lokalgood

Taking the Window Replacement Plunge

lokalgood — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:01:26 +0000

“Next year.” That’s what we’ve said pretty much every year for the last decade or so when considering the seemingly fearsome task of replacing the original windows in our little bundle of 1930’s Del Ray house joy. Sure, new windows were probably the smart, greenish, sensible thing to do before that cool built-in bookcase, or stylish paint upgrade in the bedroom. And yes, many had become downright inoperable or so beaten up that they offered feeble resistance to the forces of cold/hot air massing at the borders of our lair. But who needs long term sensible on a core system like this when there are so many right-now fun, visible, and easier to enjoy options in other areas of your realm?

Well this year we decided to impersonate grown ups and take the plunge. We’re very glad we did and so far pleasantly surprised by some of the daily pleasures from what we always envisioned as more of a boring infrastructure kind of move. Here are a few quick notes from our effort, and of course some local resource info, for those thinking about a similar tune-up to their ride.

Choosing the right window replacement type – There’s a blinding array of style/material options which is all very personal so you just have to wade through the learning process online and/or in a local showroom so you can see the products up close. And serious consideration to the question of whether you really need to do it is a good idea, given the expense involved. Great info on all of the above can be found on the ever growing number of good home improvement blogs, including a particularly good handful of ways to look at the window question at Charles & Hudson. But once we decided to take the plunge, the big a-ha for us was that we had a handful of quite different replacement approaches to choose from under the general heading of getting new windows. Again, lots of info on types on the web machine, including this in-depth overview of the three main options, but here’s a quick summary based on our experience:

Full Replacement – The most invasive choice, means tearing out windows, trim (inside and out), sill, etc. down to the rough window opening/framing and replacing with a completely new, pre-hung unit. Downside all that tearing, ripping, mess, associated cost, job scale, etc. Upside, the snuggest, squarest, most energy-efficient net result and a wider choice of window options.

Insert Window – These all-in-one units with their own frame pop right into your existing opening/trim after you take out current sashes and stops. Upside, much of the energy efficiency and all the easy tilt-out benefits of a full replacement without the major disruption. Downside, more limited (mostly vinyl) window choices and you do lose a little light/gain some visible frame material because even though it’s pretty narrow, you’re essentially installing a frame within a frame.

Sash Packs – Another minimally invasive route where you’re replacing just the sashes, with tracks for the windows to slide up and down on that fit into your existing window jambs with very little trim disruption. Upside, lots of style (including wood) options so easier to match older window styles, no light loss/visible frame gain since there’s no insert frame, least disruptive installation. Downside, not as efficient as other two routes (though miles more so than older single pane windows you may have now), slightly fussy install depending on the shape of your current window jambs, some color matching issues (see below).

Cost Differences? On cost, we found that material/brand of window drives the cost question as much as type. So while sash packs may be cheaper generally given there’s the least material involved, any one of these can be more expensive than the other depending on what you choose. The range from vinyl with snap in grills to all wood with divided lites is pretty darn big. Beyond materials, biggest cost difference is labor since full replacement is a more involved job all around.

What we used - We went with sash packs from Jeld Wen. Their site doesn’t have details on the packs themselves but here’s a link to the overall model line (Siteline EX, Wood, Simulated Divided Lite) we chose. Pretty high quality at significantly less expense than other wood window brands like Kolbe and Kolbe. Why the sash pack route? Rip and replace was too invasive, costly and felt like overkill. Probably a better option if you’re doing a larger remodel and the house is already opened up for surgery. We wanted wood windows with divided lites so that we could get as close to the look of original 1930’s windows we were replacing as possible. That ruled out inserts both on material choices and the look question because we didn’t want to lose any light or gain more wood surface to look at. Sash packs gave us good material/style choice, maximum light, minimum installation disruption and a big efficiency gain, even if not as much greener as the other replacement options.

Who we bought them from - I had one of the bigger window companies come by for a consult/bid and it was almost all that I hoped it wouldn’t be. Formulaic hard sell with clear biases and limited customization options. So I went straight to the supplier, in this case Paul Bauer at Smoot/Stock. Paul came out to the house, explained all the potentially confusing options/tradeoffs and worked with me to arrive at the right choice given what was important to us. Lots of knowledge/insight, no hard sell.

Who installed them for us - John Partlow (husband of St. Elmos owner Nora Partlow), who Paul recommended. John has a ton of experience in this somewhat specialized window work, did a great job, was very straightforward in his dealings throughout the process and is local so we feel confident about follow on service and quality. And we liked that he and the supplier had worked together before which meant close collaboration on measurements, installation questions, etc.

For painting, of course, we used the great Donald Membreno, simply put the most detail-oriented, thorough and careful painter we’ve worked with, by a wide margin.

Finally, a few tips/notes from the first-hand experience file….

Paint ‘em first if you can - Whichever type you go with. We had our sash packs painted inside and out before they were installed. Means a week or two in between delivery and install but painting on the ground is much easier/cheaper/faster than you or your painter scrabbling around on ladders.

Sweat the color details when you order - You can’t paint or caulk the tracks (also called jamb liners) the windows slide on so note that you’re stuck with whatever color choices (typically white or tan) the manufacturer offers. Depending on your interior/exterior colors, you’ll likely end up with some visible contrast with the sashes. Same is true with most screen options. So if you get screens, you’ll have a similar color contrast issue to consider depending on the color of exterior trim you have. Think carefully on both of these and see the options first hand before you make your order.

Expect the unexpected – If you’re house, like many around here, is older than you are, chances are your window jambs have, how shall we say, character. Out of square, different sizes from one to the next, sills in various states of repair, etc. In short, no two of your current little window darlings are alike. So no matter how well your installer measures, expect some adjustments and workarounds (supplementing trim, building up sill, etc.) when installation day arrives.

But then expect some really nice usability treats from your new windows. Some of these may be more noticeable for us because our old windows were so darn cranky, but the daily pleasures of new windows have already been many:

So, SO nice to be able to easily open and close, even for our kids. Can’t wait for spring and much more easily had fresh breezes through the house.
Easy on the eyes from outside or in
No more arctic chill from all the cold air pouring through the single pane glass and loose connections of our old ones
Good security feeling from locks that actually work on every window
Haven’t needed it yet since they’re new, but betting tilt-in cleaning will be much easier than death-defying ladder climb

With this one out of the way, who knows what wild and wacky upgrade will be on the radar for next year. Maybe we finally get around to that glass elevator I’ve always wanted.

Crossfit + (mostly) Paleo making 40 the new… 20?

lokalgood — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:00:51 +0000

Tale of the tape on my now 9 month adventure in regular fitness and eating differently:

Lost 35 lbs, bodyfat in the mid-teens, waist 38 –> to 34
Can bench press more than my weight
Never felt better (seriously, the 40 me could thrash the 20 me)

How? I certainly get tons of questions about it. And it’s been very cool to see my experience spur other folks into getting off their duffs on fitness or nutrition or both. Now that I’m back at the keyboard here on lokalgood (typical excuses… time, technical issues, work, tending to my glass figurine collection, you know, the typical stuff….blah, blah), would be fun to gin up a series of posts to share what’s worked for me, and perhaps I shall, but for now here’s a quick hitter on the main bits:

But first an aside, speaking of duffs and getting off them, is it just me or is there some larger wave rolling here? Probably a factor of being 40 and around lots of 40-somethings staring into the maw of middle age, but the number of people I come across these days who are getting into better shape or changing their eating habits is crazy! Good thing if true, and perhaps my radar is just tuned to pick up these conversations better now, but I’ll be damned if we’re not in the midst of some sort of shift. Burpees, gluten grains and fish oil just were not in the party gab mix a few years ago. Now people are practically bringing their grocery list for peer review over cocktails. It’s nuts. Anyhow, back to the recipe I’ve found some luck with:

Trident Crossfit – As I’ve scribbled about before, place is awesome. I’m a 4x a week player there on Rt 1 and it’s become a priority that I plan around. Love the coaches, the variety (still don’t think I’ve had the same day twice there) and the community. Movie star comparisons not so much, one fellow Tridenter (Pete, who else?) calls me Phil, after Modern Family’s Phil Dunfy. Love the guy but Peter Krause is so clearly more me.

Paleoish Eating – Did a Paleo challenge as a lark in January. Then it stuck, or at least something like Paleo stuck. I’m not really into the orthodoxy bit of it you sometimes hear about, but happily have found that doesn’t matter. You can make it your own and adapt really easily. I follow sort of a Paleo and Primal Blueprint love child. At it’s most basic… plenty of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, eggs, limited dairy (whole cream in my coffee, whole milk yoghurt with my fruit for breakfast, etc.). Big emphasis on high quality in all cases. Best, shortest (1 page) bit of content I’ve found on getting started simply – Archevore blog. Best local resource for tasty prepared Paleo that let’s you try it out with no time commitment – Catalyst.

Both Are Portable – One of the cool things about Crossfit is how easy it is to stay at it when you’re on the road for work, for play, etc. Two reasons. First there are a ton of travel workouts you can knock out with no equipment, and another ton you can do with limited hotel gym gear. Second is the broader national Crossfit community (the network and the ethos) which means you can often find Crossfit gyms in other cities and they are typically very welcoming to folks dropping in for a workout. I’ve done it in Vegas and San Francisco (Crossfit San Francisco, awesome spot right on the Bay). Easy as pie both times and fun on the variety/try new things front. I’ve found the eating road-adaptable too. With the staple items noted above, eating out is typically a breeze. And when I’m at someone’s house, I either pick and choose if it’s easy/inconspicuous or happily eat what my host has put in front of me (manners over orthodoxy, you’re a guest, it ain’t about you). What’s funny is that now folks who know I eat a little differently sometimes take it up as a challenge and brew up some awesome Paleo-inspired dishes when they’re hosting…. and so it spreads (insert Vincent Price evil laugh here).

One final thought on a practical thread… literally. Cool thing happens when you get a good roll going on fitness and nutrition at the same time. All your threads become too big, quickly. I knew it was time for some shopping when I got “dude, that shirt’s a little blousey” for the fifth time. So be prepared to shell out some dough on a wardrobe upgrade. Small (not really) price to pay for that whole 40′s the new 20 thing.

Trident Crossfit Take 2: Happy Sweat

lokalgood — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:27:40 +0000

After a workout recently my wife noted…“maybe people who exercise are just happy people.” Really? Come on, the world is full enough of trite, bumper-stickery ideas that don’t really hold up, particularly when it comes to health and fitness. Sure, I get the whole endorphin thing, that people feel better and maybe they have more energy, but really, consistently happier? To the point where you’d tag that as a reason why an exercise approach is working for you better than any you’ve tried previously?

After a meaningful stretch at Trident Crossfit, I think maybe ‘tis true and the result of more than just endorphins. Let me explain, and share a few examples (from my schlub-prevention fitness effort that’s been a couple years in the making) that might help any out there considering a different fitness approach.

My wife and I had just finished a Saturday class at Trident (yes, we appear to have found a way for both of us to consistently exercise despite the madness of our life with J-O-B’s, kids, mid-life miscellany… more on that in a bit). And we were remarking that for the first time either of us could remember, we were developing that feeling where exercise isn’t a chore, where it starts to become fun and where you start to plan your life around getting more of it, rather than letting life’s commitments dictate that you get less.

I’m stopping there fore a second because for me that’s a huge blankin’ deal. So many times I’ve heard my fitter friends jones for a workout and carp about how off they feel when they can’t get one in. My reaction…either a) that’s crap, can’t be true, poser, please stop or b) wish I felt that way but I sure don’t and how much less of a schlub would I be if I actually did.

But I think it’s actually happening. I worked out four times this past week at Trident. For me that’s nuts. And I did so not because of any particular goal or number. I just felt myself wanting to make time, wanting to spike my day with the good buzz a morning shot of crossfit has been giving me. After coming back from shoulder surgery in the fall (another Ben Kittredge production), I’ve been at this second tour at Trident for 6 weeks and I’m finding my interest level rising not receding.

So back to the happiness thing. Part of what’s working so much for us at Trident is the great vibe, Andrea, Chriss, Chad, Karen, Dave, et al have created. It’s just a positive, can-do sort of joint led by folks that really get you going. But what my wife really got at with her observation is that the good vibe there also has a lot to do with the other folks in the classes.

Always seems like an energetic, chatty and pretty happy bunch at the Trident warehouse off Route 1. On a Saturday like this one for example, you had 20 or more people from all points on the fitness spectrum, scrambling around, working HARD. But having fun. It’s crazy talk. Seriously I really can’t believe I’m saying it, but it was fun. And I’ll be damned if my fellow sweaters and grunters weren’t having fun too. At the change over between classes (my wife and I tag teamed, handing over kids at the turn from the 8:30-9:30 classes), the place was abuzz, in a word, happy.

Why though? Is it just a random cluster of particularly friendly and cheery folk? Maybe, but I doubt it. I bet there’s just as many hang-ups, quirks and adversity hanging around that bunch as any other collection of 30 or 40 somethings in a stress soaked region like this one. No, I’m coming around to this view that the fitness pros have maybe known all along. Getting exercise, particularly when you find a kind that can be fun as well as challenging, maybe can make you feel not just better, but a little happier. And maybe that vibe rubs off, sort of a positive sneeze effect that makes for fitness places like Trident where you want to go at it and stay at it in a way you haven’t before. Time will tell but so far that’s a helluva thing.

Speaking of time telling, for any interested less in all this vibe stuff and more in some specifics about what’s making this work… a few quick hitters that might be useful if you’re considering a new fitness approach:

A busy couples fitness plan that works – Trident has classes plenty early in the AM so at the beginning of the week we pick which mornings one of us goes and the other stays home with the kids. Occasionally, the schedule means we both need to go the same day. So we go to back-to-back classes, one of us leaving class right before the end of a session and the other showing up a smidge late for the next. Cuts short the stretching a bit but totally works and it’s fun to debrief and chat about what was the hardest, most fun, etc. after the fact.

You provide you, the rest is handled – Another thing I’m loving so far… you don’t have to do a bunch of planning, tracking or thinking about your workouts. In fact it’s more like none of the above, which is great when there’s so much else going on in your life. You just show up. The Trident crew does the rest. I.e. coming up with fun and fresh workouts (a recent one included a deck of cards… seriously), guiding you on form and function, tracking your outputs, getting you to do cool down you might otherwise skip. When you leave, you’re done.

Community tips and tricks aplenty – Not surprisingly there’s a nice community growing up around Trident which means lots of sources of helpful tips and tricks on various topics related to getting in shape. In particular, I’ve found the nutrition part really useful, learning from instructors and classmates about all kinds of good online sources (mark’s daily apple for exampe), nutrition approaches, etc. And several local outfits (like Catalyst) deliver high quality, prepared foods and grassfed meats directly to the gym.

So we’ll see. Time will be the real judge but finding regular exercise fun and wanting to do more is uncharted territory that feels like a good sign. And at the center of that so far is a happy place with some seemingly happy folks in it. Seems like something I could get used to.

What folks read in ’10 on lokalgood

lokalgood — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 23:55:37 +0000

The stats wranglers at WordPress.com mulled over how lokalgood did in 2010, and here’s their high level summary of its overall blog health. I’ve added a few comments in (parentheses) throughout. All in all a fun year with this experiment. Would be great if more folks added their own content too but as it’s turned out, I quite enjoy writing meself so will keep at it as long as the stready reader stream continues saying there’s some value in it for our hood. Just means frequency will = when the muse is with me + time available. I hope folks find high quality offsets modest quantity…. or that they jump in and share their thoughts (however short or long) to add to the volume. Here’s to a good ’11 full of useful local info wherever you find it.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire! (their terms, not mine, seems way frothy to me but at least it’s not… this blog is in flames and soon to be but a few cinders).

Visitor numbers

Blog was viewed 2,600 times in 2010.

Where they came from, were looking for

The top referring sites in 2010 were gwslepthere.com, lesdunbelle.wordpress.com, (many thanks to these two great local blogs for connecting to lg), en.wordpress.com, facebook.com, and mail.yahoo.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for patrick camus architect, architect (good news for architects generally – who says additions are stalled? – and for my man Mr. Camus in particular), milk delivery alexandria va (South Mountain creamery deserves all the interest it gets), lokalgood, and alexandria masters soccer (fingers crossed for a return to the pitch in the spring).

Great service from a particular painter

lokalgood — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:06:07 +0000

Embarking on a paint job for your palace is fraught with peril by its very nature. How great (or grossly off) will your color picking be? What about the mess factor from moving all your stuff, or the invariable drips and splotches from so much new pigment flying around? What happens when you pursue a small fissure in the wall only to open up the grand canyon? Is that oil base on the old trim or latex? And what to do now that oil base has gone the way of the CD player?

Let’s assume if you’re reading this that you’re like me and either already retired, or considering retiring, from serious DIY painting. Amidst all the above looming missteps, it’s great to have a pro you can really trust to do a great job while your busy life and wild rumpus of children swirls around all the wet paint and drop cloths. I’ve found such a pro in Donald Membreno of Prestige Contracting. He’s just completed his 4^th job for me (over a span of 6 or so years) and this one takes the cake on quality and effort. So much so I felt compelled to spread the word this time after a really strong effort. What was so strong?

Donald and his guys (Christian and Luis) were unfailingly polite, on time, courteous and careful with our place and stuff. They were friendly and very patient with our kids who were asking a million questions, trying out their Spanish, leaving stuff in the way, etc.

Wow did they go the extra mile. We were having a big party and running out of time on basically a full repaint of our first floor and central hall. Not finishing in time would have been a big problem. They stayed late three nights in a row (Thursday – Saturday no less), including til an hour I can’t even mention on the last night to make it happen.

If you’re looking for quick and dirty, look elsewhere. Donald and crew are super thorough from start to finish. From laying down floor covering, to meticulous wall and trim prep (like cutting out questionable caulk, fixing nicks and dents, sanding before and between coats, etc.) to painting and clean up, these guys were all about fit and finish.

Bottom line based on our experience, they really seem to care about what they’re doing, how it comes out, how they leave the place during the job, and how well they interact with whomever’s around. Perhaps it’s a sad statement on the general state of service these days, but to us that all felt sort of remarkable on top of a great result that has our place shining.

No web site that I know of but findable by phone or at dprestige1@yahoo.com.

A little loving for your landscaping

lokalgood — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:30:17 +0000

It’s roasting like Riyadh, muggier than Manila and the rain only seems to arrive via a tropical storm wind that also has a thing for snapping trees and yanking down power lines. Not exactly the time of the year when you’re just dying to get outside and toil on your little patch of heaven. But the fall planting season isn’t far off so you might be starting to think about a plan for your next round of landscaping. If so, here are a couple of local resources we’ve used that might be of use.

Garden/Landscape Design – 10 years ago when we moved in, the “landscape” at our place consisted of a chain link fence, bamboo running wild and nary a square foot of garden bed or patio. At the time it felt like we’d never get the place turned around. Since then we’ve engineered a pretty good turnaround. The trick for us was coming up with a long term design early on that we could then follow at our own pace, chipping away at it each season as time/resources allowed. Along the way we’ve evolved the design a fair bit to incorporate new needs (addition, tree house one year, arbor the next, patio, etc.). But having a main rudder for the effort has really helped, not only in getting a result that hangs together, but also in having specs for the various providers (garden centers like Merrifield, landscapers, etc.) we’ve used to help us implement the vision.

Our design resource was Pamela Underhill. She crafted a starting plan for us and has since updated it 2-3 times. What we liked? She’s local, knows what works here/doesn’t, and has good tips for trades/plant providers, etc in this area. We’ve consistently liked her ideas and built our own tweaks from them. Her prices are reasonable and she’s always been happy to work with us on these smaller bits rather than a big single job. Small nit, sometimes the turnaround has been a little slow but that probably comes with the relatively small size of our asks.

Landscaping and Maintenance - For several years now we’ve worked with Community Landscaping. Mike Balog runs the outfit which seems to do a lot of work around here. Generally I’ve found Mike to be very responsive, reasonably priced and fair. They’ve done several patio/paver projects for us, along with a few bed cutting and clean up jobs. Quality has been pretty solid and where it hasn’t been up to snuff on a first attempt, Mike’s crew has been quick to get it fixed. They’ve also taken good ownership for the various projects they’ve done for us over the years. So if last year’s effort needs a quick tune up in a spot, Mike just does it, no new charges, etc.

We’ve also used the Greener Side, run by Aaron Gorski. Aaron did some sod for us after our addition, put in a dry well to deal with runoff and completed some limited stone work. Similar experience for us as above, generally solid results from an easy to work with local provider. We stopped using them after some slow response on getting a bid a few years back but assuming that can be chalked up to growing pains, Greener Side is also an option to consider.

As with so many parts of the home ownership adventure, we’ll never really be “done” with the landscaping I suppose, but every year we get a little further along and get a result we love a little more. If you’re undertaking a similar journey at your castle, these local resources are worth looking up.

Help in battling the bulge: Trident Crossfit

lokalgood — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:19:57 +0000

My historical approach to exercise can best be described as intermittent. Particularly now that I’m starting to encounter the nagging injuries that come with the crappy little gift basket that is turning 40. So anything that makes getting a workout easier and faster is welcome. Working with a personal trainer (in my case Chad Cirri) helped a bunch. But with that as my main thing, I found it became the only thing, and was again pretty sporadic given a) the challenge of scheduling in the very popular early morning window for working stiffs like me and b) my a la carte, generally sucky approach to workouts in between trainer sessions. What I needed was a way to mix in something more flexible but consistent with the good return I get from personal training.

Enter Crossfit, at new local gym Trident Crossfit right on Rt 1. There’s a ton of info online about the Crossfit discipline overall so I won’t repeat that here. But here’s a quick hitter on why I’m liking Crossfit at Trident so much after getting started this past month.

Easy to use format – Everything about Crossfit at Trident is so nicely stripped down to the essentials. From the membership plans, to the workouts, to the warehouse space. What you need, not more, not less. Take the class approach. Group classes (usually about 6-8 plus instructor) are the only thing offered. They hold them throughout the day at prescribed times. You just show up at a time you like and have at it, no sign ups, scheduling fuss, etc.

Fast, killer workout - In 45 minutes you get a killer workout (both strength and cardio) without all the fuss/overhead of charts, machine settings, etc. that I used to hate about the typical gym approach.

Core strength/form emphasis – I learn something about my body and posture every time I take a class. The instructors are very focused on form, safety and proper technique for strengthening the whole you, not just your most visible parts.

Welcoming for all – No question you work hard in a Trident session but the workouts are easily modified to your situation. With the net result that a relative schlub like me and a total fitness beast can (and regularly do) participate in the same class, over the same time period, doing same/similar exercises and both get a great workout.

Great vibe – When I first read about Crossfit generally, I was a little concerned it was only for the hard core with little patience for the hopeful meddler. If anything I’ve found the opposite at Trident (despite the sort of scary photos on their web site). Folks (classmates and instructors, vets and newbies) are friendly, quick with a tip or encouragement, and full of enthusiasm for this approach to exercise whether you’re just getting going or look like an Olympic swimmer already.

I’ve now taken 4-5 classes and am arriving at what I think will be a pretty good fitness mix that I can do a better job sustaining – couple Trident classes a week on their super flexible schedule, plus 2-4 personal training sessions a month where I can get a little more specific input on my progress, injury management, etc. without breaking the bank.

Whatever your mix, if you’re interested in trying something new, just show up for a class at Trident and see how you like it. First one’s free. All of the instructors I’ve had have been great, including Andrea the co-owner who’s a total motivator and my guy Chad who’s also an instructor there in addition to his personal training practice.

Postcards from a Home Addition #3: Choosing a Contractor

lokalgood — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:58:27 +0000

So you’ve captured your must haves (postcard #1), found an architect (postcard #2) and whipped up a set of plans that would make Frank Lloyd Wright himself get a little misty. Now you’re ready to shop your plans and dive into the really deep end of the home addition pool – picking a contractor. Given how much time (intimate, really get to know a person kind of time) you’re going to spend together, this is way up there on the list of choices you’ve got to get right in the general choice-fest that is adding to your castle.

As it is with architects, lots of route options here – design-build, big firm with lots of project management resources, smaller contractor where the name on the truck is the person you’ll be dealing with the most, etc. [Side Note: If you’re one of those brave souls considering acting as the general contractor and subbing out all the different bits, take care… great, double probation, "hope you talk yourself out of it" kind of care. I’ve done a bunch of construction projects myself over the years. Including a total basement redo that nearly killed me. Thinking of how long and ugly the process would have been had I tried to play GC on this much bigger addition job makes me shudder even now.] Anyhow, assuming you take some contractor route, some suggestions:

Get multiple bids – ideally across types like the above (bigger, smaller, in between, etc.). After all the build up on an addition you can get so jacked up to get going that you toy with short sheeting the selection process. Don’t. We were surprised at how big a cost/approach range there was amongst the bids we got. So very glad to have stayed at it (and probably could have done more).

Don’t skip referrals, or digging on your own – again, tempting to skip after one or two calls to the names your contractor suitors provided. But you can get feedback on style and approach that might meaningfully influence your decision from even the most carefully planted shill a bidder gives you. Plus, nowadays with a little web digging, list reading, etc., you can probably unearth some useful independent commentary.

Go see some jobs they’re doing – Finished ones are helpful but jobs in progress are even better. What’s the work site like? If the contractor doesn’t also swing the hammer anymore, is there a foreman you can meet? Do they have folks permanently on their team, as well as subs, or is everybody a free agent? Is the size similar to what you’re after? Construction is controlled chaos at some level but I think you can sense a well managed job/team verses a loosely run one.

Once you pick, talk through EVERYTHING, TWICE – Selecting your dance partner is only step one. Before you move to a contract and final pricing, make sure you walk through everything about the job. Do the plans from the architect give the contractor ALL the detail they need? Are there any spots where the two disagree about how to bring about a certain design feature? Have you documented all your expectations about your wants for the big parts of the job? For example what’s the strategy for heating and AC? There are lots of different options (and cost levels), particularly when you’re tying in old systems and new ones. Better to thrash those out before you’re in the midst of the job. So when you get an itchy trigger finger, step away, take a cold shower, really. Ask yourself once again, have you gone through everything you can think of and gotten on the same page? You’ll both be the better and happier for having done so.

Fixed price vs. time & materials (or cost plus) – Most contractors would likely prefer a fixed price gig. And for most homeowners it’s probably the cleanest option, knowing what you’re going to spend (a lot) and preparing accordingly. Assuming of course that you don’t encounter any really big (i.e. out of scope) surprises during construction, that you’ve got a good handle on what you want ahead of time, and that you can stick to your plan. Sure the contractor makes more dough if the job goes well, but you’ve got the relative peace of mind that the cost can only go so high. Conversely, the time and materials approach is more transparent to you and could ultimately cost you less if all goes really well. But it could just as easily cost more if the project encounters new twists and your appetite for change grows.

Keep it simple – We tried for some sort of hybrid that just created a bunch of cycles and wasn’t helpful for us or the contractor. We landed up with essentially a fixed cost gig anyway. Lesson? Don’t overthink it. Know what you want really well, negotiate the best deal you can through competition, acknowledge that the contractor needs to make money just like you need to save it, and move on.

If in doubt, move out – An addition that breaks into your existing house anywhere is like surgery. Once the patient is opened up, it’s ugly and chaotic until everything gets put back together. Your place will get roughly treated by even the most careful outfit. We originally thought we could stay in and just gut it out. Yes, with 2 kids, and an addition getting tied in on two stories. Nuts. Thank goodness we saw the folly in it and moved out for three months. The chaos also means you should take extra care to safeguard any stuff you leave behind. Construction dust is like a sandstorm, finding its way through seemingly impenetrable barriers.

Be prepared for ups and downs – You are guaranteed to hit some real low points. A process as complex and close to home (literally and figuratively) as this is just wired for conflict at some stage. Your, and your contractor’s, job is to keep the strife to a minimum and not freak out when it occurs. And again, the more you try and thrash out any points of disagreement up front, the better. At a minimum, you’ll have a good sense for how you and your new friend can handle spirited disagreement before the job ship has sailed.

Our contractor experience? – We used Bluestone Builders which is run by Tim Moran. All in all a good outcome, albeit with some rough stretches. Some quick hitters on our experience:

Good relationship fit – Tim had a very helpful, friendly and even demeanor. He gave us lots of useful referrals for other providers, as well as weighed in with useful tips, etc.

Frequent communication, good transparency – Tim was readily available by email and cell, and happy to share bid info, details etc. electronically, through Excel, etc.

Tale of two jobs – Great first half. The foundation and framing up the exterior went really well moved fast, no big surprises, good communication, etc. Mixed 2^nd half. Interior and finishing stage (in and out) much more up and down. Communications issues ‘tween contractor and architect cost us a couple false starts. We had some uneven subs and a fair amount of rotating in and out. Attention to detail ebbed and flowed and we encountered some meaningful goofs requiring do-overs.

Say and do disconnects – This is a general challenge in the contractor world from what I can gather and contractors themselves would tell you it’s a big problem they manage as well with their own subs. I.e. you get an assurance that something will happen by a certain date and then it doesn’t happen, often repeatedly doesn’t happen. We certainly had our fair share of these, particularly in the later stages of the job. Ultimately got done but not without pushing and focusing in on the details that I wished not to have to do so much. Whatever route you go, be prepared to have to really watch the details. These are complex undertakings with a lot of moving parts.

Reasonable in conflict – When we had challenges, Tim was generally very reasonable in resolving a disagreement.

Responsive since completing the job – This is a big one. We’re now 2+ years past completion. Tim’s always been quick to respond to questions with helpful info, as recently as the last 3-4 months.

Would I recommend? – When we worked with Bluestone, Tim’s outfit was undergoing some big team changes that I think we bore the brunt of in certain respects. The result was that we ultimately got a good result (and value) we’ve been happy with. But it also felt like we had to work harder than we should have had to in order to get there. So in the moment I wouldn’t have given a huge green light. That said, I would certainly tell folks now to give him a call and see where things have progressed since then. He brings a lot of good things to the table that with a more settled team would make for a pretty strong total package.

Final note for anyone west of Dulles who’s looking and happens to read this. My brother-in-law runs a well respected construction firm (Carpenter Beach Construction, ) serving Loudoun, Clarke et al counties. I mention them because a) I value family harmony and b) they have what is alas a relative rarity from my experience – a really helpful and comprehensive website that makes getting to know them a lot easier for folks looking for options. Here’s hoping more of their contractor/architect brethren (including some of the leading names in Alexandria) follow this path. If they do, will make your job much easier.

Add a local resource, or comment on your experience with this one.

Big Green Egg Grilling

lokalgood — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:49:51 +0000

It’s spring and the mosquitos aren’t quite bat size yet here in our happy little swamp. So a quick hitter on grilling. Not exactly core to the mission of the site but this is self-publishing, who’s going to object, the editor? After my circa 2000 Weber died, I recently splurged on a Big Green Egg grill (costs about the same as a mid-range Weber gas grill…. 650-700), a ceramic cooker that’s inspired a cult following of folks who love grilling beyond what the gas grill can offer. It’s early yet but so far I’m a happy Green Egger. Why?

It can go very, very hot so I can sear/grill nice steaks (like Steve of Let’s Meat serves up here in Del Ray) quickly and with that great combo of crispy outside and still-pink inside that I always found tough with my old gaser
Something about ceramic (as opposed to metal) means everything stays much more moist. So even when I overcook stuff I’m less salty about it because the meat is still very juicy and flavorful.
It gave me an excuse to bust out the tools and build this cool table-home for the egg. Got the plans from Naked Whiz, one of the many great Egg sites that have popped for the love of Green Egg Grilling (like, umm, you guessed it… www.greenegggrilling.com)

Next up, starting to use some of the cool accessories to venture beyond straight up red meat cookery. Today I took my first shot at plank cooking some seafood on a piece of cedar. Fun and adds a great flavor. Next it’s on to using it as brick oven for some pizzas. The apocalypse and inescapable middle age will be fully upon me when I start waxing poetic about the grilled Thanksgiving turkey… baby steps….

I got my Egg at Village Hardware (limited site but has address, etc.) down on Fort Hunt Rd. Deserves a post all to itself. But suffice it to say that in the era of awful big box places with tons of stuff but no help, this family hardware store is a revelation. Still plenty of stuff, but with tons of help. If you’re thinking of an Egg (or any other grill), make a trip to Village Hardware. They have a whole showroom in the basement, really knowledgeable folks to point you in the right direction, and there’s no chance of the soul-killing, spend 45 minutes but still not find what you need Home Depot visit that’s ruined many a Saturday morn.

Add a local resource, or comment on your experience with this one.

Postcards from a Home Addition- #2: Architect?

lokalgood — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:49:36 +0000

Back to the series on the big process of adding on to your house. In Postcard #1 I talked about nailing down a clear “must-haves” list so you can stay on course through all the slings and arrows of this typically year long process. Now on to the Architect phase. Lots of different choices here – roll your own, buy prepackaged design online, go through your contractor, design-build, an independent architect. I went that last route and, while it’s no small investment, I recommend it to anyone with the following “you know you’re a good candidate to hire an architect if” qualifiers:

It’s important to you that the flow between old house and new is really smooth and seamless
You care a lot about how the outside looks – how well the new exterior blends in with existing house, how much you do or don’t see from the street, how well you like just looking at what you’ve wrought from your yard
You’re willing to compromise on some of your wish list and spend more $$ per square foot (on fees yes, but also on the likely more complex build) in order to accommodate #’s 1 and 2
You’re excited by the idea of someone taking you to some places (ideas, design elements, etc.) you wouldn’t get to on your own
You’re prepared to manage what can be a healthy but sometimes trying tension between architect and contractor

Picking is always tough. We found referrals most useful. There are also some good searching tools available at the local AIA site. As for our specific experience….we used Old Town Alexandria architect Patrick Camus and have been very happy with the results. Patrick was then with Adams Architects and has since gone out on his own. Don’t think he has a website but you can find him in the Yellow Pages and/or I can pass on an email if you’re interested. Great guy, knows this area and all the players well. A few specific notes:

The really good – He totally nailed the vision. Right out of the gate we loved the central idea of his design, which created an awesome set of new spaces and made some critical changes to our existing ones in order to deliver on a great blend of old and new. Now 2+ years later, we get a steady stream of compliments from visitors about how well all the pieces fit together and in particular on the slam dunk kitchen/eat-in/screened porch he created.
The mixed – In some cases our plans we’re a little short on the level of detail our contractor wanted for some of the finish work. And the communication back and forth between Patrick and the contractor was up and down, particularly in the later stages of the job. I think these were due in part to us catching Patrick at the transition point from working for someone else to heading out on his own. In the end neither had much of an impact on the outcome but did lead to an important learning….
A lesson – Take the step of clarifying exactly how much involvement you want the architect and contractor to have after plans are done and you’re in to the construction. And generally err on the side of caution when it comes to plan detail. Better to have more not less.

Couple other quick notes on process that really helped us. We started with Patrick doing ¼ inch drawings in order to arrive at a core design concept we liked. Then moved to the more detailed 1/8 inch plans for fleshing out the full idea. Not sure if that’s standard or no, but really was helpful for us to get on the same page about the vision before diving into details.

And get a lot of eyes on your plans. We carried copies around with us for a while and walked through them with all kinds of friends and family. You’d be surprised at the great tweaks that can come up this way from unlikely sources. And the act of talking people through your plan also helps you uncover spots you ‘re not yet totally comfortable with.

One last thought that came up for us at multiple stages including this one – do all that you can possibly afford. The process of planning and doing an addition is so invasive, better to do as much as you can when the patient is already opened up and on the operating table. In our case we considered just doing a single story addition and then coming back and adding a second story later. Thank god we listened to Patrick and others who urged us to do both stories at once.

Next up – Selecting and working with the contractor (with whom you will become scarily close, however the project goes).

And in the meantime check out this helpful post on the financial return you can expect from the dollars you put into your renovation.