New posts and beams are framed using fabricated steel plates at the connections.
Demo is under way. The old glass has been removed.
This Atrium in Durango is going to be re-built and new Energy efficient windows installed.
Passive Solar Heat allows this house West of Durango in La Plata canyon to be heated. It is a beautiful log home with incredible views of the surrounding mountains. You can even see Hesperus ski area when they are night skiing. The house has a very large atrium that allows for passive solar heat and some amazing plants that grow year round. The existing windows had leaked over the years causing some minor damage and requiring constant maintenance. So our approach was to demolish the exterior wall and part of the roof structure and rebuild using a stronger design. This allowed for larger energy efficient windows and a new roof slope that allowed the snow to shed easier with no more leaks! The remodel turned out beautifully and the owners are happy to not have the maintenance issues anymore.
Thermal-Resistance Ratings: U-factor vs. R-value
U-factor and R-value measure heat transfer and heat resistance,respectively; understanding the difference will help you select energy-efficient windows and insulation.
Both U-factor and R-value are measures of a material’s insulating performance. The former is a measurement of heat transfer; the latter measures heat resistance.
U-factor is generally used to compare the performance of windows, U-factor first was invented by engineers and scientists as a measure of the rate at which heat flows through 1 sq. ft. of material. The direct opposite of an R-value, a lower U-factor rating means that less heat will be lost. U-factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. A window that has a U-factor of 0.40 or less is considered energy efficient.
R-Value was created as a way to sell insulation, R-value is a measure of resistance to heat flow. The higher the number the greater the insulating value. If you double the R-value heat loss is cut in half. Regardless of the R-value a good installation technique is key. For example if not installed correctly an R-19 insulation might only perform at a level of R-13.
Will Construction of Bayfield Awarded Best Of Houzz 2016
Over 35 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World
January 12, 2016 – Will Construction, LLC of Bayfield, CO has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The 23 year old custom building firm was chosen by the more than 35 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.
The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 35 million monthly users on Houzz. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2015. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award. A “Best Of Houzz 2016” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.
Will Construction is proud to serve the Durango and Bayfield area and we are honored to receive this award.
Anyone building, remodeling or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented and service-oriented professionals” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We’re so pleased to recognize Will Construction, voted one of our “Best Of Houzz” professionals by our enormous community of homeowners and design enthusiasts actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”
About Will Construction
We are a custom design/build firm working in the Durango and Bayfield area. Since 1992 we have been helping our clients with the ideas and execution of their construction projects. From minor remodels and additions to complete custom homes we are happy to help.
About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow and Tokyo. Houzz and the Houzz logo are registered trademarks of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.
Decking- Composite vs. Redwood
by Kurt
One of the many choices people face when designing and building a custom home in Southwest Colorado is what kind of decking material to use. Typically the choice comes down to either redwood or one of the composite materials like Trex, Evergrain or several others. 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 indefinitely. Redwood is naturally 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!
Subcontractors and Employees
by Kurt
When building a new home one of the first things most people think about is how much will it cost. There are many decisions to make and most of these can effect cost in one way or another. Some of the most important decisions we have to make as your builder is who to use for subcontractors and employees. This is one area where cheaper is not necessarily best. Often times what appears to be a cheaper option is definitely not the best. Quality and value is what is important here and we have found that sometimes it just makes sense to use a more expensive sub or employee. To a certain point you do get what you pay for. We want to use high quality professionals that we know will get the job done on time and to our standards. Beyond that we want to know they will be around to stand behind their work should any warrantee issues ever come up.
At Will Construction we are committed to using only the highest quality subs and employees. These are people we have worked with many times before, they do a fantastic job for a fair price and we know we can count on them. This is the backbone of our organization and one of the most important decisions we can make regarding the construction of your new custom home.
Radiant in floor heating and wood floors
By, Kurt
Lately I have been asked a few times about installing wood flooring over radiant in floor heating. Many people believe this can’t be done or is a bad idea and this couldn’t be farther from the truth. While it is true that wood will expand and contract somewhat with temperature change and humidity change there are steps we can take to minimize this movement so it doesn’t cause any problems with the radiant heat.
It is important that the home’s heating system be running and comfortable as if the house was lived in. The new wood flooring should be stacked in the living area so that air can circulate around it allowing it to acclimate to the homes conditions. The temperature, humidity, and the moisture content of the wood needs time to stabilize before the installation. This can happen fairly quickly or sometimes can take a few weeks. If using an engineered wood this will take much less time and is less of a concern. If using solid hardwood make sure you buy a quality product to begin with, acclimate as necessary and it too will work fine. Installation techniques vary depending on the product and the sub floor materials. Here in Durango we are often working with Gypcrete or Concrete for a sub floor with radiant heat. In both cases Engineered wood can be floated with no problems. Solid wood can be nailed if we install wood sleepers before the Gypcrete, or if no sleepers we can prime and then glue the wood floor.
Regardless of the installation technique or whether it is engineered or solid wood, these floors are beautiful and perform great over radiant in floor heat.
