Will Construction Blog

Deck & Rail example

Kurt — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:39:55 +0000

In a previous post I talked about options for deck and rail materials. Since we recently completed a deck remodel using composite decking and aluminum railings I thought I would share a couple of photos. The deck is “Evergrain” brand and the railings are a factory product that comes in different lengths and styles. The rails are cut to fit on the job for a custom installation. The finished product is virtually maintenance free and looks great!

Decking- Composite vs. Redwood

Kurt — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:19:47 +0000

One of the many choices people face when designing and building a home is what kind of decking material to use. Typically the choice comes down to either redwood or one of the composite materials like Trex. There are advantages to both.

The biggest reason to use the composite materials is maintenance. Unlike redwood, with the composite material you don’t have to stain and seal the decking. It is virtually maintenance free. It is however not as strong as wood and for that reason we sometimes will use redwood to build rails. Another advantage is warrantee which varies among manufacturer but is something you don’t get with redwood. The material can stain however and if it does can be difficult to clean. The composite decking material is more expensive to install but for many people the lack of maintenance makes it more than worth it.

Redwood on the other hand is a natural material and when properly taken care of will remain beautiful indefinately. Redwood is naturaly resistant to decay so when it is stained it holds up very well. Staining is something that will need to happen on a regular basis though. Depending on the exposure to weather and sun you might need to re-stain the deck as often as every year. Redwood is a stronger material than the composite choices so it works very well for railings and usually can span longer distances so sometimes less framing material is needed. Redwood is less expensive than the composite decking.

In all, both materials work very well and there are good reasons to use both. Consider carefully when planning your next deck project and you will be able to enjoy the space for a very long time!

Improving the value of your home

Kurt — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:31:26 +0000

Many people would like to improve the value of their home. There are many different options when it comes to home improvement and some will effect the value much more than others. Of course adding space to the home in the form of an addition will certainly add value. There are also many things you can do in terms of remodeling that will help too. Here are just a few ideas that are relatively inexpensive to complete but will really dress up your home:

Painting inside or out.

Installing new siding.

Replacing old roofing material.

Replace old windows and/or doors.

Install new carpet.

Replace or re-finish interior trim.

Adding a deck to create some outdoor living space.

Replace old plumbing and light fixtures.

Re-finish or replace cabinets and countertops.

These are just a few of the many ideas to dress up your home. Certainly there are many more and they are only limited by your imagination. We would be happy to help you with any contruction projects you might be considering. Please call anytime at 970-884-9830.

Aquariums and Ponds

Kurt — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:30:39 +0000

One of my hobbies involves indoor aquariums and outdoor ponds. I particularly enjoy an aquarium with live plants and Discus fish inside and a natural pond with waterfall and koi fish out in the yard. I have succesfully kept both of these for many years at my house. Now if you know very much about either of these setups, you know that taking care of them can be time consuming. I have utilized proceedures to automate much of the maintenance tasks using some built in systems. For example in my discus tank, water changes happen automaticaly and unattended!

If you are considering a new home or remodel, I can help build in systems to make beautiful aquariums and/or outdoor water features easy to take care of. Call me anytime at 888-875-3984.

Cost control

Kurt — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:54:46 +0000

One challenge that everybody faces when building a new custom home is cost control. We all have a tendancy to want the finest of finishes and maybe a bigger house than we really need. One of the best ways to help control costs is to get a builder involved in your project from the very beginning. When we are a part of the entire process including helping with design we can help keep tabs on the total costs.

It is important that you as the consumer are as honest and upfront as possible with your builder about your desired outcome and how much money you would like to spend to acheive it. As long as we have a clear understanding of your goals and your budget, we can most likely help you acheive it! To a very great extent your new home can cost as much or as little as you want it to.

At Will Construction we like to be involved from the beginning. We can offer in house design, and we also have a long list of qualified architects and draftsman that we like to use. In some cases, if you decide to build with us we can even design your house for free!

Building a new custom home is a team effort and you as the owner are the team leader. Choose the players on your team carefully and your project will be alot of fun and the results will be exactly what you want. If you would like to discuss any project ideas you have, please feel free to call us anytime at 970-884-9830.

Material prices are rising

Kurt — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:03:52 +0000

Lumber and other material costs have been rising lately. The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan has many people starting to think about re-construction. This will create larger demand for materials and the markets are adjusting accordingly. So far the increases are fairly minor but who knows what the future will hold. Just one more reason why now is a great time to build. Construction costs will likely go up from here. Besides the increase demand in Japan, as our US market rebounds, and it will!, our demand will go up too. This will slowly drive the cost of materials and labor upward.

At this point building costs in Durango and Bayfield are as good as I have seen them in a long time. Interest rates are fantastic. If you can do it now is the time to build!

Call me anytime at 970-884-9830 or email me at kurt@willconstruction.com so we can discuss your next project.

Realistic log siding

Kurt — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:23:13 +0000

Many of our clients really want the look of a log house but don’t want the extra expense and maintenance that sometimes comes with them. One way to solve this issue is to us log siding. There are many different sizes and profiles of log siding available today. Of course some look more realistic than others and the price range can vary too. One of the biggest challenges in making the siding look real is how to deal with the corners. You can miter and butt the siding joints but keeping everything aligned is a challenge. You can use standard 2×6 lumber to form corner trim to butt the siding into. Or for a more realistic look with minimal added cost you can use full round logs on the corners.

This idea actually came from one of my clients many years ago. He wanted the log look without the cost and hassle of buidling a true log house. For his project and several others since, we used a fairly economical log siding and fabricated our own corners. For the corners we bought full round hand peeled logs from our local lumber yard. We then simply cut 1/4 of the log out using a chain saw. This allowed us to fasten the log to the corner of the house and then butt the siding into it. The finished look is clean and gives the appearance of a full log post in the corners.

There are many different ways to construct a house. What’s best for you will depend on your desired look and your budget. We are very good at creating the house that works for you! To discuss ideas for your house please call 970-884-9830 or email: kurt@willconstruction.com

Design Build

Kurt — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:57:07 +0000

There are many different ways to go about building a new custom home. One of my favorites and I believe one of the most efficient is the design build process. Using this structure a potential client would hire their builder in the very beginning of the process. The builder and owner would then work together to design the home, choose finishes, and then finally complete the construction. By allowing all parties to work together from the beginning, we can do a much better job of controlling costs and ensuring that the custom home is completed within the desired budget. “Custom” does not have to be expensive!

If you decide to build with us, we can design your house for free! For more information please give us a call at 970-884-9830.