Leading the Way 

January 2006

 

Up to the Challenge    By Andy Backus

 

If you’ve driven through Appleton’s Apple Hill Farm subdivision recently you probably noticed the large “white” home we are building on Apple Hill Blvd. It will be our August parade home and it is being built using a system called “Insulated Concrete Forms” or ICF. The main structure is comprised of concrete poured into styrofoam forms.  The ICF system has been around for years but it hasn’t been used much in this part of the country. The majority of the homes that have been built using ICF technology in our area have been relatively simple and relatively small.

 

The owners knew that there weren’t any custom design/builders in the area with experience designing and building ICF homes of the quality and complexity they were hoping for. They were aware that Andrew Homes has designed and built many large, complex homes. Some of them, of course, include homes with indoor pools and gymnasiums, which they were hoping to incorporate into their new home. They had always been impressed with the quality they saw in our open houses. They chose us to design and build their ICF home because they felt we had the experience and organization to build their dream home and to provide a creative design. Andrew Homes was up to the challenge!

 

There is a learning curve for us when working with a building system we have not used in the past, but our superior organization and management skills have ensured that the project is running smoothly. We were willing and able to spend many hours researching and interfacing with ICF experts to ensure that our plans are accurate and contain the high level of detail needed to produce a quality home. Our construction managers are ensuring that the project is running smoothly and we are almost as excited, as the homeowners are to see the finished product this August. Look for more information about this home and ICF technology as we near the event.

 

More Places to Build in the Fox Valley

 

The streets are roughed in for the newest phase of Apple Hill Farms in north Appleton. Lots will be available in spring but Andrew Homes has already reserved three of the best lots in this new phase! Two of our lots back up to the YMCA nature area and the third lot is a cul-de-sac lot backing up to a wooded area.

 

As mentioned in our previous newsletter, Andy Backus, Vice President of Andrew Homes, will be building his personal residence on one of the lots in the second phase of Quail Run Farm in Oshkosh. His home will be shown in the April 2006 Winnebago Parade of Homes. Andrew Homes has lots available on which we can custom build your home in Quail Run. Many of the lots are wooded or have a wooded backdrop.

In Green Bay, a few remaining wooded lots are available in Sheltered Creek and Barnard Woods. A few golf course lots and one wooded lot are available to build on in Thornberry Creek Estates.

 

Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright    By Andy Backus

 

Inspiration for a home designer can happen anywhere and at any time. Driving in a car, watching a movie, walking in the forest, eating at a restaurant… The key is to always be looking. Sometimes we notice the smallest detail like the way the sunlight reflects off a certain type of flooring. Other times we are struck by the overall mood of a space. Over the years, my Dad and I have written about our travels and the design inspiration we’ve enjoyed along the way. You may have noticed in past newsletters that inspiration comes to us both on trips where our focus is home design research, and on vacations we’ve embarked on with little thought of our business.

 

Recently, while on separate long weekends, my Dad and I each found ourselves inspired by one of our country’s most celebrated architects and one of Wisconsin’s most famous men. My Dad visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s early residence and first design studio in Oak Park, Illinois over the Christmas holiday. This past Labor Day my girlfriend, Asia, and I had a long weekend near Spring Green, Wisconsin where we toured Wright’s former home and still-active architecture school, Taliesin. This visit was especially meaningful to me, as later that weekend I asked Asia to marry me and, believe it or not, she said yes!

 

Wright was a pioneer in his time and Taliesin was the laboratory where he tested theories and design concepts which are seen in buildings all over the world. I was struck by one of his ideas the moment I stepped foot inside Taliesin. Wright brings his guests into a relatively small foyer with a low ceiling, which is cozy, yet interesting. It is not until the guest steps into the next room that the drama unfolds with a soaring ceiling and endless views of the natural landscape through a wall of windows. Wright liked to create drama, surprising his guests with transitions from cozy, dark spaces into vast, bright areas. We are finding that many of our customers want a similar feel, with some of the spaces in their homes feeling warm and cozy, while others are bright, airy and dramatic. For years, our designs have had generous windows bringing the outside landscape in. Wright was one of the first architects to focus on this concept. In some rooms at Taliesin, the views outside are reflections of the design and artwork inside. In other rooms, the windows are the artwork. In past newsletters we have talked about the importance we place on positioning our homes to maximize views, lighting, and privacy. Decades before Andrew Homes even existed, Wright was very conscious of the orientation of his buildings on the land, taking advantage of views and sun angles through windows to create the feel he wanted both inside and out.

 

Also evident at Taliesin is Wright’s creative approach to structural design using materials and concepts, which at the time were experimental. I was reminded of some challenging structural design ideas that have been incorporated into recent customers’ homes such as a circular, cantilevered deck wrapping around a round turret and a room which hangs from the roof structure above to eliminate a structural column below.  All in all, it is very interesting to see how well we incorporate many of Wright’s ideas in our designs today.

 

 

Valley Home Builders Association Winter Wonderland of Homes

January 28-29 & February 2-5, 2006

 

Don’t miss our latest Appleton Winter Wonderland home! Andrew Homes invites you to tour The Mansfield, located on a beautiful walk-out lot with a wooded backdrop in the exclusive Apple Hill Farms subdivision. This all brick home includes 5,832 square feet of casual elegance including 1,566 square feet of finished space in the lower level. The 4-car finished garage leaves lots of space for big kid toys, while the large media room or kids retreat on the 2nd floor leaves lots of room for little kid toys! The first floor master suite is a tranquil retreat including volume ceilings, his-and-hers walk-in closets, large 2-person ceramic tile shower, whirlpool tub with ceramic tile surround and barrel vaulted ceiling above the tub. From the family room, nature becomes part of the home through the grand wall of windows. The maple beamed ceiling over head, maple columns and gas fireplace with a beautiful caste stone surround add drama to the room. The gourmet kitchen is a cook’s dream, complete with a center island with a raised snack bar, walk-in pantry, Wolf, SubZero and Asko appliances, custom maple cabinets, and granite countertops. Entertaining is easy in this home since the kitchen, dinette and hearth room with a gas fireplace and cultured stone surround are all open to each other. The formal dining room off the grand 2-story foyer (pictured) features a coffered ceiling with maple crown moulding and a beautiful Venetian plaster technique called Paladio. The Mansfield will be showcased with furniture and accessories during the Winter Wonderland so don’t miss this opportunity to see it decorated!

 

Andy's Timecard    By Len Backus

 

I was cleaning out some things in my office recently and came across a timecard from 1991 for one of my employees. It showed the dates and hours worked as well as which houses the work was done at. The employee’s name was Andy Backus! This was right after Andy’s junior year in high school. Andy went on to get a Construction Administration degree at Madison and then worked for a fine quality builder in Milwaukee for a time after college.

 

What a joy it was for me in 1999 when he called me from Milwaukee and asked if he could join me in the family business! And of course, he is now Andrew Homes’ vice-president and my partner. Who would have thunk?

Repeat Customers    By Len Backus

 

One of the reasons we care so much about our customers’ satisfaction is that someday we hope to build their next home. And we are building more homes for repeat customers these days. In just this last year alone we built two such homes and next month we are starting another one.  It’s even more fun working with our customers the second time around. There are so many new products and types of technology available for their next home. Design concepts have changed, too. Some of our repeat customers are downsizing as they become empty nesters.  But more often, they are building larger homes with more high-end features.  While working recent Parade of Homes events we have had numerous customers approach us to say they’ll be calling us in a few years to build their next Andrew home. When we hear that we just break into a big smile and respond, “Ok!”

 

Andrew Homes Spring Maintenance Tips   By Scott Oberstadt, Service Manager

 

With spring getting closer you may want to start thinking of home maintenance. Here are a few items you should look at this spring:

  • Visually inspect your roof, a pair of binoculars may help, high winds can loosen and blow shingles off your roof. By repairing damaged shingles quickly you can avoid costly repairs from water damage inside your home.

  • Inspect your brick. It is not uncommon for mortar joints to crack. If you notice any cracks, have them repaired by a mason. Salt and minerals in the bricks and mortar can sometimes appear on the surface of the brick as a white chalk like residue. This is called efflorescence and can be washed away with a garden hose.

  • If you have any damaged vinyl siding, the pieces can easily be replaced. If your siding needs to be cleaned, a pressure washer and vinyl siding cleaner can be used. Be sure to check your siding manufacturer’s recommendations first.

  • Check exterior painted surfaces. If cracking and peeling paint is noticed, it is probably time to repaint. Ignoring this can be very costly, as the wood beneath can rot. The exterior surface of stained fiberglass doors should be recoated once a year for the first three years and may need additional applications in subsequent years, depending on the depth of color in the stain and the amount of sunlight the door is exposed to. Natural wood doors need recoating every year.

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  • Take a look at the ground near your home. Over time, the ground can settle and cause water to run towards your house putting extra stress on your sump pump or contribute to basement wall leaks. A landscaper can fill in the low spots and pitch them away from your house, which will allow water to drain properly.

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