before its time to pour. The day when the concrete truck is scheduled to arrive, we ensure all needed personal are aware, prepared and on site ready to install your driveway. This too is a step not to be taken lightly, mistakes here can be costly and unappealing. You should wait with finishing the concrete, until all the heavy trucks and equipment are finished with their jobs. Try to make this one of your last projects, especially when it is not done on the original soil. Your driveway should be reinforced with rebar, although it is almost impossible to eliminate all cracks, rebar helps greatly.

Decks should be constructed after the stucco and/or siding is completely finished. Railing is required for all decks 2 feet or more off the ground on all NC homes. Various forms of railing are available, aesthetics again should be greatly considered. The railing should be very stable and attractive.

Landscaping is nearing the final stage of the building process, indeed it is an exterior aspect, but should be done after the interior of the home is complete.

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New Home Energy-Efficiency Incentives Could Boost Recovery

Monday, December 28th, 2009

National Association of Home Builders today commended President Barack Obama as he proposed a new initiative to create jobs and make today’s homes more energy efficient.

In a speech Tuesday morning at a Home Depot in the suburban Washington, D.C. area, the president called on Congress to extend energy-efficiency tax credits for home owners as part of an $8 billion effort to reduce energy use.

“This is the kind of thinking that is going to get America back to work – and make a big difference in many home owners’ monthly utility bills,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla.

NAHB estimates that 11,000 jobs, $527 million in wages and salaries, and $300 million in business income are generated by every $1 billion in new remodeling and home improvement activity. “That’s a huge impact just in the short run.  And in the long run, the energy savings for participating home owners can be quite significant,” Robson said.

 ”This also bolsters a very important message and something we have been saying for years: If we really want to make an impact on the nation’s energy use, we need to take significant steps to make the existing housing stock more efficient,” Robson said.

He pointed out that state and local home builder associations affiliated with NAHB can be instrumental in the effort to weatherize older homes and make them more energy efficient.

For example, the Builders Association of Minnesota served as the conduit for federal stimulus program funds provided to the state for its energy-efficiency programs. The association trained nearly 1,000 remodelers and other residential contractors and funneled the money to 1,300 Minnesota home owners to help them make needed improvements.

Minnesota home owners got extra incentives for choosing projects like attic insulation, which some consumers don’t do because it’s something that’s not immediately visible, but when combined with incentives can bring a payback on utility bills within a year or two, depending on the climate.

 ”President Obama is right that these kinds of projects don’t seem ’sexy,’ but saving money is very attractive, and so is providing jobs,” Robson said.

 ”These are efforts that the Administration should consider on a much larger scale,” he continued.  “They provide employment, stimulate the economy and help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels – that’s three great outcomes.  NAHB can help make this happen all over the country.”

Last month, the White House Council on Environmental Quality invited NAHB to explain how home builders, product manufacturers and remodelers can be part of the Administration’s “Recovery Through Retrofit” solution with programs like Minnesota’s.

 ”We’re anxious to help with these efforts,” Robson said. “It’s what our members do, and do well – and they all want to get back to work.”

Source: www.nahb.org

www.DVWise.com

2009

Monday, December 21st, 2009

As we prepare to say good-bye to 2009, let us not relish upon the less than positives, it is fact that there are positives and negatives every year. Attitude IS everything, so I prefer to keep as positive as possible.

Positive Things from 2009 (no particular order):

  • My Health – It takes a lot of work, but is worth every second
  • My Family – Mom & Dad are always a positive
  • Friends – Numerous groups, chambers, and associations provide good friendships
  • Trucks – Chevy makes a nice Silverado
  • Lake Norman – Relaxing, boating, or fishing this is very nice
  • Weather – We do enjoy great weather
  • Website – My webmaster cares and it shows, Thanks Kevin!

Merry Christmas

Tom Wise
Owner: DV Wise Inc.