tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65058877665630144732024-03-13T18:17:10.496-07:00Bill Taute Homeswww.billtautehomes.com
billtaute@mindspring.com
(512)940-0666Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-9304725336646853392011-06-12T20:45:00.001-07:002011-06-12T21:01:51.375-07:00So You Want To Remodel Your Home: Part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeE098hZSCjp_QMNHSssSA87bzna4nWARZZOs9NV1dYk-7xcbg89dhF7PfCxjtMHEXZMqXPMaPD7v4dWc1ZoQLOQ814zaZ5SYvVJXdLrZd2BFW2GO9lKLoVI8547VALMsCSWbl7tGyAQ/s1600/P4050023.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeE098hZSCjp_QMNHSssSA87bzna4nWARZZOs9NV1dYk-7xcbg89dhF7PfCxjtMHEXZMqXPMaPD7v4dWc1ZoQLOQ814zaZ5SYvVJXdLrZd2BFW2GO9lKLoVI8547VALMsCSWbl7tGyAQ/s200/P4050023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617549533320122258" border="0" /></a><br />As a Custom Home Builder and Remodeler in the current market place, I find myself looking at more and more remodeling projects these days as compared to new custom homes. Working in the older urban neighborhoods in Austin, I have always done remodeling work for my neighbors, friends, and any referrals, but now find that remodeling is becoming a much larger part of my annual revenue. In an effort to address this growing part of my company, I am embarking on an effort to help educate home owners on the remodeling process. Among the topics to come will be How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor, Energy Efficient Retrofits, Cost Effective Green Remodeling Strategies, Do's and Don'ts of the McMansion and Heritage Tree Ordinances, Facts on Energy Efficiency Tax Credits, Energy Testing, Crawl Spaces, and Water Conservation. If you are interested in these topics, or have other ideas or questions that you would like to see addressed, please follow my blog and feel free to contact me at <span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBta6R3y_TiCTJs4R7iQHsglVnA3Og3_HAiResCcUjvYdFiJdWjBOUoZgp7MN_4y7fnUkZ3KXl9tVJhyphenhyphenA_SvdCOjxSw7Yg8gv3MiHVtleLwnYhsok6jXvxCPuszlhTJS26FpgNPHTFeIA/s1600/20090213_03.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBta6R3y_TiCTJs4R7iQHsglVnA3Og3_HAiResCcUjvYdFiJdWjBOUoZgp7MN_4y7fnUkZ3KXl9tVJhyphenhyphenA_SvdCOjxSw7Yg8gv3MiHVtleLwnYhsok6jXvxCPuszlhTJS26FpgNPHTFeIA/s200/20090213_03.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617547076205191170" border="0" /></a></span></span><a href="mailto:billtaute@mindspring.com">billtaute@mindspring.com</a>. You can also visit our website at <a href="http://www.billtautehomes.com/">www.billtautehomes.com</a>.<br /><span xmlns=""><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>So You Want to Remodel Your Home<br /></strong></span></p><p>When thinking about remodeling the biggest investment you own, there are several things to take into consideration before beginning the project. The first thing to consider is whether you are going to add value to your home by investing in a remodel project. If you want to change your home, your other option besides remodeling is to find a new one. But more and more American families are deciding to stay put and improve their existing home. Here are some of the reasons:<br /></p><ul><li>Remodeling allows you to customize your home to meet your needs and desires. The only similar, but much more costly alternative, is to have a brand new custom home designed and built.<br /></li><li>Remodeling means that you don't have to give up a familiar neighborhood and schools.<br /></li><li>Remodeling is a more efficient use of your financial resources. According to the American Homeowner Foundation, selling your home and moving typically costs about 8-10% of the value of your current home. And much of this goes into moving expenses, closing costs, and broker commissions - items that have no direct impact on your home's quality.<br /></li><li>Remodeling can be stressful, but few experiences are more stressful than moving.<br /></li></ul><p>While there are many reasons that people choose to remodel, the bottom line is that remodeling makes your home a more enjoyable place to live. The intangible value of this pleasure needs to be considered, along with any resale value you hope to gain.<br /><br />But there is no doubt that, as far as improving the sale of your home, all remodeling projects are not created equal. The general rule of thumb is that any remodeling project that brings your home up to the level of your neighbors' is a worthy investment. But it doesn't pay to be the most expensive house on the block - real estate experts recommend that a remodeling investment should not raise the value of your house to more than 10-15% above the median sales price in your neighborhood.<br /><br />Remember that potential buyers will compare your home to ones newly built. Therefore, you'll want to look at the design trends and amenities being built into new homes. Great rooms (open kitchen/family room arrangements), master bed and bath suites, and higher ceilings are a few of the features sought by today's home buyers. Be sure to follow along as the next installment will discuss "Where to Begin" on your remodeling project.<br /></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p><span><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzaXWB2zW0P0rnnEX3qtMgyuQN8-lF7Oh8h9UR7x7ZE2oq1JUeOHhx7nV9fseN-ci5jVQ42c92c2L1KiUMdc0VHDgDA35MXRCPyPoj1Y-2LXu8Oax8NEeY_ywBmjfJ45h2yYR6gyd-NQ/s1600/20110610_13.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzaXWB2zW0P0rnnEX3qtMgyuQN8-lF7Oh8h9UR7x7ZE2oq1JUeOHhx7nV9fseN-ci5jVQ42c92c2L1KiUMdc0VHDgDA35MXRCPyPoj1Y-2LXu8Oax8NEeY_ywBmjfJ45h2yYR6gyd-NQ/s200/20110610_13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617548114888457506" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p></span></div><span xmlns=""><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Excerpts from NAHB website: Remodeling>Remodeling vs Moving</span><br /></span></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-37746577625866210852011-02-02T06:25:00.001-08:002011-02-02T06:25:03.673-08:00Adopt a Contractor and Protect Your Assets by Chattanooga Remodeler<span xmlns=''><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>If you are sitting on a million dollars or half a million dollars or even $200,000, you might consider getting advice from a financial advisor. With that kind of money, you'd want the best advice on how to grow your investment. During your first session with him you are going to go over your goals and ambitions, what assets you have, and when and how you plan to retire. With this information, your advisor will put together a plan to help you achieve your goals. You may put some of the money in stocks, some in bonds and some in annuities. At certain milestones you'll change the funds from one place to another to maximize your return. Most of you will stick with your advisor for life, if he does a good job for you. Having a good financial advisor turns out to be a good move for you and your family.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>We've all heard that most people's homes are their largest assets. This is repeated in many ways, and in many circumstances. We've heard it so many times that it is rather a cliché of sorts, and we don't give it that much thought. All we know is that when the time comes to sell our homes, we hope to get a good return on our investment.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>So, how many of you have hired a financial advisor to protect your home, your largest asset in most cases? I'm guessing that very few have. Most live by the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule. When you think about this philosophy, as far as your house goes, it's plain dumb. Take a look at car maintenance for instance. Do you perform routine preventative maintenance on it? Sure you do. You don't want to be stranded on the side of the road somewhere. What if the airlines adopted that philosophy? Now that's scary. Nobody would want to fly anymore. So why let your house rot, and then fix it. Why have your furnace fail on a cold night, and then fix it. Why let your home decrease in value when it could be increasing in value with routine maintenance.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>I think you get my point by now. Routine maintenance on your home is very important, not only financially, but also in terms of your comfort and convenience. You need a trusted advisor to look over your entire home and see when certain parts of the home need to be replaced or serviced. You need to know when the repairs or maintenance will be needed and how much it will cost. It's time to —– Adopt a contractor!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Just as you hired your financial advisor, you need to interview a few contractors and get references. She or he need to be experienced with all facets of your home. I would suggest a full service remodeler, possibly with design-then-build experience. They need to know what products are best, and how they should be installed and who should install them. A good contractor should be surrounded by experts in all fields. She or he should have built relations with the best in the business, so you get the best advice and service when it is needed.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Your home is a system. Everything in your home has to work together. Your home's function is to keep you warm and dry, safe and comfortable at all times. It is an envelope that protects you from the outside world. Find a contractor that understands this; one that can see the big picture, and will guide you toward the best possible return on your investment. This should be a long term relation, so that your contractor becomes familiar with your home and your lifestyle and you know what to expect from your contractor. When you find such a person, life will be so much better. Now you can set up an annual budget for the future maintenance needs of your home and schedule them at your convenience.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Your contractor may not wear a suit and tie, but he may well be the most important financial advisor you've ever hired.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>You may copy this article into your newsletter, blog or website, as long as you don't make any changes to the article and you include the name of the website, <a target='_blank' title='Chattanooga Remodeler' href='http://ChattanoogaRemodeler.com'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>ChattanoogaRemodeler.com</span></a>, in the copy.<br /></span></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-32258019872303110022009-06-24T18:12:00.001-07:002009-06-24T18:42:41.237-07:00Cool House Tour 2009<span xmlns=""><p>Sunday, June 28, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM<br /></p><p>Below are pictures of the home constructed by Bill Taute Homes in 2008 that is included in the tour. The architect was Ben Obregon of Sustainable Design Center, <a href="http://www.sustainabledesigncenter.com/">http://www.sustainabledesigncenter.com</a>. Please check out the link to the Cool House Tour below and come out to see our Austin Energy 5 Star Rated Green Building Techniques and Features.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.txses.org/solar/content/cool-house-tour"><span><span xmlns=""><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.txses.org/solar/content/cool-house-tour<br /></span></span></span></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWMvDcT_8vcduPtdfrLl6ETws6E_Gu3VAd-qzPdLFcLvZfQuV4EccfwjMYYi_PzNaAALZM_q-YWk7kFn3MEklJIs2gEU5whRprJhu_A_0HVC-fcv96iU-0DBgim8652CydCXHkEYB2jA/s1600-h/Janice+405.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s1600-h/Janice+407.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWMvDcT_8vcduPtdfrLl6ETws6E_Gu3VAd-qzPdLFcLvZfQuV4EccfwjMYYi_PzNaAALZM_q-YWk7kFn3MEklJIs2gEU5whRprJhu_A_0HVC-fcv96iU-0DBgim8652CydCXHkEYB2jA/s1600-h/Janice+405.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s1600-h/Janice+407.JPG"><span xmlns=""></span></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s1600-h/Janice+407.JPG"><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""></span></span></a><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNKXEBPnQ1eKuBY-57u9s92sfFiGmDcQ73kD8Jy5aWeQwrjJaFaGgztYEfH3BP2Ow-B8LBFZ7eDgxECF0ysWblj_hRWyJPPB4n13Y7awL-tinEbZ_t0zRyRpJiQ4vyHds_ka8IE21I14/s1600-h/14-art+studio+north.jpg"><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNKXEBPnQ1eKuBY-57u9s92sfFiGmDcQ73kD8Jy5aWeQwrjJaFaGgztYEfH3BP2Ow-B8LBFZ7eDgxECF0ysWblj_hRWyJPPB4n13Y7awL-tinEbZ_t0zRyRpJiQ4vyHds_ka8IE21I14/s320/14-art+studio+north.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351068980295228098" border="0" /></span></span></span></span></a><span xmlns=""></span></span></p><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""></span><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s1600-h/Janice+407.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s320/Janice+407.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351073198701608386" border="0" /></a></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPFaCaMDCCUi-9jImGTQfSVQlL5S650uy3YLnvHLLl0QnV28bFKQao_ehdAfRahDsmWdaiPoI8lqxtfDpgtexgf4gIy1t0NArkwzTfQ_WHwd8uHODGHsKHJ4B9Zl0caqvmNb6L1UbJ8U/s1600-h/Janice+407.JPG"><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""></span></span></a><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWMvDcT_8vcduPtdfrLl6ETws6E_Gu3VAd-qzPdLFcLvZfQuV4EccfwjMYYi_PzNaAALZM_q-YWk7kFn3MEklJIs2gEU5whRprJhu_A_0HVC-fcv96iU-0DBgim8652CydCXHkEYB2jA/s1600-h/Janice+405.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWMvDcT_8vcduPtdfrLl6ETws6E_Gu3VAd-qzPdLFcLvZfQuV4EccfwjMYYi_PzNaAALZM_q-YWk7kFn3MEklJIs2gEU5whRprJhu_A_0HVC-fcv96iU-0DBgim8652CydCXHkEYB2jA/s320/Janice+405.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351072702127292994" border="0" /></a></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWMvDcT_8vcduPtdfrLl6ETws6E_Gu3VAd-qzPdLFcLvZfQuV4EccfwjMYYi_PzNaAALZM_q-YWk7kFn3MEklJIs2gEU5whRprJhu_A_0HVC-fcv96iU-0DBgim8652CydCXHkEYB2jA/s1600-h/Janice+405.JPG"><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""></span></span></span></a><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9DOQ-Hxc-MfzZCsc7-7tnx8mzeonTnaZBAztcVr10r6mDIeOduZYh9Z_0Iel5UQlnSLhy_TW3V0Jgc4PdMvtGd0zYBvSXhEyj_vqxHitrAoPqwe_52IMmsH6Z65aB7no4KtjxMoHxkU/s1600-h/Janice+399.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9DOQ-Hxc-MfzZCsc7-7tnx8mzeonTnaZBAztcVr10r6mDIeOduZYh9Z_0Iel5UQlnSLhy_TW3V0Jgc4PdMvtGd0zYBvSXhEyj_vqxHitrAoPqwe_52IMmsH6Z65aB7no4KtjxMoHxkU/s320/Janice+399.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071812316903570" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><p></p><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ9_h9qqpXVLkEDM5TZtaAk-h4x4Q0ul0W4AcCwqngD9PhpzIkx4aDjuVdLU1e5coG3Y_DdI1muHXFHIWCrNgbW_ygC2Wag4aaJ7ExPxRJplQgpyLZqwgbEcKMRd_ouOBxpN-ZbbosNQ/s320/Janice+206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070769650642354" border="0" /></span></span><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRpoY7UifMLJU-58MsLIBoZxYbCipvRtvd0-Ymnfb0rmKxKqfj_dbOlC414QuWuYqZC1RxQoR2wi1vKrtJn5SNZfjR0qCDNMpaffZfVeOjZbAkq0FwkxdND7cbO8Qbo-oZpcMW4yawos/s1600-h/Janice+321.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRpoY7UifMLJU-58MsLIBoZxYbCipvRtvd0-Ymnfb0rmKxKqfj_dbOlC414QuWuYqZC1RxQoR2wi1vKrtJn5SNZfjR0qCDNMpaffZfVeOjZbAkq0FwkxdND7cbO8Qbo-oZpcMW4yawos/s320/Janice+321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071220284451682" border="0" /></a></span></span></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-3575030250422655262009-05-19T21:19:00.001-07:002009-05-19T21:19:02.033-07:002009 Parade of Homes Video<span xmlns=''><p>The link below is a short video about my home in the 2009 HBA Austin Parade of Homes at Mueller. There are four other builder videos on You Tube describing all five homes in the Parade. Visit the web site at <a href='http://www.austinhomebuilders.com'>www.austinhomebuilders.com</a> to find out more about this year's Urban Green Parade.<br /></p><p><br /> </p><p><a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upUpX7Rg_A4&feature=email'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upUpX7Rg_A4&feature=email</a></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-63567755570763303722009-05-13T18:45:00.001-07:002009-05-13T18:45:16.123-07:00Roof Garden<span xmlns=''><p><span style='font-family:Arial'> </span>The first step to installing a garden roof is to make sure that the roof structure is designed to accommodate the extra weight of the soil, plants, sod, and water necessary to successfully establish the landscaping you have designed for your roof. Our structural engineer designed a roof system taking these considerations into account, and our truss manufacturer produced trusses based on this design. Then we installed a TPO roof, an ethylene propylene rubber product that combines the durability of rubber with the proven performance of hot-air weldable seams. The roof is pitched to facilitate drainage, and has scuppers, or thru wall drains, to allow excess water or rain to drain to the ground below. The entire garden then sits on top of a layered drainage mat system that incorporates a protective fabric over the roof, a root barrier to keep plant roots from penetrating the roof, a drainage mat that allows water to find its way through the system, and a filter fabric that retains the soil while allowing the water to enter into the drainage mat. The drainage mat and filter fabric are both extended over the scuppers to retain the soil and filter the runoff. <br /></p><p>A light weight soil medium is installed to a minimum of 4" to give sod and plants a base for growth and to help retain moisture. We are using a lightweight landscaping mix for the top 2-4" to facilitate plant and sod growth. We are installing a rock walk, planter boxes for larger plants, an herb garden, ground cover, and sod. We have installed an irrigation system to help get the garden established, and have a rain barrel to harvest rainwater to help with future irrigation needs. <br /></p><p>Herbs in the garden will include rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, and parsley. Plants will include ice plant, aloe vera, autumn joy, bicolor iris, santolina, upright juniper, bamboo muhly, and dwarf oleander, with Zoysia grass as the sod. I have included a link to our roof garden component manufacturer's Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.<br /></p><p><a href='http://www.carlisleroofgardens.com/Faq.aspx#faq1'>http://www.carlisleroofgardens.com/Faq.aspx#faq1</a><br /> </p><p><span style='font-family:Arial'><br /> </span> </p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-91999889323988452172009-04-29T17:44:00.001-07:002009-04-29T17:44:27.740-07:002009 HBA Parade of Homes<span xmlns=''><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:24pt'><strong>Parade of Homes™<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>The original Parade of Homes™, where "Dream Homes Become Reality," is an annual tour of homes presented by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Austin. The HBA has presented the Parade of Homes™ in the greater Austin area for the last 56 years. Tours allow visitors to check out the latest in architecture design, interior decorating, pool design and landscape design. Remember, if it doesn't say "Parade of Homes™ presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin" it's not the real thing.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:18pt'><strong>2009 Tour Information<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-size:18pt'><span style='font-family:Times New Roman'>First ever HBA </span><span style='color:#339966; font-family:Comic Sans MS'><strong>5-Star</strong><br /> <strong>GREEN</strong></span></span><span style='font-family:Times New Roman'><span style='font-size:18pt'> Parade of Homes™.</span><span style='font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to </span><span style='color:#339966; font-family:Comic Sans MS; font-size:10pt'><strong>tour 5-Star Green Homes</strong></span><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> by five award winning builders. The 2009 event will be an "urban" tour of homes located in the new Mueller development - the site of Austin's old Mueller Airport. Located just three miles from downtown Austin and the Texas State Capitol and two miles from The University of Texas at Austin, Mueller is perfectly positioned to become an energetic new hub for central Austin. Come have a look!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>Preview Party for HBA and Real Estate Industry Members<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Thursday, May 21, 6-9pm<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Tickets are $50 each (includes appetizers and one drink ticket - cash bar after that)<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Parking off 51st Street near Berkman Drive (free shuttle) <br /></span></li><li><a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=Airport%20Blvd%20Austin,%20Texas%2078723&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.001301,60.820313&ie=UTF8&ll=30.296054,-97.70987&spn=0.021343,0.029697&z=15&om=1'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>Map</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> / <a href='http://www.muelleraustin.com/contact/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>Directions</span></a><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.muelleraustin.com/'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>Community website</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> <br /></span></li><li><a href='https://m360.hbaaustin.com/ViewEvent.aspx?id=8053&instance=0'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>Buy preview party tickets now</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>. (May 14 deadline)<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>Location<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Mueller, Austin, Texas <br /></span></li><li><a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=Airport%20Blvd%20Austin,%20Texas%2078723&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.001301,60.820313&ie=UTF8&ll=30.296054,-97.70987&spn=0.021343,0.029697&z=15&om=1'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>Map</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> / <a href='http://www.muelleraustin.com/contact/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>Directions</span></a><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.muelleraustin.com/'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>Community website</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> <br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>Dates and Hours<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>May 23, 2009 - June 7, 2009<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>10:00am - 8:00pm, Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays) <br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>Tickets<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Purchase at the gate<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Ticket price: $15; $12 for seniors and kids 5-17; kids under 5 are free<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Sorry, NO credit cards accepted<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Tickets only valid for entry on day of purchase<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>Inclement Weather<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Homes are open when weather permits. Call (512) 454-5588 to see if homes are open for tours during bad weather.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>The Builders<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Bill Taute Homes / <a href='http://www.billtautehomes.com/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>website</span></a> / (512) 441-0699<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Cool River Custom Homes / <a href='http://coolrivercustomhomes.com/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>website</span></a> / (512) 294-5212<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Durrett Interests LLC / <a href='http://www.durrettinterests.com/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>website</span></a> / (512) 472-3100<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>The Muskin Company / <a href='http://www.themuskincompany.com/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>website</span></a> / (512) 371-0037<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>Streetman Homes / <a href='http://www.streetmanhomes.com/'><span style='color:blue; text-decoration:underline'>website</span></a> / (512) 473-3725<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><strong>The Homes<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'>To view artist renderings and descriptions for each home, click on the address below.<br /></span></p><ul><li><a href='http://www.hbaaustin.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=332'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>4225 Camacho Street by The Muskin Company</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.hbaaustin.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=333'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>4229 Camacho Street by Durrett Interests, LLC</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.hbaaustin.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=334'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>4221 Camacho Street by Bill Taute Homes</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.hbaaustin.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=335'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>4217 Camacho Street by Streetman Homes</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'><br /> </span></li><li><a href='http://www.hbaaustin.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=336'><span style='color:blue; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline'>4213 Camacho Street by Cool River Custom Homes</span></a><span style='font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt'> <br /></span></li></ul></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-20030620491699460682009-04-09T21:04:00.001-07:002009-04-09T21:04:19.481-07:00Construction Waste Management<span xmlns=''><p>Our waste management plan utilizes the services of Construction Waste Recyclers of Texas, and we try to recycle at least 80% of our construction waste. We accomplish this by educating our subcontractors and site cleaning crews about our program, with the help of Fred Thornhill, who owns the recycling and waste management company. We establish waste areas, recycled content areas, and have large barrels with trash bags on site, all labeled bilingually. By utilizing Optimum Value Engineering practices, we use less lumber, and therefore are able to create less waste in the framing stages. By separating the waste and recyclable materials, it is easier to determine how much waste is being created, as opposed to simply throwing all waste into a dumpster. The average 2000 square foot home typically produces approximately 8000 pounds of waste, so by recycling diligently, we are able to diver 6000-7000 pounds of trash from every home we build away from our landfills. While we still have issues with off site waste being brought onto the job site, the lack of a large dumpster has minimized the impact of neighborhood trash on our job sites. <br /></p><p>What is recyclable and what is waste? We are able to recycle on site all brush, trees, and land clearing debris, lumber scraps, drywall, rock or brick waste, concrete and plaster spoils, tile cuts, wood flooring scraps, and composite shingles. The scraps and leftovers from all of these products are ground up on site and are available for immediate use on site. Lumber scraps create mulch which is used for soil erosion control, for walkways around the site to minimize the tracking of mud onto the slab, and to build up low spots on the site. Drywall is ground into dust that can be tilled into the soil on site similar to adding lime to the sub grade. All of the other hardscape spoils and the composite shingles are ground into a base type material that is used to stabilize driveway and sidewalk sub grades. In the event that we have no place or no more use for the recycled content on a particular site, we will work with other contractors to distribute the materials on other sites. Any materials that have no other place to go are delivered to a composting site. Fred and his crew recycle all aluminum, metal, cardboard, insulation, plastic, and vinyl at locations around town, and document the tonnage of what is ground, what is recycled off site, and what actually has to go to the landfill. Any leftover building materials that we can't use on other projects are recycled through Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, Goodwill, and other similar facilities. We typically leave at least a quart of every paint used on the home for the home owner to use for any touch up jobs, and store most paint in our off site warehouse facility for up to a year. After a year, we take the leftover paints to the City of Austin Hazardous Waste Facility. <br /></p><p>As the City of Austin moves towards implementing a Zero Waste Initiative over the coming years, it will be incumbent on builders and remodelers to realize how much waste they create, and how they can divert as much waste as possible into something other than our landfills. It will also become the responsibility of home owners and investors to require their contractors to conform to these more stringent Construction Waste Management standards. After the initial education of subcontractors that are not use to this type of program, and re-tooling take off and engineering processes to eliminate waste before materials are delivered t the site, a good contractor will realize that a program like this makes sense both from and environmental and economical viewpoint. </p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-81269824555553122132009-04-05T19:39:00.001-07:002009-04-05T19:39:05.407-07:00Water Efficiency<span xmlns=''><p>When we talk about Water Efficiency, there are several areas of the home that are integral in addressing the issue. The installation of an On Demand/Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater is one of the easiest ways to conserve water. As described by their name, on demand / tankless water heaters have no storage tank for hot water. A heating element heats water only when there is a demand for hot water—i.e. when someone turns on a hot water faucet. Since these water heaters have no stand-by losses (heat loss out the walls of the storage tank), they have higher efficiency—typically 10% to 20% higher than storage-tank water heaters. Tankless models have additional advantages: they take up less space, they can be installed outside in Austin's climate (solving the venting problem) and they last longer because they are less susceptible to mineral scaling. Tankless models have a life-expectancy of 15—25 years, whereas storage models last only 5—15 years, depending in part on how they are maintained.<br /></p><p>Another area that consumes a large amount of water is the irrigation of the landscaping. By installing an irrigation system with a time based controller, the irrigation system, will reduce water usage, protect landscape and hardscape investments, and achieve affordable, sustainable water management. Your system will place exactly the right amount of water on specific lawn and garden areas so that water is not wasted. We also install moisture-sensing devices that can automatically turn off your system when it rains. In our Parade Home, we are planning on installing an EvapoTranspiration or ET Smart Irrigation Controller that regulates the irrigation based on the weather. The controller is connected to a weather satellite and modifies when and how much water is applied to the lawn based on local weather data in conjunction with information about the landscaping materials. Over-watering is eliminated because each zone of your property is monitored independently according to your customized profile. Wind waste is also eliminated when the controller stops watering until high winds subside.<br /></p><p>The inclusion of Low Flow/Dual Flush High Efficiency Toilets also offer significant water savings. Typical products use 1.6 gallons at the full flush and 0.8-0.9 gallons at the low flush. One manufacturer estimates that a typical family of four will save approximately 7,000 gallons of water per year with this toilet, compared with a standard 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilet.<br /></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-87528137440377726722009-03-24T21:17:00.001-07:002009-03-29T15:38:02.069-07:00Indoor Air QualityAccording to Wikipedia, Indoor Air Quality is defined as such: <strong>Indoor air quality</strong> (<strong>IAQ</strong>) is a term referring to the <a title="Air quality" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_quality">air quality</a> within and around <a title="Building" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building">buildings</a> and <a title="Structure" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure">structures</a>, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.<br /><p style="background: rgb(248, 252, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">IAQ can be affected by <a title="Microorganism" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microorganism">microbial</a> contaminants (<a title="Mold" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold">mold</a>, <a title="Bacterium" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacterium">bacteria</a>), gases (including <a title="Carbon monoxide" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide">carbon monoxide</a>, <a title="Radon" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radon">radon</a>, <a title="Volatile organic compound" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound">volatile organic compounds</a>), <a title="Particulate" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate">particulates</a>, or any mass or energy stressor that can induce adverse health conditions. Indoor air is becoming an increasingly more concerning health hazard than outdoor air. Using <a title="Ventilation (architecture)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventilation_%28architecture%29">ventilation</a> to dilute contaminants, filtration, and source control are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings.<br /></p><p>As builders, what can we do to improve air quality, and what can we do to eliminate the causes of indoor air pollution? We've been told for a few years now that we are building homes tighter and tighter, and to some degree that is true. What we have to realize is that as we tighten up the building envelope, we are creating other areas where the envelope can be penetrated if not treated properly. The beginning of a good building envelope starts with the sheathing and the water and vapor barrier. We have recently begun using the Zip Wall System by Huber Engineered Woods, but have successfully used OSB sheathing with a Tyvek Wrap barrier. The key to either system is to make sure your framing crew, or whoever is installing the wrap and tape system, has the appropriate tools, a knowledge of the proper installation of the system, and adequate supervision to guarantee all joints are taped per manufacturer's recommendation. Depending on which system you use, there are also differing opinions on the best details for sealing the windows and the doors. Once again, you need to make sure you know what the manufacturer's recommendations are in this area, and I believe, you need to take a little more time and spend just a little more money to insure that you have these areas sealed beyond those minimum requirements.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6jrdsC7ESFfAzZx8DxLnuYgu9IwefZ1vsVb81OlJii4OhJE5NzrPHpOkG8vCIOOEo0-hNReUa3Cm4_RcYk3caDA-f0mES49bDcQCSpQPnrja5feMIXGeUAcT9rM4kSfRMb2y_TRW2OU/s1600-h/QFI.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6jrdsC7ESFfAzZx8DxLnuYgu9IwefZ1vsVb81OlJii4OhJE5NzrPHpOkG8vCIOOEo0-hNReUa3Cm4_RcYk3caDA-f0mES49bDcQCSpQPnrja5feMIXGeUAcT9rM4kSfRMb2y_TRW2OU/s320/QFI.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316990617118861826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BILLTA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-10.jpg" alt="" />The second areas to address are the penetrations through the building envelope. The average home can have anywhere from 20-40 penetrations through the building envelope, depending on how many exterior lights, outlets, hose bibs, condensing units, etc. We are using a product called Quickflash Weatherproofing Products to help to seal these areas prior to installing siding, plaster, or masonry on the exterior of our homes. Quickflash has multiple flashing sizes to accommodate almost every size of penetration for electrical, plumbing, gas, and HVAC systems. When installed properly with your vapor and water barrier, these flashings provide a no caulk friction seal at all penetrations, and give the builder an extra layer of protection against water and air leaks.<span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeic25KhpCbGv9hwdKgNEeZ0xQGWuF1p4-NHziAngsvBQZ65oOVVKHLRTJsDdmaCVX3HbYVRZAcvNCYVWB8-Qdg4z1w5B7UxIZ9ZAI-WkK3aAqtAGI0fuc_lFcwrjmCf7fq1T43J2hGU/s1600-h/AC_Creative.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeic25KhpCbGv9hwdKgNEeZ0xQGWuF1p4-NHziAngsvBQZ65oOVVKHLRTJsDdmaCVX3HbYVRZAcvNCYVWB8-Qdg4z1w5B7UxIZ9ZAI-WkK3aAqtAGI0fuc_lFcwrjmCf7fq1T43J2hGU/s320/AC_Creative.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316984035903509298" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><span xmlns=""><p><span xmlns=""><p><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtbDX7cWBcJL2ozNtkFXrCouKP5WIPceSOvxdOdE9EB8g82WeD42MaH_sNghavcG2suON6PncWZ30ahf2EmNvd5vOvmAH0yH5K85431DaY2CfbHkz_t3BjARalwDgZ9MgPUhWxZEWseA/s1600-h/Spray+Foam+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 322px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtbDX7cWBcJL2ozNtkFXrCouKP5WIPceSOvxdOdE9EB8g82WeD42MaH_sNghavcG2suON6PncWZ30ahf2EmNvd5vOvmAH0yH5K85431DaY2CfbHkz_t3BjARalwDgZ9MgPUhWxZEWseA/s320/Spray+Foam+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316984821817900978" border="0" /></a></p></span></p></span></p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Insulation is the next layer of protection we install to seal the envelope. We use a hybrid insulation method, which effectively and efficiently provides excellent energy performance with a lower cost to install compared to an all foam application. The hybrid system involves the use of spray foam at the underside of the roof deck and in all high risk or problem insulation areas like kneewalls, rim joists, cantilevers, overhangs, etc. The walls are then sprayed with cellulose insulation, which is a full cavity application that not only provides an excellent seal for your energy envelope, but consists of 80% recycled materials. Closed cell spray foam has an R value of approximately 6/inch, and the cellulose produces an R value of 3.7/inch. Our typical application with 2x 6 walls produces an R-20 cellulose installation, and an R-30 spray foam attic installation.</p></span><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghi2i6h4TP6MEzD8nDJkZPapfVPxdCRMaRRIOslVn765Fkoqy7LJIWwmPp4q5C3-OrhpbOSW9VRs_e2SP2M809rrfPu_BZxDvHt9T0HgZ7ZPL_SPH_qY2O4-0BHP4rurllp6sgntX1xAo/s1600-h/cellulose.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghi2i6h4TP6MEzD8nDJkZPapfVPxdCRMaRRIOslVn765Fkoqy7LJIWwmPp4q5C3-OrhpbOSW9VRs_e2SP2M809rrfPu_BZxDvHt9T0HgZ7ZPL_SPH_qY2O4-0BHP4rurllp6sgntX1xAo/s320/cellulose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316985298856036706" border="0" /></a></p><p>In the construction process for many homes, tubs, showers, and fireplaces are installed immediately after rough framing is complete and before insulation is installed. As a result, it is almost impossible to properly install insulation and complete air barriers at exterior walls adjoining tubs and showers. 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ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1035" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'position:absolute;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\BILLTA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png" title=""> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="position: relative; z-index: 251664384; left: -1px; top: 53px; width: 288px; height: 393px;"></span><!--[endif]--></p><p><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BILLTA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>The installation of air barriers and insulation in these applications at exterior walls can be achieved with proper planning starting with design. Spraying cellulose or placing batts in the wall cavity, and then installing an air barrier, such as ThermoPly, along with installing polyseal, will effectively eliminate the convective air flow. Make sure the air barriers are in place prior to installing tubs, showers, and fireplaces. Another option would be to fill the cavity around the tub with spray-foam, which acts as both a thermal and air barrier. In any of these cases, the tubs will be much less likely to cause comfort or moisture problems.<br /></p><p>All HVAC equipment is sized using the Manual J Residential Load Calculations, with a minimum of 600 sf/ton of air conditioning. "Right Size" HVAC systems ensure efficient operation along with using a 15.0 SEER rated system with variable speed condensing units and an Energy Star rated Programmable Thermostat. Greatly oversized equipment operates less efficiently and costs more than properly sized equipment. For example, oversized cooling systems may not dehumidify the air properly, resulting in cool but "clammy" spaces. When using a spray foam or hybrid insulation system, that eliminates attic ventilation, you will need to bring fresh air to the HVAC system to keep the proper pressurization and to help with air balancing. Make sure that your HVAC contractor is well versed in both Manual J and fresh air ventilation. To improve the indoor air quality, we are now installing an Optional Advanced IEQ System. The Trane CleanEffects Air Cleaner that will be installed in our Parade Home is the most effective whole-house air filtration system available.<br /></p><p>TRANE CleanEffects<br /></p><ul><li>Removes up to 99.98% of allergens from the filtered air.<br /></li><li>Traps particles down to 0.3 microns in size. (A human hair is about 75 microns in diameter.)<br /></li><li>Up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1" filter.<br /></li><li>Delivers cleaner air and more of it.<br /></li><li>Performance has been verified by leading experts at the Harvard School of Public Health<br /></li></ul><p><br /></p><p>All bathrooms and the utility room have Energy Star rated Panasonic Whisper Quiet ventilation fans to reduce energy consumption and noise, while helping eliminate moisture and odors in the homes. We will implement extensive duct leakage testing, blower door testing, and air balancing to maximize the efficiency of the system. You will need to coordinate your HVAC contractor and your third party duct tester to get the proper air flow and balancing specifications. By implementing duct leakage testing and blower door testing, the home eliminates duct leakage to improve air flow and balances it evenly in all areas.<br /></p><p>All Green Homes are required to install Zero or Low VOC Paint and Stains, and in addition, we are installing all of our flooring with similar adhesive products. All cabinets are prefinished at the factory in controlled atmospheres that recapture stain and paint waste for recycling, and filter the exhaust from the finishing application.</p><p>While there are a few other small factors that can be incorporated to improve Indoor Air Quality, these are what I consider to be the main contributors, and if these are all addressed properly, your home will combine all of the performance characteristics into a unified system.<br /></p><p><br /></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-88777432205879968522009-03-18T13:59:00.001-07:002009-03-18T14:13:49.196-07:00The Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009<span xmlns=""><p><span style="font-size:13;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">The article below is a portion of the article in Builder Magazine, and the entire article can be seen at </span><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15">http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15<span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">. I have only included the top 5, instead of the top 15 markets in the nation here. It's good to be alive in Austin, Texas.<br /></span></a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15"><br /></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85);font-size:13;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15">Builder, in conjunction with Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, debuts its metric for determining markets with the best and least potential.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15">By: </a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">Boyce Thompson</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><br /></a></span></span></p><p><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><br /></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">With most economists and builders expecting a national market decline this year, this may not seem like the best time to be selecting the "healthiest" markets in the country. Virtually every market was down last year. But a close look at the numbers reveals that some markets have way outperformed others during the last four years and are likely to continue to do so this year.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">When the housing market stages its official recovery, the markets listed on the following pages are likely to lead the parade. It may take a year or more for the weakest markets--where burgeoning foreclosure sales are still pounding new home values, making building and selling new homes an exercise in futility-- to finally stage a turnaround. We'll present that list next week.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">The healthiest markets have many things in common. Most of them are great places to live, either close to the ocean, mountains, or major universities. Most of them didn't have a huge run-up in prices during the boom and aren't experiencing rampant deflation during the bust.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">To compile these lists, we analyzed the top 75 housing markets in the country. We ranked them based on population trends and job growth, perennial drivers of housing demand. We also examined what's happened with home prices; many of the healthiest markets have managed to hold the line on home values. And finally, we considered the rate building permits, which may be the single best ongoing indicator of builder confidence in a market. We combined all these metrics to produce a score for each market. Here are the top 5, in reverse order.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:18;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong>The Healthiest Markets for 2009</strong></a></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zT6Kleyt72EA-4YT7Ua_A533xYxqbnuXl1u_aYadHJOl0Eg4Z3yl-paGmIW5JET1IbE0heBAMA0dc-ujf4MMB2OFWZdEqdpzbaJCAaJBIe0i3aVXu2mcVu28VfPUuZmfWulLsJjChro/s1600-h/Dallas_tcm10-102122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zT6Kleyt72EA-4YT7Ua_A533xYxqbnuXl1u_aYadHJOl0Eg4Z3yl-paGmIW5JET1IbE0heBAMA0dc-ujf4MMB2OFWZdEqdpzbaJCAaJBIe0i3aVXu2mcVu28VfPUuZmfWulLsJjChro/s320/Dallas_tcm10-102122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314637540989888914" border="0" /></a></p></span><span xmlns=""><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson"><strong>5. Dallas, Texas<br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">2008 total building permits: 26,145<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.builderonline.com/find-articles.aspx?byline=Boyce%20Thompson">In a year when permits declined 35 percent nationally, Dallas only experienced a 9 percent fall-off. With a population of 4.3 million, Dallas was the third largest home building market last year, as measured in permits pulled. Employers in Dallas, a popular place for corporate relocation and expansion, added 42,000 jobs last year, a growth rate of 2 percent. Existing-home prices have held steady, falling a paltry 3.4 percent in the last year. Interestingly, the face of residential construction has changed dramatically in Dallas in recent years; 58 percent of the activity last year was in multifamily, compared to a five-year average of 23 percent. The relative stability of the market, though, wasn't enough to prevent </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/debt/wall-homes-in-texas-files-chapter-11.aspx"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/debt/wall-homes-in-texas-files-chapter-11.aspx">Wall Homes from filing for bankruptcy</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/debt/wall-homes-in-texas-files-chapter-11.aspx"> earlier this year. On the other hand, former Meritage co-CEO </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/home-prices/dallas-homebuilder-launches-new-company.aspx"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/home-prices/dallas-homebuilder-launches-new-company.aspx">John Landon recently started a new Dallas-based home building company.</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/home-prices/dallas-homebuilder-launches-new-company.aspx"><br /></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/home-prices/dallas-homebuilder-launches-new-company.aspx"><strong>Busiest builders</strong>: D.R. Horton, Highland Homes, David Weekely Homes, K.Hovnanian Homes, Drees Custom Homes. Courtesy: </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><br /></a></span></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRA4hYm5Hx_q302e71khs51l6hupJRl39ht1yF9bqYXS45NfQlDZyOJ-33k-CXVc61vTGVdK3zgnUAssPQXLpQG2YfcjkuLri_S191NAUojJojzsKgWDh2-d4bcQ4zMriY70t4a4PqIAI/s1600-h/SanAntonio_tcm10-102158.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRA4hYm5Hx_q302e71khs51l6hupJRl39ht1yF9bqYXS45NfQlDZyOJ-33k-CXVc61vTGVdK3zgnUAssPQXLpQG2YfcjkuLri_S191NAUojJojzsKgWDh2-d4bcQ4zMriY70t4a4PqIAI/s320/SanAntonio_tcm10-102158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314637754799005522" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong>4. San Antonio, Texas<br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">2008 total building permits: 10,261<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">San Antonio is another Texas market that is still adding jobs, about 18,000 last year. A city of more than 2 million people now, its population is also growing, at a 2.8 percent annual clip through last year. Existing-home prices are barely declining in San Antonio, down less than 1 percent in the last year, to an affordable median price of $152,800, 25 percent below the national average of $200,500, according to the National Association of Realtors. The upper end of the housing market was hurt recently when AT&T announced it would be moving its corporate headquarters to Dallas.<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong>Busiest builders</strong>: D.R. Horton, K.B. Home, Centex Homes, Pulte Homes, Fieldstone Communities. Courtesy: </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><br /></a></span></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SEgvskiI6abLyt7pW_aJ7kuTsw0lIUglku_-KZonKOCmp6hsrAz6isNEvTOpGVtHVfDGgXb98rRU2xhTtY7nuqvfsKkYwZSge22SaP-5QrIWvK-C_ITHg7d2SbyyBuVjDxDDsVhea60/s1600-h/Fort%2520Worth_tcm10-102134.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SEgvskiI6abLyt7pW_aJ7kuTsw0lIUglku_-KZonKOCmp6hsrAz6isNEvTOpGVtHVfDGgXb98rRU2xhTtY7nuqvfsKkYwZSge22SaP-5QrIWvK-C_ITHg7d2SbyyBuVjDxDDsVhea60/s320/Fort%2520Worth_tcm10-102134.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314637706269537218" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong>3. Fort Worth, Texas<br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">2008 Total Building Permits: 10,388<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">Fort Worth, always operating in the shadow of higher profile Dallas, nevertheless can currently claim to have </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/sales/fort-worth-holding-its-own-amid-housing-troubles.aspx"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/sales/fort-worth-holding-its-own-amid-housing-troubles.aspx">a slightly healthier housing market</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/sales/fort-worth-holding-its-own-amid-housing-troubles.aspx">, based on its employment growth, relatively strong permit activity, and inexpensive housing. Now the 14<sup>th</sup> largest home building market in the country, Ft. Worth's builders pulled 10,388 permits last year, roughly two-thirds of them single-family. That may be half as many as 2005, but many other major markets showed much sharper drop-offs. The relative strength of the Fort Worth market in recent years stems from its ties to the oil and gas industries, which has fueled above-average job growth. The metro area added 17,300 jobs last year.<br /></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:9;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/sales/fort-worth-holding-its-own-amid-housing-troubles.aspx"><strong>Busiest builders</strong>: D.R. Horton, Choice Homes, History Maker Homes, Meritage Homes, Centex Homes. Courtesy: </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"></a></span><span style="color: rgb(25, 85, 133);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><br /></a></span></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOq1CDP6D2Q_2PNrJ4jHlu6sX-RRsc02w15wzv0NcVoDadQzOHfW4AvRwA3a-pKsN2dtDgx-L5w0fx0T8tNLch2-lrOYa-UF7hap2dQ9GfKGU_CE3WqSNLbgduvzi_i5XHHF1K3J36DeU/s1600-h/Austin_tcm10-102114.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOq1CDP6D2Q_2PNrJ4jHlu6sX-RRsc02w15wzv0NcVoDadQzOHfW4AvRwA3a-pKsN2dtDgx-L5w0fx0T8tNLch2-lrOYa-UF7hap2dQ9GfKGU_CE3WqSNLbgduvzi_i5XHHF1K3J36DeU/s320/Austin_tcm10-102114.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314637639986017442" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong><br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong>2. Austin, Texas<br /></strong></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">2008 Total Building Permits: 14,250<br /></a></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">Nine years ago, during the tech bust, some builders felt that Austin was too crowded and left. The bloom is back on Austin's yellow rose now; it moved up the leader board to become the sixth largest home building market last year. Job creation explains the move. While other markets lost employment, Austin added 17,400 jobs last year, 2.3 percent growth rate. It helps that Austin is home to both a major university, The University of Texas, and the state capital. Existing homes cost a little bit more in Austin than other Texas markets, roughly $188,600, but that's still below the national average. Also, Austin is one of the few metro areas in the country where median prices actually rose in 2008--2.7 percent. Amazingly, Austin now generates more home building activity than Chicago, which has six times more people.</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp"><strong>Busiest builders</strong>: D.R. Horton, Lennar, KB Home, Centex Homes, Meritage Homes. Courtesy: </a><a href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp" target="_blank">Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.</a></p><p><a href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp" target="_blank"><br /></a></p><p></p><h2><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfXhiFVuClu0wJL7cnR4Rks3462BEwLu6nI0bN3V5PObHYtGVdM765yEvHg8cO_C2h004qt2Kck9b7ni6ahNJ0BIM-VSORe9RnrLFzMeFC9kIM0dM9BZ1LxKfY66qXA7ALIRCX7w93_c/s1600-h/Houston_tcm10-102138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfXhiFVuClu0wJL7cnR4Rks3462BEwLu6nI0bN3V5PObHYtGVdM765yEvHg8cO_C2h004qt2Kck9b7ni6ahNJ0BIM-VSORe9RnrLFzMeFC9kIM0dM9BZ1LxKfY66qXA7ALIRCX7w93_c/s320/Houston_tcm10-102138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314635934125958850" border="0" /></a></h2><br /><br /><p></p><h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><h2><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Arial;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">1. Houston, Texas<br /></a></span></h2><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Arial;font-size:9;" ><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">2008 Total Building Permits: 42,697<br /></a></span></p><p><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp">They like to do things big in Houston. Now the metro area, home to more than 5.8 million people, can lay claim to being the largest home building market in the country, with 42,697 building permits. The market is still benefiting from an influx of population and jobs and rebuilding in </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/hurricane-ike-hits-gulf.aspx"></a></span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/hurricane-ike-hits-gulf.aspx">the wake of Hurricane Ike.<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Employment was up 2.5 percent last year, representing the addition of an incredible 65,000 jobs. Home building activity in Houston has only fallen 31 percent since 2005. Also, existing-home prices rose in Houston through the first three quarters of last year. They finished the year at a median of $151,600, even with the previous year. Roughly one-third of the home building action is in Harris County, followed by Houston proper and Fort Bend County. One of Houston's largest builders, </span></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/business/royce-homes-shuts-down.aspx"></a></span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/business/royce-homes-shuts-down.aspx">Royce Homes, shut down last year<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, and Kimball Hill, one of the biggest builders in Texas, </span></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/lots/home-builder-throws-in-the-towel.aspx"></a></p></span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/lots/home-builder-throws-in-the-towel.aspx">closed its doors this year after it failed to find a buyer.</a><br /><br /><strong>Busiest builders</strong>: Lennar, Perry Homes, David Weekley Homes, MHI/McGuyer Homebuilders, and KB Home. Courtesy: <a href="http://www.hwmarketintelligence.com/homebuilding/homebuilding.asp" target="_blank">Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.</a><br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.builderonline.com/lots/home-builder-throws-in-the-towel.aspx"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></a><p></p>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-78475219400230500552009-02-27T19:49:00.001-08:002009-02-27T20:05:18.282-08:00Huber Engineered Woods, Zip Wall & Zip Roof, Advantech Sub Floor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3KZ-FixqW99So27ZhQmwjqxVbiPZGZWXKHH1loOsseHhMS6SnD6Nyn0nXwPbNzE0F4DwB1kfU_sgoXYFWUOF7Da2DFyToWtY4dy49bARSCH2v0o_Iatvqa2sKeecI4k4uHeOFCEdUJA/s1600-h/20090128_41.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3KZ-FixqW99So27ZhQmwjqxVbiPZGZWXKHH1loOsseHhMS6SnD6Nyn0nXwPbNzE0F4DwB1kfU_sgoXYFWUOF7Da2DFyToWtY4dy49bARSCH2v0o_Iatvqa2sKeecI4k4uHeOFCEdUJA/s320/20090128_41.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307692748186432914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzScWAY7UQ0taTXCMfHA-eAQYsqf6VhH0vvIS5AboSGKabymTV7-wuiI-lXvyqzshHcyz9iwQbrTnG-uhkSi1oOIt7Ie_3tdHLkb8Mf-GErN1TCZwq1su8ee6BHf00mbVe5Wxvz3QAxo/s1600-h/20090120_26.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzScWAY7UQ0taTXCMfHA-eAQYsqf6VhH0vvIS5AboSGKabymTV7-wuiI-lXvyqzshHcyz9iwQbrTnG-uhkSi1oOIt7Ie_3tdHLkb8Mf-GErN1TCZwq1su8ee6BHf00mbVe5Wxvz3QAxo/s320/20090120_26.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307692745013606498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcWRUJyngT464FSSsA2WUA6MxTanQA-7pt4_x7XqZI7k7nIApo5ZvfdKOWdNme4oDR7G4ECOrVRLtgBGABjeSwv3LthY4U60j94CCi3m_dSMQkwxbu_obDGDu8DL7GwJfx6uiJaudq6c/s1600-h/20090120_21.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcWRUJyngT464FSSsA2WUA6MxTanQA-7pt4_x7XqZI7k7nIApo5ZvfdKOWdNme4oDR7G4ECOrVRLtgBGABjeSwv3LthY4U60j94CCi3m_dSMQkwxbu_obDGDu8DL7GwJfx6uiJaudq6c/s320/20090120_21.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307691286954666546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojbXFlcVHjOTabkVGE9je19iDH3mBnOHc2Nm5SL0h-s21LrlF20pCebd6qKdHRip6Rj5mmdiyUSOa96Tu6G_7kzoOgYwK3pe1wwk0bLfdlsP_FxGafXevs1UURgmvmvTEQ_kr9hiKpr0/s1600-h/20081231_17.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojbXFlcVHjOTabkVGE9je19iDH3mBnOHc2Nm5SL0h-s21LrlF20pCebd6qKdHRip6Rj5mmdiyUSOa96Tu6G_7kzoOgYwK3pe1wwk0bLfdlsP_FxGafXevs1UURgmvmvTEQ_kr9hiKpr0/s320/20081231_17.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307691284247541330" border="0" /></a><br /><span xmlns=""><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In our current project, all the sub floor, sheathing, and roof decking are manufactured by Huber Engineered Woods, consisting of Advantech Sub Floor, Zip Wall System, and Zip Roof Systems. Products manufactured by Huber Engineered Woods do NOT contain any urea formaldehyde, which help promote indoor air quality and meet the requirements of the Sustainable Forest Initiative Program, which utilize the measures listed below. The ZIP System roof and wall combine a wood panel and protective barrier all-in-one. This, with the installation of Zip System tape, produces a Type 1 Air Barrier reducing air infiltration to maintain the R-value of insulation, promoting energy efficiency.<br /></p><p>SFI Performance Measures<br /></p><ul><li>Promoting adequate reforestation after timber harvests.<br /></li><li>Encouraging deployment of forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) on private forest land.<br /></li><li>Increasing landowner and wood supplier outreach/continuing education opportunities.<br /></li><li>Emphasizing wood purchases from private, independent logging contractors, who adhere to all forestry laws and voluntary BMPs.<br /></li><li>Establishing a system for continual improvement through internal management review and external third-party audits.<br /></li><li>Ensuring that the commitment to the SFI principles is communicated throughout the company.<br /></li></ul><p> <br /></p><p>Our limited experience with Zip Wall/Roof on this project has been very positive. In my previous blog, I mentioned that we are utilizing Optimal Value Engineering in our framing systems, and the question was rightly asked, "When you are spacing roof truss/rafters at 24" are you using 5/8" or 3/4" decking? What's your opinion on those greater spaces in regards to flex of finished material (roof, stucco, siding, etc)." My response was," on my home at Mueller, I used the Zip Wall and Zip Roof system for the first time, and it will probably be one of the next items I review here. While this product only uses a 7/16" OSB panel, it seems like the waterproof covering actually acts to stabilize the panels, and I haven't seen any problems with the flex in the greater spacing, with one exception. We have a 1/2"/12" pitch on an awning roof, that we plan to build a 4' wide walkway deck, to our detached Studio, over the TPO roofing, and it is a little flexible right now. However, using the same OVE concepts, we will place our decking sleepers directly over the framing members below to stabilize the composite decking on the walk and I anticipate no problems." I have used Tyvek for several years, and while I have no complaints about that product, or its performance over the years, this system has eliminated several sore points for me in the building process. While you do have to be extremely vigilant in your supervision of the taping of both the wall and roof system, the barrier has performed very well during the first rains that gave it a test. One thing that I've struggled with framing crews over the years about, is that they don't want to install all of the Tyvek, tape all the joints, and then begin to install windows and any siding. They have always complained about having to use too much scaffolding, and/or moving their scaffolds more than once with the Tyvek system. With this product, they are able to tape the joints as they install the product, and then they can take the tape roller and insure that the tape has a good seal to the sheathing. My local Huber rep, Barry Brooks, has been extremely helpful and has made sure that my crews have any tools they need and any special tape that is required to make the project a success. He has met with myself and the framing crew to confirm the proper installation procedures, and it has been invaluable to me while we are field testing a new product. I think the biggest benefit is that the roof is dried in once the decking is installed and the tape has been applied, and the tape will last much longer than a felt dry in for a custom project that may take more than a month between the dry in and the roof installation. Additionally, there is literally no difference in price when calculating all OSB sheathing and roof decking with a Tyvel vapor barrier, and felt dry in versus the Zip Wall/Roof system and the tape. The applicator and rollers are relatively inexpensive, and are obviously re-usable. The tape rollers even attach to any roller handle extension for easy access to hard to reach areas. I am very much in favor of using the Zip Wall Sheathing and Zip Roof Decking. I have utilized the Advantech product for several years, especially on the many pier and beam projects that I've constructed over the past ten years. Invariably, even in a drought situation, the minute I install a sub-floor that is temporarily open to the elements, there will inevitably be a pouring rain that will pool water on my new sub-floor. The Advantech product is impregnated with an advanced resin technology, which creates a highly moisture resistant, and a stronger panel. Combine that with the 50 year warranty, and Advantech makes a lot of sense.</p><p><br /></p><p> </p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6505887766563014473.post-46789296535713642522009-02-26T13:37:00.001-08:002009-03-29T15:34:10.948-07:00What is Green Building?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBNZermF9w3AtMv3lmB4IzdE8fX7iRhQi4yt8x6BiVtW4Yumolujkcgn9OKnn8TQib5FhYd499a3gi33lCzhram04D7yDGoiqRMtwna-MGTuwnHzk8ng5b_zKanyYzsPXmUdbHD3xe7M/s1600-h/Olympus+317.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBNZermF9w3AtMv3lmB4IzdE8fX7iRhQi4yt8x6BiVtW4Yumolujkcgn9OKnn8TQib5FhYd499a3gi33lCzhram04D7yDGoiqRMtwna-MGTuwnHzk8ng5b_zKanyYzsPXmUdbHD3xe7M/s320/Olympus+317.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307228189959810962" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Green Building is a measure of several building initiatives including site planning, energy efficiency, resource/material efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and homeowner education. The home must be designed and built to perform as a system, taking all of these performance characteristics into account, and must perform against specific performance standards. The performance is measured against the requirements of local and national green building programs. It is up to the Builder and the Home Buyer to determine which of these issues are of the greatest concern to them, and which make the most sense to include in a new home from a cost and benefit perspective. While there are numerous Green Building techniques and practices, there are more opinions about which techniques and practices are the most beneficial to the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTc8Z5D9z4BKODP3sVmsYXLgGAum-stcygZbmefaLzeZfwsYpP879EnDjBS0Mc5kMhbEwo0U6S8YJuqlVIij1Po_j40qsnea-mCg1w8x0lq9wvj2Y8BPKakkiUPWiH1H93ncIDqpSUv4/s1600-h/Olympus+329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTc8Z5D9z4BKODP3sVmsYXLgGAum-stcygZbmefaLzeZfwsYpP879EnDjBS0Mc5kMhbEwo0U6S8YJuqlVIij1Po_j40qsnea-mCg1w8x0lq9wvj2Y8BPKakkiUPWiH1H93ncIDqpSUv4/s320/Olympus+329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307224975986373314" border="0" /></a>Home Buyer, and to the environment. Over the next few weeks, I will attempt to analyze several of these practices that Bill Taute Homes has adopted over the years, and possibly re-visit some of the practices that we have used in the past to help future Home Buyers determine which choices make sense for their new home.<br /><span xmlns=""><p><br /></p><p>The first subject I will address is Optimum Value Engineering.<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span>Optimum Value Engineering (OVE) refers to framing techniques that reduce the amount of lumber used to build a home while maintaining the structural integrity of the building. Using OVE techniques results in lower material and labor costs and improved energy performance for the building. While traditional framing crews may not initially save any labor cost on the construction of the home as they become familiar with OVE practices, the simple fact that there will be less waste produced from less lumber will produce a small labor savings during the waste management portion of the project. Bill Taute Homes builds primarily on inner city lots with multiple restrictions, setbacks, and limitations, so we haven't been able to implement 100% of the OVE practices, but with the guidance of our structural engineer, Tim Zhang of Green Earth Engineering, we have been able to implement the following in our latest projects: (1) Increasing wall stud spacing from 16" to 24". (2) Spacing floor joists, rafters, floor trusses, and roof trusses at 24" instead of 16" by aligning with stud framing such that loads are transferred directly. (3) Sizing door and window headers correctly, and eliminating headers in non-load bearing conditions. (4) Using 2 studs at corners instead of 3 studs.<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p>A study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center (NAHBRC) found that OVE methods saved $0.24 to $1.20 per square foot in framing wood compared with conventionally built houses (NRDC, "Efficient Wood Use in Residential Construction," 1998). It is important to note that the public is generally unaware of how much wood and labor goes into conventionally framed wood homes, so educating future and current home buyers about this process will hopefully help them appreciate the economic benefits of OVE.<br /></p></span>Bill Tautehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17512043960702140487noreply@blogger.com2