Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A demolition crew in Christchurch has finally demolished a once-palatial home teetering on a cliff above the suburb of Redcliffs.

The multimillion-dollar house has been unliveable since the quakes, and those living down on the flat are not sorry to see it go either.

The stately three-storey home once boasted an indoor swimming pool, an underground garage and views that stretched on forever. But four years after the first quake it's now abandoned, slumped, twisted and sitting precariously close to the cliff. A digger moved in this afternoon to save it from complete collapse.

"We were up here checking the land damage and building damage," says Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority's (CERA) Brendan Winders. "We were clearing some vegetation, and while doing that we discovered the building and the land around it was much more compromised than we initially expected."

The home's location, just metres from the cliff edge, means specialist demolition equipment had to be brought in.

"The remote-control digger allows us to have the same sort of demolition impact without putting a man into the machine," says Mr Winders. "We use it occasionally where it is needed."

Redcliffs School sits at the bottom of the cliff. It too has been out of bounds since the quakes. Principal Kim Alexander was keeping a close eye on today's demolition. She's hoping that once the houses go, she'll get her school back.

"It is exciting," she says. "It's just a positive step in the process. We've got a long way to go before we can go back, but one of the things that has to happen is the removal of those homes."

Ms Alexander says a final decision on whether the school will ever return is up to the Ministry of Education.

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Multimillion-dollar house demolished in Christchurch

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, UTAH (ABC 4 UTAH) - Demolition has begun on 8 homes at the corner of 2300 E and Bengal Boulevard paving the way for a new municipal complex in Cottonwood Heights.

The building will be a one-story, 38,000 square foot building with all of the amenities for a community.

The city spent just under 4 million dollars acquiring the 8 properties. It will have nearly 5 acres and more room to expand if they want to.

"It is just exciting to just take a building and see the power of one of the machines take that first step and take the building down so we can start construction in the spring," says Councilmen Mike Peterson of Cottonwood Heights.

The brand new municipal complex will be finished by 2016.

"We haven't had our own city hall, justice system and all that and I think it is great," said resident Sarah Aguiler.

"One of the reasons we are building this city hall is because under our current paradigm, we can't do much for citizens. I mean we basically have offices," said Mayor of Cottonwood Heights Kelvyn Cullimore.

For 10-years Cottonwood Heights has been renting office space in a building off Fort Union Blvd. The city's administration, city council and police all packed into 3 floors.

"When we are done we will have a facility that is nice, we can be proud of and it's paid for. It will last 50-60-70-years," Mayor Cullimore added.

Saving tax payers money while making things easy on them by having one convenient area.

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Demolition begins for new Cottonwood Heights municipal complex

As the town wrestles with ways to protect landmarked homes from demolition, a longtime preservationist urges caution.

Requiring a separate demolition request that halts all other work on a site could backfire, according to Palm Beach architect Gene Pandula, a former longtime chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Town staff and the landmarks board are considering ways to better protect landmarked properties following the unauthorized partial demolition earlier this year of Vita Serena, the 1926 Palladian-style home at 105 Clarendon Ave. .

I dont think you want people to shy away from doing things precisely and correctly in favor of haste, Pandula said.

Planning, Zoning & Building Director John Page has asked the landmarks board to review suggestions he and his staff have created.

Their proposal would require:

* a separate demolition permit for projects in which demolition has been authorized.

* a demolition completion certificate. No additional permits could be approved before this certificate is completed. And no additional demolition would be allowed unless it is approved by the town in advance.

* a pre-construction meeting with the qualified contractor, architect, building official and others before the town issues a demolition permit.

* the presence of a resident inspector on the work site during demolition work. If the owner uses a private inspector, town building inspectors would visit the site daily during demolition work.

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Landmarked property protections under review

The old Halfords in Botley Road

First published in News Last updated

PREPARATION work for the demolition of the former Halfords building in Botley Road, Oxford, has begun.

Demolition of the old building to construct a new Waitrose store should commence next week.

The building, used by Cancer Research UK from August 2013 to June this year, will come down by the end of the year with construction expected to start early in the new year.

Protective fences have been put up around the site and secure hoardings are due to go up tomorrow.

Our top stories

The building was vacated by MFI in 2008 and again by Halfords following its relocation to nearby Meadowside Retail Park in January 2013.

The store Waitroses second in Oxford could be open by early autumn next year.

Continued here:
Demolition is ready to start

The old Halfords in Botley Road

First published in News Last updated

PREPARATION work for the demolition of the former Halfords building in Botley Road, Oxford, has begun.

Demolition of the old building to construct a new Waitrose store should commence next week.

The building, used by Cancer Research UK from August 2013 to June this year, will come down by the end of the year with construction expected to start early in the new year.

Protective fences have been put up around the site and secure hoardings are due to go up tomorrow.

Our top stories

The building was vacated by MFI in 2008 and again by Halfords following its relocation to nearby Meadowside Retail Park in January 2013.

The store Waitroses second in Oxford could be open by early autumn next year.

Link:
Demolition of former Halford's site is ready to start

Dennis Wiltgen with Wilco Enterprises remodeled areas of the home at 1940 S. Broadway in stages, doing this kitchen remodel in the first stage. Hes also done the living room and will do the master suite after the Parade of Homes.

Staff

Dennis Wiltgen with Wilco Enterprises remodeled areas of the home at 1940 S. Broadway in stages, doing this kitchen remodel in the first stage. Hes also done the living room and will do the master suite after the Parade of Homes.

Dennis Wiltgen Wilco Enterprises, LLP P.O. Box 3741 Grand Junction, CO 81502 970-242-2203 parade of homes builder

By Special to the Sentinel Monday, November 3, 2014

Wilco Enterprises, LLP, was formed in January 1982 by Dennis and Carol-Ann Wiltgen. We started doing remodels, new homes and light commercial projects, which we are still doing today. Over the years we managed the building of McDonalds restaurants and Round Table Pizzas and commercial office/ warehouse buildings. Wilco has built and designed more than 250 different custom homes, as many remodels and a number of commercial jobs. The company has created design plans for many customers and builders. Dennis has held the office of HBA of Northwestern Colorado president and served on the board of directors for six different years. He also served as National Association of Home Builders Director for 23 years, a Senior Life Director of NAHB (20- plus years), NAHB Remodelers, Certified Green Professional and CHC Certified Renovator.

Where did you grow up? I was born in Minnesota and grew up in Security/Widefield, Colo., living there until 1976.

How did you get started in the building industry? After going to college and studying architecture and working in the construction trades, I started drawing plans for the first woman custom homebuilder in Colorado Springs. Then I started my own home plan design company before moving to Grand Junction for a management job in 1976. In 1980, I started a company installing cabinets, countertops and doing remodels. In 1982, we started Wilco Enterprises, LLP.

How has the industry changed since you got started? The industry has changed as construction has evolved over the years with changes due to new products and building techniques. With this, came new styles of homes and customer needs. Also, changes in size from an average of 1,200 square feet to larger 2,800-square-foot homes Even garages went from one car to two cars and now three cars. What should consumers look for in a new home? What kind of questions should consumers ask a builder before they sign a contract? What customers should look for in new homes should first be energy efficient and then have a good living floor plan with good proven products and construction. Customers should ask for references, contractors license, insurance and building relations with their suppliers and subcontractors. How much experience and how long?

Is there a particular style of home that you consider your specialty or prefer to build? We build all styles and sizes of homes, specializing in award-winning designs in the 1,200- to 5,000-square-foot homes (in all price ranges). We were one of the first builders to build open-concpet homes. We have built more than 25 Parade of Homes and won Best of Show and Best Kitchens and Floor Plans on a number of them.

Continued here:
Dennis Wiltgen

OH DEAR: Going to the Disputes Tribunal is a lengthy and stressful process, but it isnt expensive. So if things do go horribly wrong and you get advice that youve not had a fair deal, dont let the threat of 'court action' scare you from standing up for your rights.

This weekly installment is your chance to joina family of fouras they experience the highs and lows of building a home for the first time.

This week it's all about how to choose that all important 'plan' - custom designed or a design and build package?

How to pick your design team

This piece should be titled how not to pick your design team. In fact, if our story was a reality TV show, the producers would be rubbing their hands in glee at the drama. Seriously. It got so bad we ended up at the Disputes Tribunal with our first architect.

I'd love to say I know why we got it so wrong when we picked him, but I'm still not sure. However I now know what to do if it goes completely pear-shaped.

Design and Build

Of course, you don't have to get an architect at all as design and build firms can do it all in one package. Most of the big group home builders, and even some of the smaller prefab firms, provide a design package where you can chose a home you like and build it, just like that. Fewer design fees and, at least in theory, less stress.

If you choose to modify their design you will be charged for the changes, and if it is a smaller firm be aware that you may end up paying for some of the design process because they haven't spread that cost out yet (it happened to a friend of ours).

If you make significant changes, they can incur significant cost. Still, even if there are costs involved, planning should be a straightforward process.

See the article here:
How to build a house - step three

As confirmed by a strong robot presence in our round-up of the best tech toys for kids this year, there's something captivating and fascinating about interacting with robots. But rather than just play with a factory-assembled robot like the mesmerizing MiP we got to control at IFA back in the September, many folks want to build and customize their own. The Brighton, UK-based Maker Club has launched a project developed for the home and educational market that combines a custom control chip, a mobile app, an online learning package and 3D printing.

Kids young and old can currently only dream about having the resources and the money available to create advanced mechanical pals like Honda's ASIMO, but it is still possible to build custom robots at home without breaking the bank. "Affordable electronic components and 3D printers, mean anyone can create things for tens of pounds rather than thousands," said Club CEO Simon Riley. "They just need to be led through the process."

The Maker Club is looking forward to the day when folks will be printing their own personalized vacuum cleaners, educational toys and "special projects" and is hoping to add fuel to that future fire with a robot kit that comes with Arduino-based brains and an iOS/Android smartphone app package called the MakerConnect. The microcontroller and app allow control of the bot over Bluetooth, though home hackers can also use the system to for home automation systems and sensors. The team is also planning to leverage the power of a user's smartphone to connect the app to the cloud, meaning that it could be possible to remotely control bots or access user sensor data in other parts of the world.

The Club has designed its range with interchangeable components. Each bot comes ready to build straight from the box and the team has developed a library of Arduino code that will allow tinkerers to use the robots straight away, but builders are encouraged to expand, experiment and evolve the designs. Of course adventurous robo-scientists can design, 3D-print and program their own creations using custom electronics, step-by-step online tutorials and a game-like learning system developed by the Club.

The developers promise to provide the support needed to create and code dream projects, and roboticists will even be able to upload and sell bot designs to the Club's online portal. Folks who want to get in on the action, but don't own a desktop 3D printer can relax, as the Maker Club says it can print the necessary components and ship them out with the electronics needed for the build.

The Maker Club is raising funds for the project on Indiegogo, where backers can choose pre-printed kits (which all come with the MakerConnect microcontroller and app) or can design and print their own. A Grabber robotic arm is pitched at 39 (US$60) and a Carduino RC car kit at 59, for example, and will get you the electronics and 3D CAD files needed for home printing. If you don't plan to print the parts yourself, you'll need to add another 20 and the Maker Club will take care of that for you.

At the time of writing, an early bird MakerConnect chip and app package aimed at pro-level robot builders is still available for a pledge of 19. If all goes to plan, the team estimates delivery will start in March 2015.

The Club's pitch video is below.

Sources: Maker Club, Indiegogo

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Maker Club is hoping to start a 3D-printed home robot revolution

Reesa Potash

A truss is a prefabricated rigid framework used for roof and floor construction. Designed by an engineer, its factory-built, and shipped directly to the building site. Most new homes are built with roof trusses because its efficient and expedient. But plan ahead--you need to order them weeks in advance from your local building company or truss manufacturer.

Parts of a roof truss

Wood members, formed by rafters and ceiling joists, form a roof truss. Think of a triangle--the three sections forming the triangle are the chords. The two upper chords, the rafters, form the upside-down V, and are attached to the bottom chord, the ceiling joist. The structural members, rafters and ceiling joists, of the truss are generally 2-by-4s or 2-by-6s. The diagonal connecting pieces that transfer the weight from one wood element to the next are connected by gussets, a flat metal or plywood plate.

Roof trusses

Roof trusses are designed to carry the load of both the roof and ceiling to the outside walls. Placement is spaced at 24 inches on center. Many types of trusses are available and can be fabricated to fit different roof styles. The W-type truss is the most common. As the name implies, the interior portion of the truss, or the webbing, is shaped in a W-pattern. Also popular: the king-post truss, (which has a limited span,) and the scissors-type truss used for architectural designs that call for sloped ceilings.

Advantages of roof trusses

Using a pre-assembled roof truss is a good framing option if you want to avoid the cumbersome task of cutting rafters and joists from scratch. It saves both time and labour. Trusses span greater distances than standard rafters, allowing for more flexibility in the interior planning of the home because fewer load-bearing walls are needed.

Floor trusses

In lieu of framing a floor with common floor joists, prefabricated floor trusses are available. Generally made from 2-inch-thick composite wood material, they are extremely strong and lightweight. They also span a wider distance than a traditional floor truss. The initial cost may be more per lineal foot, but youll save from faster installation and less wasted material.

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What is a Truss?

The Grounds and Building Maintenance Department maintains carpet installed in University buildings; most often wall-to-wall carpeting fastened to the floor. Carpeting is repaired and replaced on an as needed basis. Decorative and loose-laid area rugs are in most cases the responsibility of the department and not maintained by Grounds and Building Maintenance.

Worn Carpet Replacement Worn or frayed carpeting can pose a safety hazard which should be corrected. The Maintenance Department will perform an inspection and if needed the carpeting will be replaced.

To Request This Service Contact the Facilities Service Center or submit an online service request to report worn or frayed installed carpet .

Service Fee Inspection and replacement of worn carpet is a non billable service.

Worn Decorative and Area Rug Replacement Worn or frayed area rugs may also pose a safety hazard and should be corrected. Decorative and area rug replacement and repair are the responsibility of the Department.

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Carpet Installation and Repair - Facilities Info Center