Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

COSTA MESA Wheels churning, a Gradall crane hoists a prefabricated wall into the air and positions it in place at the corner of a concrete slab.

Framers Sergio Torres and Chris Wagstaff level the wall, secure it with nail guns, then move on to the next panel.

Numbers scrawled across the slab show the position for each corresponding wall panel, stacked to the side of what will soon be a 2,016-square-foot house on the corner of a residential Costa Mesa street. Each comes with windows, plumbing and wiring in place, waiting to be unfurled and connected.

Watch a video of a house being built the new way.

The workers follow a choreographed plan, erecting a new wall every seven minutes. Each panel fits over pipes protruding from the concrete, snapping into place like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

In just over 11/2 hours, they have set up nearly half the walls and positioned the first roof section into place.

"It's like Lego kits," said a beaming Eric VanDerHeyden, executive vice president for the builder, RSI Development of Newport Beach. "What's cool about this is, at the end of the day, the whole first floor will be framed out, including the interior walls.

"What we do in a day would normally take seven to 10 days."

The Costa Mesa house one of two RSI is building at Santa Ana Avenue and 22nd Street is the latest home to be built by the successful cabinet maker-turned-homebuilder.

As producer of kitchen and bath cabinets sold by Home Depot, Lowes and homebuilders throughout the West, company founder Ron Simon wanted to find a way to make homes affordable for working people like those on his assembly lines.

See the rest here:
From ground to roof, home raised in 3 days

During the Industrial Revolution, humans moved out of rural areas and into the cities, where it was easier to access factory jobs.

This influx of people caused rapid and drastic changes in the way cities were designed. As ground space was eaten up, residential and commercial skyscrapers emerged as a way for builders to maximize their real estate.

What would happen if, instead of building thousands of feet up into the sky, we developed a smarter design that allowed us to retain our connection to the natural world?

Well, that's just the question a team of French designers hoped to answer with their "Flat Tower" design, a second place winner in the 2011 eVolo skyscraper competition.

Although the construction of skyscrapers has been an architectural solution for high-density urban areas for almost a century, it has also produced some rather negative side-effects: green spaces, trees, and in some cases, sunlight have become hard to find in big cities. Skyscrapers destroy the skyline, block out the sun, and disrupt the infrastructure of a specific location.

The Flat Tower design is based on a medium-height dome structure that covers a large area while preserving its beauty and previous function. The dome is perforated with cell-like skylights that provide direct sunlight to the agricultural fields and recreational spaces located inside.

"The dome's large surface area is perfect to harvest solar energy and rainwater collection. Community recreational facilities are located at ground level while the residential and office units are in the upper cells," writes the design team.

"An automated transportation system connects all the units, which are different shapes according to their program. It is also possible to combine clusters of cells to create larger areas for different activities."

* Beth Buczynski, EarthTechling

Excerpt from:
Architects design the anti-skyscraper

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between March 19 and March 25, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-00751; 401 Pine St.; $436,718.94; Robert and Elana Katz; Significant remodel of all four levels of existing single-family residence. Remodel of the existing 1985 addition and reconfiguration of existing internal stairways, which results in an increase of approximately 39 square feet to the existing non-compliant FAR. Addition of new (non-FAR) square footage in the basement under the proposed exterior deck for an additional 588 square feet below grade. Proposal also reflects a reduction in building coverage of 254 square feet. See HIS2011-00273 and ADR2012-00042.

PMT2012-00834; 4680 Ludlow St.; $122,874.54; Sarah Sager; Remodel of existing finished basement and the main floor of a one-story single-family dwelling, which includes the conversion of the existing attached one-car garage to living space on the main level. No new floor area of building coverage proposed.

PMT2011-04449; 3293 Ouray St.; $475,000; North Boulder; Coast To Coast Residential Development; Construction of a duplex -- addresses of 3293 Ouray St. and 3775 Ridgeway St. Lot 27, Northfield Commons -- 4,024 square feet finished, 1,518 square feet in unfinished basements, 908 square feet in attached garages and 551 square feet in decks and porches. Each unit to have two full bathrooms, one powder room. 3375 Ridgeway to have one rough-in.

PMT2012-01205; 4720 Walnut St.; $120,000; Tierra Buildings; Rincon Development Inc.; Tenant remodel for technical office space, no new light or plumbing fixtures.

PMT2012-00735; 5010 Ingersoll Place; $15,127.77; Dawn Brandt and Douglas Peterman; Addition and remodel to existing single-family dwelling. Remodel of 132-square-foot kitchen, addition of 81-square-foot entryway. Relocation of plumbing fixtures.

PMT2012-00743; 1050 Walnut St., Suite 202; $86,659.44; Alecta Real Estate; Sand Construction; Tenant remodel for professional office for TechStars business incubator. Includes electrical and mechanical.

Excerpt from:
Boulder building permits: April 2, 2012

JACKSON TWP. - Residents of the Bulford Farms development in Jackson Township may soon get what they've been asking for since 2009: a public sewer connection to replace their septic systems.

An engineering study by the Quad 3 Group is complete, township supervisors and the Dallas Area Municipal Authority gave their stamp of approval, and the project was bid out.

But a new sewer system serving only 19 properties in the upscale development isn't cheap - it comes with a price tag of $527,135, from low bidder Doli Construction Corp. The project's high bidder came in at $718,200. Property owners will have to pay at least $22,765 for their share of the installation costs and at least another $3,000 for a lateral line to their homes. Some need to add $4,000 more to install a grinder pump.

At the request of residents, Jackson Township officials and the Dallas Area Municipal Authority have agreed to extend a public sewer system from neighboring Sutton Hills into the Bulford Farms development.

Most of the 19 residents are in favor of the project, due to one failing septic system and the belief that connecting to the sewer will increase property values.

Tom Nardone, who owns two two-acre properties in Bulford Farms, agrees the price tag is steep - and he has to pay it twice.

"I kind of won the lottery on that," he joked.

But he's willing to pay it. Noting that he's not a real estate agent, he said, "Putting in a sewer system I think adds value, as opposed to putting in a septic."

On the other hand, two residents, John Magagna and Mary Dockeray, each of whom has a property on Oldfield Road, aren't on board.

Dockeray said she doesn't oppose the project: "Who wouldn't want sewers?" she said.

Read the original:
Jackson Twp. sewer project questioned

Do you have a great front porch?

Remember when life was simpler and people sat out on their front porches in the evening?

They visited with neighbors, maybe shared a cold drink, listened to the radio, or played a game.

Do you have a great front porch where you hang out in the summer?

We'd like to hear your front porch tales.

Contact Sharon Roznik at the Reporter at 907-7936 or sroznik@fdlreporter.com.

Fond du Lac City Council has voted unanimously to allow digital billboards to be erected at three sites in Fond du Lac, including two locations on South Main Street and one on West Scott Street.

To install digital billboards, NextMedia Outdoor Inc., based in De Pere, must remove others that are located in residential neighborhoods or other inappropriate areas.

Ten existing billboards will come down as part of the agreement.

Installation of the new billboards would occur in six to eight weeks.

Read this article:
Local Briefs

In the past few years, dozens of property/casualty insurers have announced innovative protections for risks involving new technologies, current economic concerns, personal and family relationships, home-based small businesses, and more.

This is a new era in property/casualty insurance. Innovation is breaking out all over, said Roger Hurtvig, president of the Insurance Innovation Institute (III) in Warwick, Rhode Island.

The P/C industry has a reputation of being slow to embrace new ideas but the IIIs own measure of innovation the P/C New Products Index has been rising steadily for the past year and hit a record high of 75 out of a possible 100 points last month.

It seems that with every day comes a new idea, Hurtvig said. The new products are anchored in traditional insurance principles but they speak to a new generation of risks. Its very exciting.

So what are some of these new ideas that have put the industrys unhip reputation at risk? Insurance Journal searched the database at http://www.MyNewMarkets.com to find the Top 10 Most Innovative P/C Insurance Products:

1. Pay-As-You-Park: Private passenger auto policy from Progresso. Rates are based on how long the vehicle is not driven. Policyholders are sent a small white box that attaches to the front drivers side wheel. The box contains a meter that is loaded with an initial estimated premium. The box calculates premium discounts for every 15 minutes the vehicle is parked but adds surcharges for every 15 minutes the vehicle is in motion. Pay-As-You-Dock boat policy also available.

2. GreenMaker: R.W. Barkley is selling a product liability policy for home or garage-based businesses that manufacture cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, toys, computers or other products using primarily recycled, upcycled, natural or organic materials.

3. Commercial Specific Liability (CSL): A low-cost option to the Commercial General Liability (CGL), the CSL lets business owners specify the exposures they want covered. The final ISO form is not expected until December but some examples of actions expected to be covered include: nailing into a water pipe, electrical wiring or cable; causing a fall due to the failure to warn of water, change in elevation (a step), or intoxication; and releasing a pollutant that the insured did not bring to the job site.

4. Vanishing Coverage: A multi-year package policy from Hubb Insurance available only to owners of high-end coastal properties and antique autos. The premium is lowered by the same amount the deductible is raised each year until the deductible reaches the policy limit or the premium hits zero, whichever happens first.

5. Home Business Interruption Protection (HBIP): Revelers Insurance has a business interruption policy for any service business conducted from the home, from hackers and day traders to massage therapists and insurance agents. Covers loss of Internet connection, telephone service, daycare, HVAC as well as refrigerator breaks.

Link:
Special Report: Top 10 Innovative P/C Insurance Products

All of the telltale features of a classic midcentury house were there: the clean, geometric lines; extensive use of clerestory windows and walls of glass; and tongue-and-groove wood ceilings, the planking of which extends seamlessly from interior to exterior.

Somewhat shrouded by years of neglect, those features and many more were nonetheless apparent to the pros at Bee Renovated, the firm that rehabbed the residence at 315 Vassar Ave. in Kensington. On the market for $1.185 million, the five-bedroom home just received a complete facelift from the company, which is known for its detailed renovations of vintage properties.

On the market for the first time, the home was built in 1953 for University of California Berkeley Professor Bernard Etcheverry. A civil engineer, Etcheverry was involved with the design of the Greek Theatre, and those familiar with the Berkeley campus will recognize his namesake building, Etcheverry Hall.

The Kensington property has remained in the hands of one Etcheverry family member or another since its completion. And why not? The large, comfortable residence is located on an expansive double lot, situated to allow Golden Gate and bay views through its banks of windows. Those windows, combined with multiple sliding glass doors, help create the indoor-outdoor aesthetic so key to midcentury home design.

In fact, along with the home's history, it was such details that initially attracted Bee Renovated to the project, the company's most recent. Bee Renovated is the innovation of interior designer Sean Gaston Steer and contractor Jim Jewell, who are partners in both business and life.

"The thing that really attracted us was the fact that the house had been built for Bernard Etcheverry, him being an engineer and his connection to Cal Berkeley," Gaston Steer said. "We knew it had to be an architecturally great home.

"Over the years it had gone into disrepair and was neglected. All of the original features were there, though, which is what we love to find. We were able to honor the original architecture and update it for modern lifestyles of today."

For example, Gaston Steer explained, kitchens back then were really functional as opposed to being part of the entertainment aspect of the house. In this case, the kitchen was closed off and located at the back of the home, completely isolated.

"That poor kitchen was hidden back there all by itself, and now it's just open and grand and bright," Gaston Steer said. "It's now part of the party."

Starting with great architecture makes their job easier, according to Gaston Steer. From there, a project's focus is preservation, restoration and updating while maintaining the historical integrity of the original design. To that end, Gaston Steer spent a lot of time finding vintage fixtures and trim pieces to stay true to the period.

Originally posted here:
Classic midcentury modern home receives an extensive makeover

Posted: Apr. 1, 2012 | 2:04 a.m.

Here is a listing of events designed for book lovers. Information is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Additions or changes to this listing must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of Sunday publication to Bookmark, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125. For more information, call 383-0306.

SIGNINGS

John A. Andres will sign "Rude Buay ... the Untouchable, Vol. II" at 1 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd.

Kelle Groom will do a short reading and sign copies of "I Wore the Ocean in the Shape of a Girl" at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd.

EVENTS

Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, will host the Spring Fling Book Fair featuring local and regional authors, lectures and workshops 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Autograph sessions will be 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. Admission is free (507-3458).

The Amazing Reads Book Club meets at 5:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.

Book Lovers' Bistro meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.

The Brown Bag Book Club meets at 11a.m. the second Thursday of the month at the Laughlin Library, 2840 S. Needles Highway.

Here is the original post:
Bookmark: Signings And Events

NORTH BROOKFIELD School officials said replacement of windows at the elementary school will get under way Friday, despite the concern of at least one parent about the removal of asbestos in the window caulking while school is in session.

School Superintendent John A. Provost said the $500,000 project involves removal of all windows in the building, which was built in 1972, and replacing them with energy-efficient windows with latex caulking.

Allison White, a parent of an elementary school student, said she has multiple issues with the project, from a notice received last week dated Jan. 26 to the reluctance of town officials to delay the work until summer break.

For them, this is all about money. I cant believe that town officials are willing to put money ahead of the safety of our children, even if there is minimal risk, said Mrs. White.

She said she had complained to Brian Wong, chief of investigations and enforcement at the Department of Labor Standards asbestos and lead program, and was told there are no regulations prohibiting people being in a building while asbestos abatement work is being done.

Mrs. White said she was told it was best not to be in a room, in this case a classroom, while work was in progress.

To that end, she said she sent a letter to Principal James F. Graham and her childs classroom teacher stating her child should not be in any room where window replacement work was taking place.

Lockheed has submitted a comprehensive, 18-point plan for asbestos mitigation, and Peter Shipman (director of buildings and grounds for the school district) is willing to meet with anyone and go over it, Mr. Provost said.

He said the plan had been reviewed and approved by the project manager, the architect, Woburn-based Covino Environmental Associates and the state School Building Authority.

Covino, Mr. Provost said, would be the environmental hygienist on site conducting continuous air quality sampling, as well as monitoring compliance with the mitigation plan while work was under way.

Originally posted here:
Window removal spurs safety concerns

A question that occasionally comes up is what is the right rent for a building to be built and leased to a company. On its face this looks like it would be fairly straightforward to figure out. But a number of the provisions of the lease need to be considered to determine not just the lease rate but if all the elements of the lease line up so construction is feasible.

What is the cost to build? What is the market rate for the space? What financing is possible? What lease rate is necessary to provide the developer its desired rate of return and support the financing?

Take this example. Assume the building is going to be a generic 10,000-square-foot office building in a good location. It will be leased to a financially strong company for 10 years. The cost to build is $275 a square foot, or $2.75 million.

Say the bank will finance 70 percent of the construction cost, or $1.925 million, with 6.5 percent interest on a 25-year term. This financing produces a monthly payment of $12,998 and an annual payment of $155,973. The developer will provide the balance of the required cash, $825,000.

The bank's financing will depend on an appraisal of the value of the proposed building. The bank will commit to the loan only if the appraisal is equal to, or greater than, the cost of construction.

The bank will require the lease income to be bigger than the mortgage payment. This will provide a margin of safety on its loan and is called the "debt coverage ratio." Assume this debt coverage ratio is 30 percent. In this example, the bank will require the annual lease income to be $202,765 ($155,973 x 1.30).

Because the lease is going to be net, where the tenant pays the building's operating costs, taxes and insurance, this payment could be the rental amount. The developer would collect the annual rent of $202,765 and pay the mortgage and keep the remaining money as its return on the cash it put into building the building.

In this example, that cash return would be $46,792 a year, ($202,765 minus $155,973). But that is a return of only 5.7 percent, a low return. The developer will not take the risk for such a low return.

Let's say the developer wants a 12 percent return on the cash it puts into the building, which would be $99,000. The lease rate would be the mortgage payment plus the developer's return and total $254,973, or $2.12 a month per square foot.

Remember this is a net lease so, in addition to the rent, the tenant has to pay the building operating costs, taxes and insurance. If those are about $10 a square foot a year, it means an additional 83 cents a square foot a month. This makes the tenant's total lease cost $2.96 a square foot a month.

Read more from the original source:
Construction requires lease provisions to line up