On Tuesday of this week we started excavation on an addition to a home we constructed about 7 years ago. At the time the home was designed the owners were considering this room and deck, but decided to hold off on the work. We constructed the home without it, but they really wanted the amenities to enjoy the outdoor area around their home. They worked with the original architect for the home and came up with a plan slightly different from their original plan.

A room like this needs a foundation for proper support, but the owners didn't need a full basement. The site also slopes quite a bit so we lowered the foundation to provide protection from frost. This allowed us to create a foundation with an area under it for storage. This will create a good area for off season storage of outdoor furniture and other items typically kept on the deck during nice weather.

Posted by Ray Cox at 6:42 AM | Link

 

Two weeks ago we started doing some remodeling work at the Northfield National Guard Armory on Division Street. It is a nice big old brick building that has served people well and needs some upgrades. Much of the work involves updates to the mechanical systems. We are busy cutting openings, installing grilles, enlarging ductwork chases, etc.

The Armory is home to some of the Northfield YMCA programs. We are doing all we can to make sure the construction work isn't too disruptive to their activities. Lots of children participate in the Y's programs every day.

When we remove mechanical systems we keep the iron and steel as clean as possible so it can be recycled. There were many radiators to take out of the building. We also have removed many, many feet of steel pipe that will head off to the recycler to be made into new steel products.

Posted by Ray Cox at 11:15 AM | Link

 

A week or so ago we started a nice remodeling project at the Whistle Stop Tavern and Grill in Lonsdale. It is located at 110 Railway Street and is the former municipal liquor store. The city constructed and opened a new municipal liquor store last year. The Whistle Stop continued operations in the former liquor store location. As a result of good patronage from the Lonsdale community the owners decided to expand and remodel the facility.

 

Our work for the food preparation area involved cutting out sections of the concrete floor. We coordinated our work with the management to allow the Whistle Stop to remain in operation during the construction period. This required us to start our work early and take care to keep things as clean as possible. The area is split into two halves so dust control is fairly easy. Noise control is a more difficult issue.

We are framing walls and installing the hollow metal door frames now. Wiring will be completed before long, followed by drywall wall surfaces.

If you are in the Lonsdale area stop by and try the food at the Whistle Stop Tavern and Grill!

Posted by Ray Cox at 11:35 AM | Link

 

On the bathroom remodeling project we are working on the bathroom is in a teenagers bedroom. The owners needed wanted to find a way to create more storage space. It is tough to give up bedroom floor space by creating more closets. After looking things over we decided to focus on space in the attic eaves of the home.

With a steep roof pitch, there is attic space on each side of the bedroom. The structural roof system is wood trusses on this home. We cannot cut any of the roof truss members. What we decided to do is cut open the area in between the trusses. This will allow us to create a space 22" wide by 80" high. We made the space just over 24" deep and installed drywall and insulation on the perimeter walls. We then will build cabinets to slide into the openings.some for hanging clothes and some with drawers below. Stay tuned for photos of the completed work.

Posted by Ray Cox at 6:03 AM | Link

 

We are working on a window replacement project for a home in Northfield. The home is about 50 years old and needed some window upgrades. We worked with the owner and selected Marvin window and door units. They are a very good choice for such work as they produce an excellent wood window with a metal clad exterior. The owner liked the crisp, clean look that metal gives and the interior wood will be stained and finished to match existing trimwork.

By carefully measuring and ordering the windows we were able to reuse all the interior trim and disturb very little wall area. This process allows us to provide a top quality complete window unit in the existing openings. The new windows have very tight seals and include high performance glazing.

Many window sales people advocate for insert windows that sit right inside the existing jambs. This can be a good application, but it also reduces the amount of glazed area of the window. Replacing the complete window unit with a new window also allows us to fully insulate the gaps around the window, both inside and outside, creating a tight, properly sealed window installation.

Posted by Ray Cox at 2:23 PM | Link

 

Today the Northfield Senior Citizen's 'popcorn crew' came to our shop and collected the popcorn wagon. The popcorn wagon is a nicely restored old wagon that needs to be kept out of the winter weather. Northfield Construction Company provided a secure, dry storage area for the wagon over the winter. Now that warmer weather is here it won't be long before the wagon is out on Bridge Square again.selling popcorn for all to enjoy. If you visit Northfield be sure to stop by and sample the popcorn!

Posted by Ray Cox at 10:50 AM | Link

 

We've started a bathroom remodeling project. The home was constructed in the early 1970's and it was time for some updating of the two upstairs bathrooms. We pulled all the materials out of the first bathroom and had the mechanical and electrical work revised to accommodate the new fixtures. We expanded into a nearby bedroom a bit to create a walk-in closet.

It was interesting to see how air had passed through the exterior building insulation behind the acrylic shower stall. The home has 2x6 walls, but there was no vapor barrier installed behind the shower unit. When it was removed you could clearly see how air had been moving through the insulation, pulling dust from the home with it. The yellow insulation was discolored from the air flow. In these photos we have covered the old insulation with a new polyethylene vapor membrane and taped and caulked the seams and edges to prevent air flowing where it shouldn't be flowing.

This shows how important it is to have a properly installed vapor film on the warm side of walls. If a home doesn't have a vapor membrane the drywall finish can act as a membrane if it is treated with the proper paint finishes and sealed at all openings. However, when there is no drywall over the insulation, as in this instance, air can really rush through the insulation. In conditions like this the insulation is not doing its job at all.

Posted by Ray Cox at 2:11 PM | Link

 

It has been a long, cool spring but some of our clients are thinking about exterior projects for the summer. Last week we started a nice deck job. The work includes a main stairway entrance to the home. Tucked along side the building the stairway and landings make a nice transition from the ground to the upper entrance level. Large landscape boulders will be placed along side the deck/stairway when we are done.

This deck finish material is Ipe.also called Brazilian cherry. It is a very, very tough material for decks and seems to hold up very well in our climate. It is hard enough that the carpenters need to drill holes for the fasteners.

Posted by Ray Cox at 1:55 PM | Link

 

The tables were turned last week when we started replacing damaged roofing for Lampert Lumber in Northfield. Northfield Construction Company purchases quite a bit of lumber and materials from Lamperts. It is nice to have a reciprocal work arrangement where we can provide a service to Lamperts.

This work was related to the severe hail storm that came through Northfield almost two years ago. In some places on this metal roof the hailstones went right through the metal! Imagine the force behind such action. It is no wonder that every asphalt roof and many membrane roofs suffered damage in the storm. With lots of out of town roofers working in the area just about the entire city has had a new roof. This metal roof for Lamperts will be about the last of the hail work for us.

Posted by Ray Cox at 10:18 AM | Link

 

We installed mirrors and lights in bathrooms on one of our current projects. The first bathroom incorporated light fixtures in the large polished plate glass mirror. The mirror extends to the ceiling. This is a great way to provide good lighting in a room. When the lights are on full power they give off a lot of light. When toned down with the dimmer they create a soft glow.

The second bathroom incorporated a framed mirror the client had. We mounted wall sconces on each side of the mirror. This is a guest powder room so it doesn't require significantly high light levels. The vanity was made to look more like furniture than a sink base, with furniture style legs. The sink itself is a bowl sink set into a hole in the stone countertop. This creates a very pleasing appearance and is an easy to clean detail.

Posted by Ray Cox at 8:50 AM | Link

 

We set granite countertops on a kitchen job today. The stone the client selected is beautiful! It has such an organic feel to it with the wonderful crystalline formations contained in the stone.

This kitchen has an island. The owners decided to use a shaped end on the stone, overhanging  the cabinets to create an area for stools. The island has a spectacular feature that to me looks like flowing water. I believe this granite selection is from Brazil.

Posted by Ray Cox at 12:04 PM | Link

 

On the kitchen remodeling project we are working on we created a fun little functional design feature. Part of our work included creating a new buffet cabinet in the dining area. The buffet has a lovely oak countertop. The owner asked if we could insert some ceramic tiles into the countertop, creating a flush area to set hot or wet things. We figured out a way to rout an area into the countertop and set the tiles. The owner selected some very pretty tiles for this feature.

Another thing we did in this kitchen is use LED undercounter lighting. LED stands for light emitting diode. LED's last years and years and operate using far less energy and stay cool to the touch. The light assemblies we used in this kitchen draw just 7 watts of power per unit. We used 8 units, so when all undercounter lights are on they will draw a total of 56 watts..less than a single 60 watt incandescent bulb! These lights are mounted below the glass front buffet cabinets, creating a great spot for serving food to guests. The recessed lights in the kitchen are also LED fixtures so the total electrical use for lighting is very low.

Posted by Ray Cox at 9:47 AM | Link