7 Painful Lessons Learned While Tearing Down and Rebuilding a House

Home renovations are one of those things that look a lot more glamorous on TV. If you are considering a major remodeling project, this homeowner shares her tricks and tips to make it as painless as possible.
  

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Broomfield Civic Center Planning

The City of Broomfield will hold a meeting on June 18 at 6pm in the Broomfield Auditorium to present plans for the new downtown and gather feedback. Click HERE for more details on this exciting project!

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Broomfield's Long Awaited Civic Center

When I work with clients moving into the north Denver metro and Boulder areas, I try to give them a flavor of the personalities in the different cities they have to choose from. One significant difference, and one that sometimes is the deal breaker for new residents, is whether or not the city has a downtown area. More and more, it's become important for people to have a place to gather that is pedestrian friendly and offers choices for retail, restaurants and community activities. 

Although the City of Broomfield has it's share of events such as the ever-expanding Broomfield Days and Broomstock, for example, one thing it has lacked is a downtown area. Broomfield can be described as a "bedroom community," where the residents live and sleep but work and play elsewhere. That looks like it will be changing in the near future.

The city has been working on it's vision for the development of a civic center, located at 120th Avenue and Main Street. There are actually two parcels that will be under development. The first is owned by the city already and contains the library, ball fields, courthouse, etc. Just south of this parcel is the commercial area where the Safeway was located not long ago. This parcel is currently privately owned, but the city plans are to acquire and incorporate it into the master design.
 

One of two proposed design options for both parcels of land

This project is only in the proposal phase with two main design options on the table, created by DTJ Design who has been working with the city for decades. The vision is to create a "Broomfield inspired space," along the lines of Pearl Street in Boulder, or Boulder One Plaza where ice skating and farmers markets are held. The goal is an "interactive and intimate" gathering place, achieved by increasing the density in the area through retail, office and residential products. The first illustration above focuses on a retail core accessed primarily from 120th Avenue, which leads to a central park square. The second design proposal has most of the same overall elements, but includes several smaller gathering areas and green spaces as opposed to one main square. For a more detailed description, you can view the presentation from last February HERE.

Acquiring the old Safeway parcel is what is pausing the project currently. If you'd like updates on this development, click HERE. If you'd just be interested in keeping tabs on the residential building part, shoot me an email and I will gladly keep you in the loop. 

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Is My House Settling?

For those not familiar with Colorado soils, learning about the expansive bentonite under some homes can be alarming at first. Buyers should know that settling for homes is not uncommon, and the amount of bentonite can vary from property to property. There are several things that can be done to minimize the effects of the soil on the structure.

Floating Wall Detail

Builders will do tests for each lot they plan to build on, and make decisions regarding the treatment of the soil and the strategy for building. For instance, basements may be completed with a structural floor, meaning that there is a gap between the floor and the earth to allow the soil to expand. For homes with a poured concrete slab, the interior framing can be constructed with "floating walls." The bottom of these walls will include a bottom base plate and a top base plate. The bottom base plate is secured to the floor; the top base plate is attached to the wall framing and the ceiling above. The two plates are "connected" by large nails, which are really only connected to the bottom base plate. The top plate is allowed to float, using the nail as a guide rod should the floor rise slightly.

Mudjacking pumps a slurry under the concrete to raise it

To minimize settling of your home, driveway or sidewalk, make sure there is adequate drainage away from the structure. If there has been sinking of the concrete flatwork, repouring or mudjacking is a way to restore the feature once the cause has been identified and remedied. Properly installed gutters are an important part of protecting the foundation and the concrete. Provided it doesn't interfere with a walkway, downspouts should be extended out at least 6 feet. Proper grading around the home is crucial to drain water away from the home. The soil around the foundation should ideally drop 2-3 inches for every 10 feet away from the structure. Even with these measures, know that extremely wet seasons can still cause some movement despite reasonable corrections.

A wide, diagonal offset crack

Every house is going to settle some, so it's good to know what is normal and what is problematic. Common settlement cracks usually occur during the first year after a home is constructed. Small cracks in the foundation with no evidence of movement of the structure itself is not typically a concern. But cracks larger than 1/4", vertical or slightly diagonal cracks that are wider at the top than the bottom, cracks that show an offset, or many small cracks could indicate a bigger issue. Take a step back and look at your house from the street - do you see any leaning? 

Common shrinkage crack

Shrinkage cracks are caused by the natural curing of concrete. They may be wider at the top than the bottom, but are usually hairline width. Small cracks that stop at the top of the foundation and do not continue into the structure are probably nothing to worry about. However, you may want to seal these cracks with epoxy to reduce the possibility of water leakage. A large horizontal crack in a foundation can indicate that the wall is failing to hold back the surrounding soil, especially if bowing is evident. This is more common in a cinder block structure than poured concrete. 

Sometimes if all or most of the living spaces are completely finished, it can be more difficult to assess the hidden structure underneath. Drywall cracks are not always a concern beyond cosmetics, and the size and placement can give you some idea of what may be going on. Small cracks at the corners of doorways and windows are common as they are a point of vulnerability in the drywall. Also, a straight line crack that follows a seam in the wall may not be serious, unless the crack widens or there is an offset. Diagonal cracks or those larger than 1/4" may indicate structural movement and should be investigated.

I often see homes with sagging floors. Usually, a little sagging in the middle of the floor is not a concern, but sagging near an outside wall can indicate a more serious problem. It may have something to do with rotting of the floor joists, or if may be that a footing is sinking. If you don't have experience examining issues like this, or you can't see the underlying structure, it's recommended to have a structural professional come out and assess your situation. Give me a call if you need any recommendations!

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Deconstruction vs. Demolition

We're all familiar with the home improvement TV programs that show homeowners taking a sledgehammer to their kitchen cabinets or filling dumpsters to the top with old lighting, windows and flooring. While it may be cathartic for the person smashing and kicking through their unwanted wall, it does little for the environment or the building industry.

Materials are removed carefully, keeping them intact for reuse.

Deconstruction is a viable alternative to demolition. Maybe you are just replacing your kitchen cabinets and can drop the old ones off at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. Perhaps you are scraping an existing structure to build new and call a deconstruction specialist from the Center for ReSource Conservation. Regardless of the project size, there are ways to reduce waste and lengthen the useful life of your materials. Selective deconstruction, or "soft strip" consists of removing easy, high-value materials such as lighting fixtures or solid-wood doors. Whole-house deconstruction goes further, removing materials such as framing lumber, flooring or bricks. Crews are hired to carefully take apart buildings and divert the materials to salvage yards, which can find them new life.

Initially, it may seem cost-prohibitive; deconstruction can cost about twice as much as demolition. However, the tax deductions you can get for donating your salvaged materials can offset the cost of the work to remove them, and in some situations even make you money. Keep in mind the other benefits of this approach - less trash and more availability of affordable building materials.

For a very large project deconstruction will take longer, but with a little extra planning it can definitely be worth it. You will want to coordinate with the organization that you plan to send your donation as they will need to prepare a materials list. You'll also need to hire an appraiser who is familiar with the IRS rules regarding this kind of a donation and the forms required to make it work. There are many resources available to make this part of the project smooth and beneficial. If you'd like a name, give me a call and I'll point you in the right direction to get started.

image: thekirbster

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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LEED Certifications

The U.S. Green Building Council launched the LEED certification program for homes in 2008, after a successful decade of commercial implementation. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, recognizes four levels of certification for incorporating green principles into the construction of homes without driving up price: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each category consists of prerequisites (required elements) and optional credits. It is an internationally recognized system, constantly evolving to incorporate new processes and materials and encourage adoption globally.

Homes can earn points in an 8-category rating system:

• Innovation and Design Process
• Location and Linkages
• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Awareness and Education

For a few hundred dollars, new construction and renovated homes can apply for a LEED certification at the USGBC website. LEED homes can see energy use reductions of 30-60%, depending on the certification. This translates to savings for owners and increased resale value, as younger generations of homebuyers often site improved energy efficiency as an important factor in their purchasing choices.

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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