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Tex-Perts Cooling & Heating, a San Antonio HVAC contractor, launched an updated range of AC repair and installation services. The company offers 24/7 AC repair, AC installation and maintenance for commercial and residential clients in San Antonio and the surrounding area.

San Antonio, United States May 26, 2017 /PressCable/

Tex-Perts Cooling & Heating, a HVAC company based in San Antonio, Texas, announced a variety of updated services for residential and commercial clients. The company provides 24/7 AC repair and full system installation for all brands and models, working with licensed and certified professionals to ensure safe and reliable services.

More information can be found at http://www.texpertsac.com.

HVAC systems are essential to maintain a comfortable interior temperature, especially during the hot summer months. While for residential homeowners a small AC system is typically enough, commercial locations need larger central systems to ensure proper cooling, especially for larger buildings such as hotels, banks and various others.

Tex-Perts Cooling & Heating is a professional HVAC company offering a wide range of services for commercial and residential clients in San Antonio and the surrounding area.

The company provides 24/7 professional AC repair services, working with licensed and certified professionals to ensure quick, safe and effective services. The San Antonio AC contractor offers immediate assistance with a wide range of issues such as duct leaks, uneven interior temperatures, broken thermostats, dirty coils, draining problems, condenser issues and many others.

As well as providing complete repair services, Tex-Perts Cooling & Heating also offers new HVAC system installation for all brands and models, including Trane, Lennox, Honeywell, Carrier, General Electrics and many others. The company undertakes an extensive inspection of each property to suggest an adequate HVAC system, providing professional installation services protected by satisfaction guarantees.

The San Antonio HVAC contractor also offers heater installation and repair services, offering 24/7 assistance with various heater problems. The company has extensive experience helping commercial and residential clients with issues including excessively high energy bills, draining problems, loud ventilation, faulty condensers, uneven interior temperatures, leaky refrigerants, faulty thermostats and many others. These services are available for all heater brands and models.

Interested parties can find more information by visiting the above-mentioned website.

Contact Info: Name: Shane Petty Email: results@revved.biz Organization: Tex-Perts Cooling & Heating Address: 6345 Walzem Rd, San Antonio, Texas 78239, United States Phone: +1-210-599-1200

For more information, please visit http://www.texpertsac.com/

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 202986

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San Antonio Texas AC Repair, AC Installation and Maintenance Services Launched - MilTech

Remodeling or completely renovating a kitchen can be a big task, but it also has the best return on investment of any home improvement.

But these improvements dont come cheap. A 2013 U.S. Census Bureau report noted the cost of an average kitchen remodel was $5,000, with the price tag for complete renovation at $27,353.

Given these costs, remodeling experts say there are ways to save in order to have money to splurge on key items.

Begin with a detailed floor plan, said Ariel Darmoni, managing partner at 123 Remodeling, a general contractor firm featured in Houzz and on HGTV.

Its going to be so much more if you dont have a floor plan that works for you, because making changes later costs more. You can also save money if you dont have to move plumbing and electric, even if youre taking down walls, he said.

Dont skimp on important life-safety improvements like mold remediation and ventilation, said Beverley Kruskol, owner of M.Y. Pacific Building, a general contractor who has worked with high-end renovations, including for Mario Batalis restaurants in Los Angeles.

Tile, flooring and lighting can be both economical and beautiful, Kruskol said.

Tile is a great place to save money. There are thousands of styles, and theyre so amazing, she said.

Porcelain and ceramic tiles can be used on both floor and in kitchen backsplashes, said Suzanne Falk, of Suzanne Falk Interior Design and a ghost designer on HGTVs Kitchen Crashers.

Tile is cheaper than hardwood flooring, and Darmoni prefers tile floors in kitchens because wood floors can be easily damaged by water leaks from dishwashers.

Big-box retailers sell attractive tiles for a fraction of the cost versus whats sold at designer showrooms, Falk said. For people who have their heart set on high-end tile, she recommended highlighting it in a specific area, such as a backsplash around the range, and then framing it with subway tiles, which Falk said are her go-to tiles.

Distinctive, affordable lighting options are available at retail stores versus paying up at a showroom, they said.

Compared to what was available four or five years ago, you can get beautiful lamps at a fraction of the cost, Kruskol said.

Choose a nicer faucet over a sink, Darmoni said, but look at the faucet construction. Better-made faucets have durable metal cartridges inside, which are the valves that turn on the water and mix temperatures.

High-end appliances might be a worthy splurge; however, Kruskol said homeowners should think about how they use them and how long theyll be in the home.

If youre in a condo, I dont think you need to spend the money to get a Wolf range, but it depends on your lifestyle, she said.

Homeowners who arent doing a gut rehab and really are scrimping can get new doors and hardware for their existing cabinets, Kruskol said, which can quickly update the look. Even refinishing existing doors can refresh a tired kitchen.

The two areas worth a splurge are cabinets and countertops, they said. Consider stepping up to semi-custom cabinets from a local cabinet supplier and avoiding the big-box retailer.

Working with a local cabinet supplier to design creative storage can help eliminate a lot of the wasted space in kitchens, Kruskol said. Upgrades such as pull-out shelves and Lazy Susans are useful, but Falk warned about getting carried away with other costly upgrades like appliance garages and built-in spice drawers. These can look nice but may not be practical, she added.

Another benefit to using semi-custom cabinets is they can be designed to fit a homes inevitable imperfections in a way prefabricated cabinets cant, said Darmoni and Falk.

All three said consider upgrading to natural stone countertops versus manufactured styles. Not only do they look beautiful, but they will last for years. Granite has always been popular, but high-end materials such as quartz and quartzite are becoming affordable.

The one stone they dont recommend for kitchens is marble.

Its porous and stains easily. For instance, if you put a coffee cup on it, it gets a ring that doesnt go away, Kruskol said.

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At Home: Where to save, splurge in kitchen remodel - Topeka Capital Journal

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

Warrington, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2017 -- Spring and summer are the perfect times of year for any home improvement projects to take place. The warm weather is a great change of pace and results in more people spending time outside. However, finding the right contractor to do the job is a lot more difficult. One company that has built a dependable reputation among the community is Joseph's Affordable Plumbing.

For over 40 years, Joseph's Affordable Plumbing has been a reliable leader in plumbing and heating in Glenside, PA. Outside from specializing in plumbing and heating, Joseph's Affordable Plumbing also specializes in bathroom and kitchen remodeling.

"We definitely see an increase in home remodeling once spring starts to roll around," said Joseph Greenstein of Joseph's Affordable Plumbing. "Getting work done on your house during the winter can be really tough. The winter months are already brutal enough due to the weather, plus you have to add in all the holiday commotion. Once the cold weather breaks and you're able to spend more time outside and less time inside where the work is being done, the easier it is to get a room in your house remodeled."

Interested customers looking for a company skilled in drain cleaning in Philadelphia, PA, kitchen and bathroom remodeling or maintenance for any plumbing and heating issues are strongly urged to get in touch with Joseph's Affordable Plumbing immediately. Potential customers can visit their website at http://www.josephsaffordable.com/ or give them a call (215)-310-5945 today!

About Joseph's Affordable Plumbing Joseph's Affordable Plumbing offers three generations of plumbing experience. The company services Northeast Philadelphia, Mount Airy, Germantown Glenside, Elkins Park, Huntingdon Valley, Feasterville, Roslyn, Warrington, Warminster, and many other surrounding communities. Joseph's Affordable Plumbing offers a wide away of plumbing services that include drain cleanings, hot water heater repairs, sewage pumps, and emergency plumbing seven days per week.

For more information, visit http://www.josephsaffordable.com/.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/josephs-affordable-plumbing-offers-kitchen-remodeling-services-this-spring-812529.htm

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Joseph's Affordable Plumbing Offers Kitchen Remodeling Services This Spring - Digital Journal

$78M downtown medical office reaches construction milestone (PHOTOS) Louisville Business First A major downtown construction project for the University of Louisville hit an important benchmark Friday. The final beam was placed atop U of L's eight-story, $78 million Pediatrics Medical Office Building, a 171,000-square-foot facility which will ... New UofL Pediatrics building celebrates construction milestoneWAVE 3 all 3 news articles »

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$78M downtown medical office reaches construction milestone (PHOTOS) - Louisville Business First

Inova II Office Topping Out

Centennial, Colo. (PRWEB) May 27, 2017

Signifying the construction milestone of being approximately halfway through construction, the Inova II Office building celebrated its topping out. The structure will be southeast Denvers newest innovative suburban class-A office building, located just off I-25 on East Dry Creek Road. Construction team members, along with the design team and other project stakeholders, celebrated the event with a BBQ and the tradition of placing the final steel beam onto the top of the building.

Inova II was designed by Powers Brown Architecture and developed by United Properties. Inova, short for innovate, reflects the competitive advantages in providing a high value, cost effective, smart, sustainable and efficient new office campus.

Part of a 5-building master-planned development, the new 4-story, 233,000-sf office building will be built using a unique tilt-up panel method. The class-A spec office building is an L-shaped structure with a partially below grade parking structure. It features large, efficient floor plates, expansive windows and a roof-top patio. The space is expected to provide workspace for 574 employees throughout the first and second floor.

These developments will be transforming the standards of how our industry builds working environments to be more sustainable and cost-effective, said Tom Horsting, Regional Vice President of Adolfson & Peterson Construction. It is wonderful to be a part of this team.

AP was awarded the project from the success of building the Inova I project. Inova II is pursuing LEED Silver Certification and will be completed in December 2017.

About AP Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) is a U.S.-based, privately held builder that is consistently ranked among the top 50 construction managers and general contractors in the nation. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the company delivers innovative and collaborative building solutions for clients across the country from its regional offices in Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix. Founded in 1946, AP serves clients in the education, healthcare, commercial, municipal, multifamily, hospitality and senior living market sectors. For more information, visit http://www.a-p.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. ###

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Adolfson & Peterson Construction Tops Out Inova II Office Building - PR Web (press release)

The new Steiner Ranch commercial project includes three buildings and two entrances off North Quinlan Park Road.

A two-story commercial building andtwo other structures are in the works for an 8-acre tract in Steiner Ranch at 3810 N. Quinlan Park Road, Austin at Steiner Ranch Boulevard, local developer Cosmo Palmieri said.

Palmieri is developing the speculative mixed-use centerformerly known as MU-4 or Village of Steiner Ranchwith owner Kelly Gray and said he has been issued a site development permit for the project.

We kicked off the architectural drawings a week ago, Palmieri said, of the project that includes a 34,000-square-foot, two-story building and two smaller pad sites of 5,000 square feet each.

The large office building will have views of the main basin of Lake Travis and include retail on the lower floor and office space on thetop level, he said.

The project is located in the unincorporated area of Travis County and will have two driveways off North Quinlan Park Road, with one adjacent to Portofino Road in the neighborhood, Palmieri said. The site is part of Steiner Ranchs master development plan, he said.

Levy Architects will design the project and Wes Babb, senior vice president of Lincoln Property Company, will manage the center, Palmieri said.

Our first order of business is for our architect to reach out to the neighborhood association to inform them of the project and let them know we have the guidelines and criteria [for the neighborhoods master plan], he said.

Construction on the large building is slated to start in January and expected to be complete by fall 2018, Palmieri said.

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Office buildings, retail bound for Four Points - Community Impact Newspaper

BELMONT For the first time in more than a decade, Allegany County officials plan to get the top floor of the Allegany County Office Building back to usable condition.

Legislators voted 12-2 in favor of $2.02 million in contracts for the renovations on Monday, with Legislators Tim OGrady, R-Wellsville, and Norm Ungermann, R-Cuba, in opposition. Legislator Charles Jessup, R-Alfred Station, was absent.

The approved contracts include:

A $764,000 contract with Holdsworth Klimowski Construction of Victor for general contracting on the project. The bid is below the roughly $864,000 estimated by LaBella.

A $302,000 contract with Concord Electrical Corp. of Rochester for electrical work. The bid was not the lowest submitted, but a $298,800 bid from Painted Post-based Schuler-Haas Electric Corp. was disqualified because the firm had not submitted a non-collusive bidding certificate. The bid was above the $214,590 estimated by LaBella.

A $273,000 contract with Mazza Mechanical Services, Inc., of Olean for mechanical work. The bid was below the $431,125 projected by LaBella.

A $76,400 contract with John W. Danforth Co. of Tonawanda for plumbing work. The bid was the highest of two bids, but above the $74,750 projected by LaBella.

All together, the bids came in at $1.42 million, or about $169,000 under estimates.

Legislator Kevin LaForge, C-Wellsville, abstained from voting, as his firm, LaForge Disposal Services Inc., has worked with the companies previously. Ungermann abstained from voting on the mechanical work, noting he has worked with Mazza Mechanical on several occasions.

In addition to funds for the third floor contracts, county officials are setting aside:

$50,000 for elevator repair;

$71,000 for LaBella as clerk of the works;

$26,000 for third floor control replacement; and

$452,600 to renovate the space on the first floor that will be freed up by the offices moving to the third floor.

The space to be renovated, officials said, will be used by the public defenders office, Department of Social Services administration and other offices, while the first floor of the building will be used for intake of those needing county services.

Space needs have become critical in the building, said county Administrator Tim Boyde.

There is literally a person down there working in a closet, Boyde said. We will be able to spread out and better serve the county.

But some legislators disagreed with using the third floor, which until about 10 years ago was the county jail.

+3

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This isnt going to begin to give us the space we need, Ungermann said. I think were better off taking that money and put it with some other money and build a building off campus.

OGrady recommended the county look to the countys public safety complex on Route 19 south of Belmont as a possible site.

We never explored the option of alleviating the parking and finding a building, OGrady said, adding he has been in opposition to buying old houses on Court Street, upgrading the elevator to the third floor and other expenses to keep county offices on Table Knoll without looking at other sites.

Legislator Karl Graves, R-Wellsville, said the move keeps with the original purpose of the office building, constructed in 1976.

I remember the justification they used at the time they wanted to centralize all the functions of the county government, Graves said.

He added the rennovation would make good use of the space on the top floor.

I dont know where youre going to find (the space), except on top of this building, Graves said.

Graves also said that with the county holding more than the equivalent of 20 percent of its annual budget in reserves, the county could do the work without borrowing like it did for the $14 million courthouse renovation in the late 2000s or the public safety complex a few years earlier.

Now is the time to do it because we can afford it, he said. Down the road, we might not be able to afford it.

(Contact reporter-editor Bob Clark at bclark@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @OTHBob)

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$2.02 million renovation to top of Allegany County Office Building OK'd - Olean Times Herald

GREENSBORO A group of Triad developers plans to build the first major downtown office project in two decades at the entrance of the Greensboro Grasshoppers First National Bank Field.

The 111,869-square-foot building is another part of a building boom expanding downtowns urban core.

The nine-story building, at the northwest corner of Eugene and Bellemeade streets, will be integrated into the ballparks

entrance and overlook the baseball diamond, said Robin A. Team Jr., the president of Carolina Investment Properties of Lexington, which is developing the building in a joint venture with GEMCA Development of Winston-Salem.

The $24 million building will be designed with existing ballpark elements, including a brick masonry facade, arched openings and a sloped roof.

It will occupy the half-acre stadium entry plaza that currently features baseball sculptures on a brick walkway.

Team said the Grasshoppers organization will own a portion of the office project.

Tuggle Duggins law firm will occupy the top 21/2 floors of the building, which is about one-third the size of the Lincoln Financial Building on North Greene Street.

Retail-oriented space will occupy the first floor and 65,000 square feet of Class A office space will be available for lease.

Moser Mayer Phoenix and West & Stem Architects designed the building with balconies for tenants and a 1,200-square-foot shared entertainment and conference space for all tenants that will feature a balcony overlooking the ballpark.

The ballpark has become the catalyst for a building boom that is reshaping the northern end of downtown.

The Carroll Cos., based in Greensboro, is developing Carroll at Bellemeade, a $65 million hotel and apartment complex on Eugene to the east of the ballpark. Aloft Hotels plans to build one of its boutique hotels to the south of the ballpark, on Bellemeade. The hotel will be integrated into a planned $30 million city parking deck on property also owned by developer Roy Carroll.

Two nearby apartment projects, including the Greenway at Stadium Park apartments, which overlook the left field side of the ballpark, have opened since 2014.

Carroll said Wednesday by email: I have seen the renderings on this project and consider it a great addition to our downtown. This project along with other proposed projects in the area would not be moving forward without the vision and support of the Greensboro City Council in providing parking in the area. Im expecting a boom around the ballpark. I can easily see $200 million plus in additional unannounced development around the ballpark within the next 5 years.

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said this new development, along with proposed projects on the southern end of downtown on or near Gate City Boulevard, are revitalizing the entire central business district.

You look at whats going on at the other end of downtown. It really is spreading out nicely, Vaughan said. Thats one of the things weve always said is we want to expand the footprint, and its nice to see the investment.

In addition to Carrolls projects and the apartments near the ballpark, northern downtown is growing on the eastern side with last years opening of the $10 million LeBauer Park on North Davie Street and the planned $78.1 million Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts to be built over the next two years among North Elm and East Lindsay streets, Abe Brenner Place and Summit Avenue, on a site diagonal to LeBauer Park.

The lead developer of the new office building project is Coleman Team, a partner in Linville-Team Partners. He also will oversee leasing of the building.

Coleman Team said that only 7 percent of the office space downtown is vacant, which suggests pent-up demand for new office space.

Team said office buildings integrated with such amenities as ballparks and near apartments and hotels attract young, bright talent to businesses and communities.

A lot of office builders are willing to invest in space that appeals to millennials, Team said. Their space helps them create a culture that attracts people and can help Greensboro compete with such hot job markets as Charlotte and Raleigh.

Vaughan and Carroll recognized Zack Matheny, the president and chief executive officer of Downtown Greensboro Inc., who has helped coordinate efforts between the city and developers to boost and broaden development.

Matheny said Wednesday in his South Elm Street headquarters that to have this level of interest with this creativity is a tremendous asset to all of the energy thats been going on in downtown.

In April, the Greensboro City Council approved a deal with CHI Greensboro, which will build the $30 million Bellemeade parking deck, which will have 1,050 spaces. The city will own and operate the deck after CHI builds it.

Construction of the office building is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2017 and end in about a year.

Contact Richard M. Barron at 336-373-7371 and follow @BarronBizNR on Twitter.

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New office building will be integrated into Greensboro baseball stadium - Greensboro News & Record

Winston Churchill said, We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us. And while there are many developers working hard to erect theoffice buildings of the future, others are just as passionate about repurposing yesterdays buildings for modern-day use, believing that the character of these structures is still viable.

Courtesy of R2 Cos.

901 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago

R2 Cos. chief investment officer Max Meyers said that while there is plenty of new construction that is attractive, it cannot compete with existing product from a design perspective. R2 looks for buildings with what Meyers calls true character so that when these assets are repositioned, it results in a product that cannot be replicated with new construction. Adapting these buildings also provide significant cost savings that can be passed along to tenants.

R2 and Walton Streetpaid $86M last November for a portfolio of seven buildings and three land sites in the West Loop and South Loop. Six of the seven buildings in the portfolio range between 53K SF and 85K SF; the largest, 641 West Lake St., is 107K SF. Meyers said design elements such as exposed timber and brick and terra cotta faades are attractive selling points to a different type of tenants than the ones being courted for newer Class-A construction office buildings. The smaller footprints in these buildings cater best to midsize tenants.

Courtesy of R2 Cos.

R2 Cos. chief investment officer Max Meyers

R2 seeks properties in markets where the surrounding neighborhoods can serve as an amenity. The West Loops status as a booming restaurant and nightlife district is a selling point to many companies.R2s developments on Goose Islandare also using the surrounding neighborhood as an amenity. Goose Island is almost equidistant from the central business district and neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Bucktown and Logan Square where downtown office workers live. That cuts down on commuting time, which can be transferred to productivity during the workday.

R2s Goose Island developments offer prospective tenants a significantly lower economic proposition for a larger footprint, and a more unique building experience. Meyers is excited that the Plan Commission approved theNorth Branch Industrial Corridor Framework last week, as proposed zoning changes will finally expedite activity on and around Goose Island, which Meyers believes should be more developed than it already is.

Courtesy of R2 Cos.

The downtown Milwaukee post office, Milwaukee, Wis.

R2 has executed a couple of high-profile covered land plays in the past 18 months. These deals provide a steady revenue stream for R2 on the properties while the firm can plot out its next moves. R2 JVd with Polsky Holdings in October 2015 to buy the downtown Milwaukee post office in a $13M deal. The USPS lease runs through 2020, with a series of five-year extensions. But it is considering relocating to other areas to meet the needs of customers.

R2 is working with Gensler to draft a mixed-use reuse plan that highlights the 50-year-old buildings Brutalist architecture. The post office ties in with Milwaukees ongoing efforts to revitalize West St. Paul Avenue, which includes installing a streetcar system that Meyers said would drop workers off at the buildings front door. The building is also near Milwaukees Amtrak station, making any future retail in the building ideally located for tourists.

WGN-TV studios, Chicago

R2 and Polsky alsobought the WGN television studios at 2501 West Bradley Place in a $22.25M sale-leaseback deal in February. It is another covered land play with a high-credit tenant, in a heavily residential neighborhood. The studios are in the highly rated Bell School District and located a block north from Lane Tech College Prep, one of Illinois highest-ranked high schools. Meyers said R2s deal with WGN is similar to the Milwaukee post office. As long as WGN wants to stay, it can. But if Tribune Medias new owner, Sinclair Broadcasting, decides to relocate the studio, Meyers said R2 would be happy to have the site as a redevelopment play.

To hear more from Meyers and other office real estate experts, attend Bisnow's Big Midwest Office Event, 7 a.m. on June 14 at 440 South LaSalle. Register here.

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Building New Cities With Old Bones - Bisnow

Developing a more satisfying relationship between the house and its setting tends to become more important as owners continue occupying their homes, explains Sonny Nazemian, founder and president of Michael Nash Kitchens and Homes.

Northern Virginians love the temperate climate and rich green surroundings, he added. So finding ways to connect the house with what's just outside your door is a strong local incentive, especially as spring turns into summer.

But homeowner expectation of a better integrated indoor/outdoor scenario is evolving with each season, along with the call for definitive sight lines linking the house to the grounds. Another facet in high demand is pleasant outdoor play zones.

To accommodate, the remodeler's design team constantly assesses emerging building technologies, grading and landscaping practices, code requirements, interior design literature.

We're always adding skills to our repertoire, Nazemian says. Improving on the quality of what we stand for as a company is a continuous motivator for everyone here.

By way of example, Nazemian referenced four recent projects in which the search for an optimal way to marry house and setting entailed exploring skill-sets not typically offered by other remodelers.

Revised rear elevation plus, re-grading makes way for family swim deck

A Great Falls family recently sought an upgraded lower-level for their circa-1980s contemporary. They also wanted an outdoor play area with swimming deck. The home's sloping lot, however, was restrictive.

A rolling hill on the lot's north side dipped at a 35 degree angle under the back deck, making the upper part of the lot half a story higher than the lower-level entrances. Rainwater routinely accumulated on a small ground level patio. Given these issues, the owners had come to think of the backyard as undevelopable.

When owners John and Eula Bonds asked for ideas for a landscape design that would complement the home's modern sensibilities, in fact, sketches from various remodelers failed to recognize some inherent problems.

We knew we wanted a company with an unusual breadth of experience, the homeowner recalls. We went back to our research looking for someone with the right combination of design, construction and engineering capabilities.

Enter, Sonny Nazemian.

The home's contemporary design inspired us to explore a more geometrical landscaping plan, Nazemian says. I started with circular mid-yard decking that would physically support the jacuzzi and endless pool. The idea was to present a visual pattern that would catch the eye from several vantage points along the rear elevation.

Part of this entailed replacing the existing deck with a 14'-by-15' veranda suitable for outdoor dining. But the solution included adding a personal catwalk that extends along the rear elevation to the master bedroom suite which has been retrofitted with a double slider.

The changes allow the Bonds to easily transition from bedroom to pool to patio even on the spur of the moment after dark.

My wife and I smile everyday when we open the slider and take in the view, Bond says. It's been great for the whole family and Eula and I enjoy it every day, since it has been designed with our convenience in mind.

In addition to the swim deck, the Michael Nash team introduced a flagstone patio that links the lower level rooms to the sun exposed upper deck. A stone and flagstone circulation plan that connects patio and decking makes it easy to segue from snack-time to pool to dinner and back.

Post lights, puck lights below stair risers and accent landscape lighting make gatherings after dark safe, feasible and lovely to behold

Sunroom segues to outdoor spaces

The far-reaching scope to a Michael Nash indoor-outdoor solution in Fairfax includes a hexagonal-shaped sunroom, extensive decking, a ground-level patio and an upper deck off the master bedroom.

For Sanjay and Deepika Sardana, who have occupied the house for 14 years, the achievement here is how well the new sunroom addresses their requirements regarding views, available light and interior design.

Our house backs up into a lovely wooded setting, so the lack of views from the rear was a wasted opportunity, Sanjay recalls. We could see how new square footage might address these problems, but didn't know what was feasible.

A chance encounter with Nazemian, however, unleashed a creative process which soon resulted in several design innovations.

A Trex-surfaced decking system now accommodates traffic from the old family room and the new sun room.

Eye-catching designs on the 22'-by-19' surface are elaborated in contrasting beige and redwood slats installed in alternating diagonal and parallel lines. Meanwhile a flared, three-way staircase connects the deck to a ground-level flagstone patio.

Above the sunroom, a second-level master bedroom balcony was also critical. Custom-designed benches and planters are used on both levels to define traffic and gathering zones.

Of course, nothing gets built in Fairfax County that's not in strict building code compliance.

The backyard was mostly fill dirt, which lacked the density needed to support a structure of this size, Nazemian recalls.

Following soil tests, the project team realized they would need to excavate nine feet to properly secure the sprawling addition. Since a traditional basement would be cost-prohibitive, Nazemian employed footings linked to a retaining wall built at the far end of the new footprint. The plan saved 40 percent on the cost of adding a full basement.

Other engineering feats are, likewise, deftly executed. A horizontal I-beam mounted on vertical supports and concealed in the sunroom walls provides the undergirding needed for the master bedroom balcony. The ceiling's slope even allows rainwater drainage.

The 12'-by-20' flagstone patio, while flat to the ground, is secured by a concrete foundation.

More importantly, the upper deck fulfills a long unrequited owner vision.

It's very private, Sanjay notes. My wife and I can sit quietly and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, or even practice yoga. The kids love it, too. The open air and beautiful view bring a great new pleasure into our lives.

Architectural context matters

It's always important to find an architectural context that reconciles the style of the existing house with new indoor/outdoor components, Nazemian says. We have found there's very broad interest in this approach to remodeling, especially in the close-in neighborhoods.

The program for a McLean family home, for instance, called for two separate additions on the rear of the house. The new construction would be incorporated into a whole house remodel that would include a new front facade and new siding to the entire exterior.

The two-level addition in the middle of the rear elevation would house a first-floor kitchen/family room suite integrated with the existing kitchen's footprint as well as a second-level master bedroom suite with spa bath and walk-in closets.

A smaller, one-level hyphen linking the garage and kitchen was designed to accommodate a mudroom and added storage as well as a new powder room.

A small grilling deck accessible from the kitchen segues to a screen porch built on a side elevation. The porch is also linked to the formal dining room via a side door.

Outside, old siding has been replaced with Hardie plank, trim, and fascia board; windows, gutters, roof and downspouts are also new.

New exterior windows in varied shapes and sizes enhance visual interest and curb appeal.

The front door is now framed by an arched portico with square columns; a new flagstone walkway links the front door to the driveway.

We try to find budget-sensitive ways to help owners with school-age children stay in a neighborhood where they've established their roots, Nazemian says. In this case, we enhanced the charm of the original house, but it is also much more functional and presentable. That's the outcome we seek.

Finding room for a stone patio and dining deck

On a similar note, Omar Dajani and family had outgrown their Fairfax home after 14 years of occupancy. Given the challenges of a narrow stem pipe lot and a rear elevation five feet above-grade, a space enlargement integrated with outdoor entertainment zones seemed unlikely. Nonetheless, Dajani asked Sonny Nazemian for an assessment.

The first problem was that the home's rear elevation was also a bearing wall that supported the second floor. To make sense of any expansion, designers would have to insinuate a structural support beam balanced on vertical supports between the first and second floor, and open up the rear elevation.

To properly apportion a new open living area, two vertical support beams cased in decorative molding now frame a four-stool dining counter situated between the working kitchen and the new sunroom/breakfast area.

Meanwhile, with double French doors on opposite elevations, the addition offers direct access to a pair of well-articulated outdoor components: a dining deck on the north side and a flagstone patio with water feature to the south.

Outside, two very different gathering spaces elevate the project's functionality and beauty. A dining deck on the west-side of the new rear elevation provides the family with a convenient everyday spot for supping together while enjoying the breeze and leafy views. A stonework patio on the opposite side of the new addition features a working fountain with tile-topped circular benches and an outdoor kitchen complete with gas grill.

My family loves these improvements, Dajani says. There's an abundance of private places to sit quietly, but it's also a very dynamic environment for playing together. And we are particularly pleased that we got a beautiful new home without moving.

For information, call (703) 641-9800 or visit MichaelNashKitchens.com

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached at (703) 715-8006, http://www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com

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A winning indoor/outdoor plan can require structural changes, re-grading - Fairfaxtimes.com