February 12, 2010 – 11:12 am
February 8, 2010 – 9:56 am
Last week we just about finished all the cabinet
installations in the three condominiums we are finishing at The Crossing in Northfield. All the cabinets are cherry, but each of the three units is slightly different. One of the units has plastic laminate countertops for the work areas in the kitchen and granite on the island. We set the laminate tops, cut in the sink and are ready for the plumbers to do their installations.
Every time I am in the units I manage to glance out the windows and see something new. Today, with our massive white snowfall, I saw a gray fox marching along the riverbank….too quick for a photo however.
February 5, 2010 – 9:07 am
We are working at installing cabinets in our East side new home project. The
cabinets were custom made for the home using red oak to match the interior trim. A nice sized island is included in the kitchen. All the cabinets have rail and style doors that are inset into the face frames. This is a slightly more costly way to make cabinets, as opposed to overlay doors, but the appearance is very pleasing.
There is a screen porch connecting the house to the garage. Instead of using wood components to create the screen walls we tried a new product from NorthStar Screen Systems. The screen walls are constructed using extruded anodized aluminum. The product is very tough and will not rot or ever need painting. We selected screen walls that included balusters in the lower portion which provides protection for the screen.
February 3, 2010 – 6:26 am
It was quite a bit of work cleaning up after the burst
water pipe in our client’s home. Most of the flooring was removed right away to help eliminate water and moisture in the home. Last week we removed drywall from damaged walls and ceilings. This has helped dry out the structure. Yesterday I stopped by to see how the drying process was coming. The insurance adjuster was with me. He authorized some additional areas to be removed and repaired. He agreed that the moisture is gone and we should be able to close up areas now.
This type of damage is never easy to go through as a homeowner. But one thing that makes it bearable is a good insurance company and adjuster. The adjuster on this claim was very fair, quick in coming to view the damage, and prompt with his paperwork and authorizations.
February 2, 2010 – 10:57 am
Yesterday our carpenters started setting cabinets in the first condominium we are completing at The Crossing in Northfield. Each of the units is slightly different and will have different interior finishes. For this unit we are using cherry cabinets with framed panel doors. We are installing a good sized crown molding at the top of the cabinets. Cherry has a very warm feeling which works well with the views of the woods and river out the expansive windows in the unit.
We had our tile installers complete the floors in the bathrooms and laundry areas. The tile is a nice slate gray material in a 12”x 12” size. The vanities are the same cherry cabinetry as the kitchen.
January 29, 2010 – 6:36 am
With the primer and first finish coats of paint applied, we are starting interior trim work at our East side new home project. The trim in this home is red oak. In keeping with the Craftsman style of the home, we have tried to keep the trim simple. We are using flat casings around the windows and doors. The head casings are slightly thicker and wider than the side casings, allowing the side casing to butt into the head casing. Craftsman homes didn’t use many mitered corners. Trims were designed so that average craftsmen using standard tools could create pleasing designs. I think this is being accomplished well in this new home.
The interior doors in the home are solid three panel oak units. This style of door blends in well with the Craftsman style. Our base trim is also flat trim without any embellished routing or molding applied. The hardware in the house is oil rubbed bronze which has a dark patina.
The mechanical equipment has mostly been set in place and connected. We are now
running the permanent heating system. To do this we first clean the house well and then cover all the duct openings with filter fabric. That keeps the duct systems clean.
Next week we will be working on wood floors and starting to set cabinets.
January 26, 2010 – 6:28 am
This is the time of year when cold weather can cause problems in houses. Sometimes it is something fairly simple, such as a belt breaking on a furnace, which can be repaired easily and without incident. Other times it is something more major, such as a burst water pipe. That happened lately to a client. When the water line broke it poured water out into the living areas of the home and down to the finished lower level. Our first task was to remove all the soaked carpets and pad and get ventilation and dehumidification underway. This home has plywood floors which hold up well to a quick soaking like this.
If you should have some misfortune with your home or business facility give us a call and we will promptly assist you. Northfield Construction Company works with your insurance company and adjusters to clearly identify what the damages are. We arrive at a work plan that restores your property in a quick and professional manner.
January 21, 2010 – 6:59 am
The geothermal heating system equipment is being connected at our East side new home project. This is the home that was featured in the recent Northfield News article about geothermal heating systems. The main in-ground lines come into
the home in the basement and terminate in a large collector valve. The lines are insulated to retain the ground temperatures as the fluid in the lines is processed through the geothermal compressor system….the large dark box on the floor in the photo.
At the far end of the equipment room is the furnace. For most of the time the furnace is used as a fan coil to distribute the warm air or cool air from the geothermal system. If there should be a problem with the geothermal system in delivering the amount of heat required to heat the home, the furnace is connected to natural gas. The furnace can heat the home in a conventional manner.
The home has under-floor hydronic heating in the basement level. This system gets its heat from a compact wall mounted boiler. The in-floor heating tubes are connected to the boiler using manifolds so water flow can be varied. This boiler is connected to Xcel Energy’s off-peak electricity system through a second electric panel and meter. The cost of electricity supplied through this panel is much lower than the cost of the power supplied through the main house panel. Xcel is able to do this as they can shut the power off and on to balance their power loads.
Our East side new home is progressing nicely. Our
carpenters have been busy with the stairway to the second floor. The stair is constructed of red oak as is all the trim in the home. The stairs has open railings with balusters and newel posts. This type of stairway is a challenge for carpenters because it uses what is called a reverse skirt board at the open areas. A reverse skirt has a mitered joint at each tread where the riser meets the skirt board. This requires the skirt board to be cut with all the miters, set in place, then each riser and tread fit. It takes some time but it makes a very pretty staircase. 
We have set the custom bookcases in the hallway. The
shelves in these bookcases are about 10” deep. Most of the shelves are adjustable to suit the size of books and art work to be displayed here. We also have the seats set in place in the eating nook at the kitchen. This is a really nice spot with east views of the backyard. 
The music room is flanked by some smaller bookcases set on the floor, with oak columns extending up to the lowered ceiling. The ceiling in the music room has some oak trim on it as well. This creates a very nice setting for the piano. 
