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This video is truly inspiring! Builders are challenged to construct a home with all US building materials, every screw, nail, board, everything! and they did it…take a look.

Contact Fine Construction today for your home improvement and building needs. 206.938.2300

Here is what the school and some of the students have to say about their new Science Lab;

“Thanks to a great deal of effort and generosity by many people, OLG has a brand new science lab!  The new room has impressed Mr. Franck and has definitely added a science “feel.”  The new room features brand new cabinets and 24” wide granite countertops in the back of the room, six stainless steel sinks, electrical outlets throughout the perimeter of the room, drop-down outlets for microscopes, 36” high lab tables and new stools.  The sleek design has been an inspiration to the students.  The room design allows students to stand or sit and increases the workspace, which has improved the organization and work flow of the lab.  Eighth grader, Katie French, had this to say about the new lab, “Overall, the new science lab is an awesome place to be.  I can’t wait to do science now!”  Mr. Franck and his students are extremely grateful for all the hard work that went into generating the funds for the lab last year and creating the new space over the summer.  There is an open invitation to come by and check it out.  Special thanks to Tom Fine for coordinating the effort and to Brian Flack for his electrical expertise.”

Fine Construction is a builder / remodeler for all kinds of diverse buildings and projects.

The house was in need of refreshing and we accomplished that. Fine Construction partnered with Kathy Banak of Authentic Home to work with the clients for the material selection and color choices. Kathy also worked with the owners for the furniture selection.

The owners had great ideas and we all collaborated to make this a successful project. The family actually occupied the lower level while Fine renovated the main floor.  Upon completion of the main floor the owners moved upstairs and Fine moved to the lower level to complete that portion of the project.  Timing worked well, while the owners made arrangements for several long trips and a couple of long weekends, making floor finishing and other dust producing tasks, a non event for the owners and a less stressful event for Fine Construction and its subs.

New interior doors are Fir. We applied a clear coat to see the nice wood grains in the doors. New mill work throughout was installed.

The scope of work consisted of removing a main wall between the living room, kitchen and dining room. The North wall had many windows to take advantage of the view of the Sound.  Fine designed the removal of the windows and installed a large sliding glass door to open up the living space to the outdoor deck.

The outdoor deck was not structurally sound and rot was found hidden between boards. New stainless steel railings where installed with new waterproof decking membrane applied with a pattern to the new decking. Lights are installed in the railing to provide accent lighting at night.  Powered screens were installed to help reduce the sun light heat gain, in addition to the new powered awning to provide a relief from the blazing Seattle sunlight.

The interior walls were realigned to provide a good flow throughout the house.  New French doors were installed in the hall leading to a garden patio. A large 4′ wide fir door was installed to provide separation from the living room to the master suite.  Both bathrooms were modernized.  We added a new Frame-less shower door in the master bath to give it a new fresh modern look adding a more open and larger look and feel to the bath.

On the exterior, Fine installed a custom front door with an integral weatherization system. Fine also installed new fences to keep the owners important little house guests, their dogs, close to home and so they don’t leave their wonderful new palace grounds.  Also added to the exterior;  lighting on the house and low voltage lighting for the driveway.  Finally the exterior of the house was cleaned and painted, bringing this home back to life for many years to come.

Come to the open house on October 15 and 16th.  Contact Fine Construction for any information regarding renovations to your home.

Well that all went really well…and they were very pleased, so they asked us back! I wish I had a before photo to show you, BUT the after, as you can see, was a great success! This is a craftsman style home and they had the typical dated 1970’s kitchen, that needed renovating very badly. We are so proud of this one, it came out really, really nice and we came in right on budget and under schedule even with added work.

Window Replacement
The type and quality of the window frame usually affect a window’s air infiltration and heat loss characteristics. Many window frames are available–all with varying degrees of energy efficiency. Some of the more common are fixed-pane, casement, awning, single and double-hung and horizontal sliding.

Fixed-Pane

When properly installed, fixed-pane windows are airtight and inexpensive and can be custom designed for a wide variety of applications. But because they cannot be opened, fixed-pane windows are unsuitable in places where ventilation is required.

Casement and Awning

Casement and awning windows with compression seals are moderately airtight and provide good ventilation when opened. Casement windows open sideways with hand cranks. Awning windows are similar to casement windows except that their hinges are located at the top of the window instead of at the sides. Windows with compression seals allow about half as much air leakage as double-hung and horizontal sliding window with sliding seals

Single and Double Hung.

Double-hung windows have top and bottom sashes (the sliding sections of the window) and can be opened by pulling up the lower sashes or pulling down the upper sash. Although they are among the most popular type of window, double-hung windows can be inefficient because they are often leaky. Single-hung windows are somewhat better because only one sash moves.

Horizontal Sliding

Horizontal sliding windows are like double-hung windows except that the sashes are located on the left and right edges rather than on the tops and bottoms. Horizontal sliding windows open on the side and are especially suitable for spaces that require a long, narrow view..

Frame Materials

Window frames are available in a variety of materials including aluminum, wood, vinyl, and fiberglass. Frames may be primarily composed of one material, or they may be a combination of different materials such as wood and vinyl. Each frame material has its advantages and disadvantages.

Aluminum

Though ideal for customized window design at low cost, aluminum frames cause conductive heat loss and condensation.

Wood

Wood frames have higher R-values, are unaffected by temperature extremes and are less prone to condensation, but they require considerable maintenance in the form of periodic painting. If wood frames are not properly protected from moisture, they can warp, crack, and stick.

Vinyl

Vinyl window frames, which are made primarily from polyvinyl chloride (pvc), offer many advantages. They are available in a wide range of styles and shapes, have moderate to high R-values, are easily customized, are competitively priced, require low maintenance, and mold easily into almost any shape. But vinyl frames are not strong or rigid, which limits the weight of glass that can be used. In addition, vinyl frames can soften, warp, twist, and bow.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass frames can be made in a variety of colors and can hold large expanses of glass. Some fiberglass frames are hollow; others are filled with fiberglass insulation.

More on door replacement products and choices in our next blog entry…

Authentic Home and Fine Construction Companies are very excited to get started on the living room of these lucky winners, and they seem pretty excited too! We met with the couple in their lovely home and discussed their personal lifestyle, family and vision for their living room.

Here are some of the tasks will be undertaking;

• select a new paint color
• paint the wood tongue & groove ceiling to give the living room a fresh new look and tie it in with the rest of the house
• update the fireplace surround with new tile
• rearrange the furniture to accommodate conversation, musical enjoyment as well a place for their young daughter to play
• rearrange the wall coverings and accessories

These before pictures of The Hamilton’s living room, show what a beautiful home they have and the wonderful room we have to work with. We will be updating our blog regularly with the step by step process, including pictures, paint colors used, design process and more…check back soon!

The elevator will provide access to all floors when we get older and we are unable to climb the stairs easily, and for now it will provide access to the whole home to our beloved Bubbie.

If you live in a home and have mobility issues or health issues that limit your access to other floors or areas of your home, contact us to discuss the options. Fine Construction

BUT, here’s the best part for all you Seattle City Light customers; They will help you upgrade to a Ductless Heating and Cooling System with a $1,200 rebate.   Seattle City Light is participating in this regional effort along with the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and other regional utilities.  Visit SCL’s Going Ductless site to learn more about the program and to see if a ductless heat pump is right for you.

Here’s something fun I am working on in my community.  My kids school OLG, Our Lady of Guadalupe in West Seattle,  needed a little assistance with the design and assembly of bid documents to build a 6th Grade Science Lab.  This is very a exciting project, designing a science lab where experiments take place, dissecting, blowing things up, looking into different science experiments. The projects that they will be able to work on in this new space next year will be a huge milestone for the school and the dedication of the wonderful OLG parents along with their contributions will make this dream a reality.

Fine Construction is a builder / remodeler for all kinds of diverse buildings and projects.