We are in the last few weeks of construction for the Harrisonburg Rockingham Child Day Care Center in downtown Harrisonburg. This facility that we have done updates on in the past (here, here, and here) is due to open in August. There will be a phase 2 of the project so don’t be surprised to see things not 100% in their final places when phase 1 is done.
Over the last week, plumbing fixtures were set, ceilings were installed, FRT panels placed, and flooring started going in. The building is emerging from the “under construction” look that we have seen in past updates and taking on that warm inviting look of a daycare.
The facility will offer sliding scale childcare in the heart of downtown Harrisonburg. From babies to pre-school, this facility is filling a huge need in our community.
Eastern Mennonite Elementary Schooladdition continues to make progress. Over the last few weeks, Herr and Company has been putting in the foundation and slab, and the walls have started. The gathering space addition will feature a heated slab thanks to the efforts of Rockingham Engineering.
The radiant floor system will keep the space comfortable and allow for maximum flexibility. Eastern Mennonite Elementary Schoolvalues connections to the outside and plan to use this multipurpose space at times as an open air pavilion. The challenge with designing for a space that is sometimes conditioned is that a concrete slab is slow to change temperature. It is also hard to manage moisture / humidity in a space that is sometimes open to outside air and sometimes closed and conditioned. So Winston at Rockingham Engineering designed a radiant floor system that will moderate the slab temperature keeping the space flexible and comfortable.
Once the slab was poured, the walls started going up and the space is starting to take shape. This is an exciting part of the project as everyone can now see the form taking shape! The framers made great progress in just a few days and trusses should be installed soon. Here is more on the first phase of the project that was completed a few years ago.
This year we have seen a lot of home renovationand addition projects. These are exciting projects to design because we get to make our clients’ existing homes into their dream homes. We hear about what is not working and come up with ways to make them fit the lives our clients want to live in the places they already call home. The return on investment for these types of projects is critical. In this case, “return on investment” means that the space directly contributes to making the existing home into their dream home.
Some of the best payback on investment can be seen with kitchen renovations. An updated, beautiful, and highly functional timeless kitchen is the heart of the home for most of our projects. Getting the cabinets and cabinet hardware to look great and have a high-quality finish is key to making the most of your investment. Figuring out how to make the space as functional as possible for the way you want to cook, entertain, and gather is the most important part of this design work.
Similarly, the bathroom remodel has a high impact on an existing house. Upgrading the lighting, flooring, tiles, and shower can make all the difference when thinking about your dream home. Adding body sprayers and an adjustable shower head can make the bathroom future proof for you and spa like on the daily. Thinking through accessibility challenges that might happen is also an important part of this space.
Upgrades and Updates
Important, but not always on top of mind, are energy-efficiency, durability, and indoor-air-quality upgrades and updates. Often in existing homes you already know the products that were used that need a coat of paint every year. You know which room is always cold in the winter. When you are doing a renovation, be sure to fix those issues, then track your energy usage. You will be thrilled to save money monthly. More importantly, you will have comfortable spaces that have healthy indoor air quality, and you will not have to “honey-do” home improvements every weekend with these new durable products.
Another idea to make your home remodel the best investment possible is to make it look incredible from the street. Update the landscaping with native plants, scrape and repaint anything that is peeling (or replace old siding with something low maintenance), and make sure the water is going away from the foundation. Adding a deck, patio, or porch is also an easy way to expand your livable space and provide an aesthetic update to a home. These spaces will become favorites if they are placed in the right way around your house to take advantage of the breeze, provide shade, and offer additional gathering options. Don’t forget about adding an outdoor kitchen to bring the party to the outside of your home.
When you are thinking about a renovation or addition to your home, make the return on investment a part of the decision-making process. This does not mean just doing things that will increase the sale price of your home, it is the quality of life that can be provided through the renovation that provides the best return on investment. Do the things that make your home your dream home.
Harrisonburg has seen a surge in public art over the last decade, and it is incredible!
Public art adds visual appeal to a community. It brings energy and vibrance to once-blank walls and incorporates bright vibrant colors and cool creations. Public art can celebrate heritage, diversity, and tradition. This makes the community more welcoming to others and inspires future artists to create.
It also brings in tourism which has a ripple economic impact on small businesses in our community. People will spend more time in a place that has fun things to look at and that has beautiful works of art to enjoy. These works benefit mental health and well-being for the people using these spaces. The spark curiosity and revitalization.
In Harrisonburg we have wall murals that celebrate people, play, and LOVE. We have ducks that tell a story, sculptures that honor liberty and sacrifice, and historic graffiti. There are dinosaurs and dragons, messages about saving the future, and Children reading. Take a minute and let us know which downtown creation is your favorite!
Do you want “New Construction” or do you want “Custom Construction”?
That is a huge question when deciding if you want to hire an architect or a drafter for your home design needs. I bring this topic up because each week I have a conversation with potential clients who do not need my services. They have found a plan online that they like, but want to make a few changes, nothing major. Or they are building a very straightforward design that they have developed themselves. Yes, an architect would work out any issues in advance of construction, bring a level of experience and training that drafters and builders don’t have, and probably save more than their design fee through the actual construction process. BUT – if you don’t want custom design and only want a new house, a drafter can do that work. They can develop the minimum drawings you need for a permit. However, if you want a custom solution for your dream home that facilitates the life you want to live, you need an architect.
Open floor plan and loft of Hilltop House, a custom construction.
Defining “new construction” and “custom construction”
The terms “new construction” and “custom construction” refer to different approaches and processes in building a home or structure. New Construction refers to the process of building a structure from scratch on a piece of land. They are usually in a large-scale development, have very similar layouts to other homes that builders have constructed, and the builder manages the selection process, where you pick from a pre-determined group of options. Construction typically follows code minimum standards and there is often no understanding of building science. You get to “customize” things like the color of materials, or add a window there, or add a deck, but there are not major complications to the standard build.
The term “Custom Construction” involves an architect that designs a solution that will facilitate the life their clients want to live on their land. It will have specific preference, requirements, and specifications selected through an established process. These custom homes will be adaptable, efficient, and durable. They are unique to the goals of the client and the site it will be built on. The structural framing system will be efficient, the rooms sized for the intended use, and the program thought through to maximize the value invested for the dream desired.
In custom construction clients are deeply involved in the decision-making process and the builder will have a complete design and selections list prior to finishing their budgeting for a project.
Glass wraps around Casa Cielo on three sides from floor to ceiling, blending the indoors with the outdoors.
Summary
In essence, new construction focuses on mass production with limited customization, while custom construction emphasizes personalized design and construction tailored to individual client preferences and specifications. The higher value option is a custom solution.
Many of the photos so far have been of duct work and torn apart spaces as this renovation project took an existing building back to stud so that it could be modernized and updated for the new use. The challenge with renovation work and a change of use to a structure is that often the existing systems do not meet the new requirements. This project required an entirely new heating and cooling system to provide efficient comfort and required fresh air needs for a daycare function. We also have added a sprinkler system which is required for this use because, well, babies are slow to run out of a building if there is an emergency.
We are keeping the existing tall slender windows that were already in the structure, which will allow the new occupants, who are maybe shorter than the former professional office staff, to have views of the downtown hustle and bustle. The glass in these opening will be replaced in phase 2 to bring a higher level of energy efficiency to the building.
There are also some remnants of old that will become a really cool imagination space in the future. Can you imagine these steps that once led to the adjacent building as a castle for play? Could it have a forest mural on the wall behind with mountains on each riser? Perhaps each level of step is a different scene in an imaginative play? We will see as the work continues.
For other updates on this project see posts here andhere.
