Parade Time

The Parade has been in progress for just over a week, in fact, we are past the halfway point.  It is really wonderful to see so many friends, past clients, clients we are currently working with, and thousands of other people who are interested in finding ways to improve the way they live.  At this point there are only five days left.  The Parade will end on Sunday, June 26.   So there is still time to come out and visit and check out the home.  Stop and say hi, Jacquie and I are in the home just about all the time, and are anxious to meet you and answer any questions you may have.  It is also a good chance to set up an appointment to discuss your future plans. 

TimberLane Builders, LLC is showing their home in the Southbridge subdivision in Waunakee at 1003 Dresen Ct.  The home will be open 3-7 June 22-24, and 11-5 on June 25-26.  We look forward to seeing you.

Let the Parade begin.

  After a final week of frantic work, this year’s parade house is finished and ready to show.  It has been a long week of hard work and long hours.  My thanks to all of the subcontractors, suppliers, neighbors and staff who spent a lot of extra time and effort to make the house look wonderful.  The interior designer for the home is Todd MacDonald of Feiner Furniture in Cross Plains.  Todd has done a splendid job, and Feiner has provided an important finishing touch to the home with its beautiful furniture.  Catura’s Art and Framing has once again brought life to our home by providing many beautiful prints and artwork to the walls.  Sergenian’s Floor Coverings added a real touch of elegance with the contribution of many different rugs.  Private Quarters has helped for the first time we a wonderful collection of linens.   

Landscaping and Outdoor Cement Work

We are closing in on the end of the project.  Hottmann Construction has finished pouring a patio off the lower level back door.  They then proceeded to the front and poured a beautiful colored and stamped driveway and sidewalk up to the front door.  Overhead Doors has completed installation of the overhead doors and openers. 

The Bruce Company spent the week fighting wet and cold weather, mixed in with a couple of nice days, to finish the landscaping of the home.  They did a very nice job in the landscape design.  This year’s home may be the first single family residential home to use a new concept called referred to as a living wall.  It has been used in combination with limestone to create a unique look and still offer all of the protection the wall needs to provide.  In between layers of rock, tubes of soil have been molded into the hillside.  They are planted with a variety of plants and flowers which will give color and cover for many years to come.   Made by Filtrex, it is a unique application.  The framers were back and have finished the deck so that the Regal Railing system supplied by Wisconsin Building Supply can be installed in the next few days. 

 

Millwork, Cabinets and Finish Carpentry

Once the floor crews move out, materials begin to get delivered to finish the interior of the home.  Cabinets were furnished and custom built by Auburn Ridge.  The Cherry Cabinets are a shaker style.  The kitchen includes an L shape wall and base area containing the sink, dishwasher, recycling bin, stove and refrigerator.  A large island has room for stools, is home to the microwave, and has a salad sink.  Next to the three sided pier fireplace is a large Pantry Cabinet.  The fireplace was furnished by Fireside Hearth and  Home, the masonry work was done by Neller Construction.  After taking a template of all the tops B & B Laminates fabricated and installed granite countertops.  Other cabinets in the home include the Entertainment Center in the Living Room, the Main Bath vanity, the Master Bath vanity and linen cabinet, the Laundry Cabinets, and the Locker Unit in the Mudroom. 

Drywall and Painting, Wood and Ceramic Floors

Drywall installation and finishing is a milestone in the construction of a new home.  It changes the interior feel of the home, and defines the boundaries of the living areas.  Statz Painting and Drywall is the contractor who is responsible for completing all of the drywall installation, taping and finishing.  As soon as that is done, they do all the required painting, staining and finishing.  Ten different colors of paint have been selected by Todd McDonald, the Interior Designer of this year’s home.  Feiner Furniture is the flooring subcontractor.  Walnut floors have been installed throughout the home, and most of the ceramic tile has been installed.  A little will be left to complete once the kitchen counters are installed.  All of the main level bathroom floors have ceramic tile, and the Master Shower is a huge walk.  As soon as the floors were in, Neller Construction came back and finished the stone on the fireplace.   At the same time, Hottmann Construction has been down in the lower level preparing and then staining, sealing and finishing the basement floor with a 4 color acid stain application. The home is now set to enter the finishing changes.  The home has now began to develop it’s color and interior character.

Outside Covering

Siding – Masonry – Stucco

Now that the weather is cooperating a little better, the action has started outside.  For the past several weeks there have been three different crews working out there making sure the exterior covering of the house which protects it for the ages and creates an eye appealing curb appearance is properly installed. 

After getting all of the siding materials delivered by Alside Supply, Budget Roofing and Siding took over and installed all of the soffit, fascia, gutters and downspouts, and the vinyl siding.  Working in the front was Neller Masonry, who installed all of the cultured stone and stucco.  The stone and much of the masonry was supplied by County Materials.  After finishing up outside, they moved inside to put the stone around the three side pier fireplace installed by Fireside Hearth and Home.  Next up will be the garage doors.  Overhead Doors of Madison will be out in the next week to wrap up all of the outside covering. 

Insulation

Insulation

The last step before hanginf the drywall is to insulate.  Before it can begin, the Building Inspector will inspect the rough framing, rough plumbing, rough HVAC, Rough Electrical, fireplace and insulation.  The Energy consultant will perform two inspections.  One before insulation is installed.  This is to insure that everything is ready for the insulation.  The second comes after the insulation is installed.  This insures that everything was properly done. 

Insulation of the house was done by City Wide Insulation of Madison.  The first step was to come in and spray the mud sill with foam.  They also sprayed all of the headers to improve the R Value in a normally weak part of the wall.  

A day later, the fiberglass batt crew came.  They caulked all joints, foamed all penetrations and holes, and made sure that every effort took place which could eliminate air infiltration.  They then placed John Mansfield R18 Formaldehyde free batts into the walls. 

Once done there, they stretched out and stapled up 4 mill polyethylene film to act as the final vapor barrier.

A week later they returned to blow loose fill Fiberglass Insulation into the attic areas.  The attic was blown to R50 using John Mansfield Formaldehyde free fiberglass.

Security Audio Fireplace

Once the big three mechanical trades have completed their tasks, the next crews to move in are the security, audio and fireplace installers.  One of the advantages of a parade home is the addition of many different products which are many times hard to work into the budgets of contract or model homes. 

A major feature of this year’s home will be a three sided pier direct vent fireplace installed by Fireside Hearth & Home.  Fit in between the living room, kitchen and dinette, it will provide warmth, comfort and a relaxing environment.    This beautiful fireplace was manufactured by Heatilator. 

Keeping the home safe will be a security system installed by Stealth Security.  It will protect the home from all types of intrusions, offer an important layer of extra security, and have the ability for outside 24 hour monitoring for increased safety.  Another major advantage is a better rate on your homeowners insurance.

The last member of the little three mechanical trades is the audio installer.  Six speakers and three control boxes were wired back to the control center by Audio Contractors to provide a relaxing source of music to be heard throughout the home.  Special wiring was done to expand the system to fit the owner’s special needs at a later date. 

Now that all the wires are pulled, heat registers are in place, all pipes are connected, and the fireplace is ready to light, we can bring in the insulators.  Check http://www.dchwi.com/tlb/2011DresenParade.htm for more information on this project.

Plumbing - Electrical - HVAC

The next subcontractors to complete their tasks are the plumber, electrician and heating contractors.  It is important to have a team that works together to make everything fit and compliment each of the three systems.  RHD Plumbing of Stoughton began roughing much of their system before the slab was poured.    The next phase was to complete the work inside the house.    Pharo Heating is the heating contractor.  This home uses two furnaces, so they had to work carefully with the other two contractors to make sure everything would fit.  Ever Ready Electric is in charge of the electrical system.  Things went well and in about a week the home was ready for the next phase.  All three contractors did an excellent job, and went out of their way to make sure the jobsite was always clean and safe.

Next: Security Audio Fireplace

Energy Consultants Trinity Environmental

I wanted to share with everyone an article written by my Energy Consultant, Laura Paprocki, from Trinity Environmental.  She is an important partner in the construction of all of my homes.  Please enjoy it, I hope she will contribute more in the future.

This article focuses on a green practice; green materials can only function properly if the correct installation practice is used.   One agreeable aspect of how to achieve green construction is the overall “tightness” of the building shell.  This is also known as “air sealing”.  Why is this so important?  Fewer random air exchanges equate to higher efficiency, and this does not have to add lots of cost.  Because of the fact that warm air rises, the most effective place to air seal is the attic.  There are 2 ways to approach attic air sealing:  1) Include an “attic air sealing” package in your bid to the insulator.  An attic air sealing package, when done by a contractor usually consists of applying a 2 part closed cell foam over all interior and exterior top plates, along with any other penetration up into the attic.  This then creates an air tight “lid” on the home.  2) Get up in the attic armed with caulk and Great Stuff and be able to recognize the areas that need air sealing, and get er’ done!  Talk with your building science consultant if you have questions.

While warm air rises and escapes up top, cold air sneaks in down low.  Thus the next most susceptible area for leakage is the sill box or rim joist, in a two story home the band joist is also vulnerable.   This again can be approached in 2 ways:  1) Spray foam the rim and band joists with a 2 part closed cell foam, being sure that along the rim joist the foam is brought down low enough to cover the connection between the mudsill and the top of the foundation wall.  2) Have your framer use a thick caulk, or construction adhesive under the mudsill in place of the sill sealer or use a flexible caulk and/or Great Stuff to seal all the areas as show below and along the band joist as well.  Please note that there may be a situation where after the sill box is spray foamed a contractor has to put a penetration through it.  Once all work has been done on the home, a final review of the sill box should be done.

If you are currently wondering how your buildings compare when it comes to air tightness, partner with a Focus on Energy Consultant who can perform blower door testing on your homes and better pin point areas of leakage and ways to improve on the overall tightness of the home.  The Green Built Home program awards points for different levels of home” tightness” and proper air sealing practices.

Concrete Floor Slab

The great part about building a new home is watching the progress and changes on a daily basis.  One of the best is when the basement floor poured.  It is amazing what a difference it is not having to trip over pipes, piles of rock and dirt, and holes.  There is a lot of preparation necessary.  It began on a Friday afternoon when Hottmann Construction brought out their ground heater to pull the frost out of the ground.  The ground heater is a large heat generator that pumps hot fluid through a maze of hose laid out on the basement floor, and then covered with blankets.   It worked nonstop from Friday afternoon until it was uncovered and put away on Monday morning, mission accomplished. 

From there, the Hottmann crew snapped their lines, graded the floor, covered it with an inch of Dow Styrofoam, and spread out a polyethylene vapor barrier, and then called in the concrete trucks.  Once there, the concrete was belted into the house and dropped into the basement.  The belt truck can operate from the road, eliminating the huge mess and problems which result when concrete trucks have to drive over bare ground that is in the process of losing its frost.  The belt truck may be the single best factor in the erosion control expense and efforts we take to control it. 

The finishers moved in once the floor was poured and made sure the floor was prepared to the specs necessary for us to put our final finish on it. 

Andersen Windows - ThermaTru Doors

  The next step after the roof is on is to install the windows and doors.  They are some of the most important and overlooked parts of a home.  They need to provide security, safety, light, fresh air, protection from the elements, and still be energy efficient.  Over the many years I have been in the construction industry, I have watched new technology develop, companies come and go, new materials and methods emerge, and a greater variety of options to choose from.  A leader over the years in these changes has been Andersen Windows.  I have had the opportunity to visit their research and technology center nine times, and have always been amazed at the products they were developing, and in the patience they showed in making sure they were worthy of the Andersen name and the customers who buy them, before they would offer them on the market.  This, along with the fact that they have one of the best warranty and support programs in the industry are reasons I use Andersen.  They are the best windows in the world, and have been used in 100% of my homes.  Dean Beyer from Brunsell Lumber was the window supplier.

The entry systems in this year’s home came from ThermaTru, thru Angie Kieta at Alside Supply.  They are a great door, which offers many options, styles and choices for creating the most appeal.  The front entry system consists of a 3’0x8’0 FiberClassic door with two 1’2x8’0 sidelights to match.  The garage is a two panel fire door, which matches the interior doors, and the back door in the lower level is a full light door bringing light into the family room.

Roofing

Once the roof is on, it is critical to get it covered to protect all the materials below as soon as possible.  It isn’t unusual to find the roofer waiting for the framers to put down the last piece of roof sheathing so that they can felt the roof.  Jim Schruckenthaler of Budget Roofing was there just at the right time, installing the felt paper securely to provide that protection.  He and his crew started the next day to put on the roof edge, ice and water shield, and the shingles. After a weekend of work, they ran out of time just as the next round of bad weather moved in.  All that was left to do was about 60’ of hip and ridge shingles.  The storm came and passed without any water entering the home.  They were able to complete installation of the missing hip and ridge shingles a few days later when the sun cleared the snow.  The roofing materials were provided by Angie Keita of Alside Supply Co. in Madison.  The shingles were 35 year Atlas Pinnacles.  They were applied using 6 nails, providing the roof with a 110 mph wind guarantee.

Next: Windows and Doors

Rough Framing

Despite the weather, we found ourselves ahead of schedule.  The rough framing was able to get started just before the blizzard of 2011 set in.  DoneAll Construction, LLC of Prairie du Sac were selected as the framers for this project.  Kevin and Tim have done a great job, and have been a pleasure to work with.  Despite losing a day and a half for the blizzard, and having them attend two days of classes at the Wisconsin Builders Conference, it looks like as they finish up, we will have gained a few more days.  This was a big framing job, and it was fun to watch a two man crew who worked so well together.  They worked more efficiently and faster than many four man crews I have had in the past. 

The house was framed using 2x6 studs with 1” Dow Styrofoam.   The floor system was a Trusjoist Engineered system, LP OSB was used for bracing points, underlayment and roof sheathing.  The walls were covered with Tyvek.  All of the materials and trusses were furnished and manufactured by Brunsell Lumber. 

Next: Windows and Doors

Foundation & Foundation Installation

Once the excavator completes their task, the foundation crew moves in.  Due to many changes in building science and materials, it is possible to pour concrete in just about any type of weather.  Hottmann Construction, Inc is my foundation and concrete specialist.  Mike Thole, Ken Kurszewski, Brad Wiliamson, Jim Hottmann and all of their crew are great to work with.  They begin by laying out the home and then set the footings.  TimberLane Builders uses FormaDrain for its footing and waterproofing base.  Clear stone fills the inside of the foundation, and all away around the outside of the foundation.  This insures that water can move, and will stay as far away from the concrete as possible.  After the footings are dry, the forms for the walls are set, assembled, squared and leveled.  They are then filled and covered to protect them from the weather.  The next day they are usually stripped, and the walls are ready to be braced and waterproofed.

The waterproofing and basement insulation is done by Sierra Concepts.  Andy Voeltner and his crew treat the walls with waterproofing, apply 1” Dow Styrofoam to the walls, and then use a special system called Delta-MS, which relieves the hydrostatic pressure and helps remove any water from the foundation area.  Before they leave, the basement walls are braced with a special steel bracing system.   After two weeks, the walls are backfilled:

Next: Rough Framing

Erosion Control, Excavation, Survey

Moving dirt is the real official start of a new home.  Nothing feels better than getting your boots muddy on that day.  The very first thing we need to do is to remove all of the top soil.  This is all pushed to an area where it can be stored until much later in the project. 

Next on site is the surveyor to take elevations and set stakes to insure that the foundation is in the right place.  Birrencott Surveying, Inc responded promptly to complete their task so that the excavator, LMS Construction, Inc. could begin the process of digging the hole, and installing the water and sewer lines.  The digging went well despite several feet of frost.  There was the normal surprise.  Hidden rock is usually the surprise, but in this case it was an unusual amount of top soil.  This required a change in the height of the garage walls to be increased from 3’9” to 8’9”.  This is one of the hidden expenses that are very difficult to plan for.

The erosion control was placed by my son Erik.  I am a firm believer in the sock tube as a best method of containing material within the site as opposed to silt fence.  It is easier to work with in the winter, and does a more effective job of stopping unwanted materials.  The sock tube was provided by ProBuild.  It is important to buy from a supplier that stores the product indoors.  When exposed to the weather, the sock will freeze together, giving you a huge coil which is impossible to uncoil until it unthaws.

Next:  Foundation Installation

The Building Permit

Obtaining the building permit is one of the biggest milestones of the home building process.  It signals the start of the actual construction schedule. 

Preparing the building permit is a time consuming process.  Many different processes have to be completed before it can be obtained.  The lot has to be selected, financed, and closed.  All necessary site elevations have been taken and recorded.  The plans have been finalized.  All necessary documents with the clients have been signed, and all financing is in place. 

Many different sub contractors are involved in the process.  Information is needed to provide required information to the Building Inspection Department.  Our Energy Consultant prepares an analysis of the requirements and projected performance of the home.  The surveyor provides a site plan with foundation elevation and location.   License numbers need to be checked and recorded on the application.  An erosion control plan has to be developed.  Two sets of plans need to be sent along with the application to the building inspector.  Depending on the local unit of government, it is sometimes necessary to obtain a permit from both the local community and the county.

The final stop is to return to city hall once everything has been approved.  Any extra instructions or questions the building inspector may have are addressed.  The total fee has been calculated, all of the impact fees have been added, and a check needs to be written to pay for it all.  The project can now officially break ground.

Next: Survey, Excavation and Erosion control.

Selecting Sub Contractors

Sub Contractors are one of the most important factors of creating a successful project.  It is very important that everyone involved is an important part of a team. Each of them have to understand not only their own role, but the importance that all of the others play in the finished project.  There are usually 65-75 vendors, sub contractors, service providers, consultants and inspectors involved in the home building process.  With proper communication and guidance throughout the network of the team, the project will be completed successfully and on time.

Finding the Right Price

It is one thing to design a plan, it is quite another to get it to a price point in which it can be sold.  The Parade is a great opportunity to buy a house with a lot of extra features, upgrades, new technology which is  professionally designed and decorated.  These items all add to the value and price of the house, and usually have little or no effect on the actual retail price.  The Real Estate market is controlled by the appraisal’s of past sales.  It makes it harder to get the extra features that are most important to us, when the appraisal on our home is competing with all of the stripped down models on the market.  It is like taking an average on the sales of Fords, Toyotas, Chevys, Chryslers, Cadillac’s, BMW’s, Mercedes and VW’s and saying- “The average cost of a car is $19,000,  so does that mean all cars can only be financed or sold for $19,000?” Buying a parade home is like buying a Cadillac.  You will get a lot of value for your dollar that you would find hard to get at any other time.

Final Home Plan Design

After a lot of work, and many different changes to fit the plan to the lot, I have designed a plan.  A rendoring of the front elevation is posted just above this message.  There are several important factors which affected this plan.  The lot offers a great view to the southwest.  It looks out over a natural wetland area, and should remain unobstructed by other houses as the subdivision fills in.  It slopes enough to offer a full exposure on the rear and right side of the home.  It is a large lot and offers the opportunity to have large area to the side of the home.  It is very close to the park, and only one house away from the Swimming Pool.  The lot is lined with close to a dozen pine trees which offer a break from wind, privacy, and natural beauty.
Main Level

Lower Level

This home will feature a total of 3174 sq ft of finished area.  It will have 5 bedrooms, great room, dining room, dinette, 4 bathrooms, family room, laundry and mudroom.  It will have a large deck and front porch to allow ample areas to enjoy the outdoors.  It has a large three car garage and lots of storage area. Please contact me if you are interested in getting more details.

Next post will be the painful process of pricing.

Developing a plan

The right plan is the most important part of the building process.   A lot of time goes into this process.  Hundreds of different plans are studied and looked at.  Past projects are reviewed to benefit from those previous winners. The covenants of the subdivision are studied to help us understand the guidelines.  Notes during the year are reviewed on feedback and conversations I have had with realtors and builders.  But most importantly, the comments received from the previous parades, and the Sunday open homes, do the most to influence the design of the home.  If you get a chance, and happen to visit the parade next June, please stop by and introduce yourself, and let me know what you think.  I will most likely be sitting close to the front door greeting and visiting with our guests. 

Once all the thoughts and ideas are put together, I then try to squeeze it all into a plan which will fit on the lot.   The biggest challenge is to fit the homes on the lots.  Wisconsin has a beautiful rolling landscape, which results in many lots sloping all different directions, and lots with many different shapes, angles and curves.  It seems like just about every town or village has a different set of setbacks for the front, sides and rear.   Take a look at this year’s plan by clicking here. 

Next-Pricing the project.

Picking a Parade Site and Lot

During my announcement of the start of this year’s MABA Parade on Homes entry, I promised to start from the very beginning of the process.  The Parade is a wonderful chance to build a home in which all the vendors and suppliers are eager to get their latest and greatest products out for show.  It is a chance for the developers to give their new subdivisions a push start.  It is a chance for the builders to show off their products.  It is a chance for the public to get a good idea of what is happening in home building trends and practices.

The process starts almost immediately after the parade ends.  Notices go out to developers on applying for the next year’s event.  This past year, thirteen different subdivisions were submitted for selection.  Twelve are in Dane County and the other just over the border in Lodi.  The Developers present their subdivisions early in September to the Builders. At a second meeting three weeks later, the builders meet to decide which subdivision they would like to be in.  It takes three houses to form a parade site.  The process starts with a vote.  The subdivision with the most votes is the first selected.  The process continues until no more sites qualify.  Each Builder is allowed to get into two sites.  Builders earn seniority points based on the number of uninterrupted years they have participated.  This determines the order in which lots are selected.  At this meeting last year, seven sites were selected by 29 builders.

Two weeks later, the builders meet at the subdivision they selected, and pick lots.  TimberLane Builders picked the Blueridge Addition to Southbridge in Waunakee.  I am very excited to be building there.  It is our first home to be built in Waunakee.  Waunakee has been the hardest site to get into over the time I have been in the parade.  We have risen from 39^th to 10^th on the seniority list, but we were still seventh out of the eight builders who selected Southbridge.  Most important, I got the lot I wanted.  Details on our home can be watched on it’s webpage. ( http://www.dchwi.com/tlb/2011DresenParade.htm)

Next-designing the plan.

Mike Vilstrup, TimberLane Builders

Parade of Homes Start

TimberLane Builders started out the New Year by beginning its first new project of 2011.  On January 3, we picked up our building permit to begin the sixth home we have entered in the Madison Area Builders Association annual parade of homes.  This year’s home will be in the Blue Ridge Addition to Southbridge in Waunakee. Waunakee is in northern Dane County, only a short distance from both the east and west sides of Madison.  This new home will be located on a private cul de sac at 1003 Dresen Ct.  Details are available by clicking on this sentence.  It will be listed for sale in the near future, and will be posted here and on the MLS.   It is only two lots away from the swimming pool in Southbridge, and the large park and shelter just off Tiereny Drive and Blue Ridge.  The home will be a ranch with full exposure.  As always, it will be certified through the Wisconsin Environmental GreenBuilt Home program and Focus on Energy’s New Home Program.    Over the next couple of weeks I will begin to tell more of the story from the beginning, and then continue on as we catch up to our current point.