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The Rain King
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With January being surprisingly balmy after a suprisingly frigid December, the momentum is once again starting up. I think that getting weathered in will be the tipping point. The ensuing weeks should be a relentless, furious period of work.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
I have now officially reached the stage of the project where I have to make very resolute decisions. Sure, there were some decisions to be made from the very beginning regarding framing, structure, materials, etc. But only now am I starting to make final decisions about the "fun stuff"- the finishes, the fixtures, the layout, etc. After months, if not years of looking at magazines, catalogues, websites at faucets, bathtubs, kitchens, lighting fixtures, etc., I finally had to show something for all of that research. And at the end of the day, it was rather anticlimactic. They were invariably rushed decisions that were borne of necessity, dimensional constraints and timing, rather than fantasy. It was more about spending hours on the internet and calling e-tailers, playing with floorplans and balancing the practical with the downright looney. It wasn't exactly sipping champagne at a Madison Avenue showroom.
Anyway, here are some of the things I have either bought or ordered:
...AND EVEN MORE DECISIONS
After suffering through another month of pondering over the window situation, I finally made decisions on how to deal with all of the glazing. The punch windows were fairly straightforward, but the 2-story atrium walls posed some heady design challenges. It appeared rather obvious from Ralph Rapson's original plans that he specified some kind of extruded aluminum frame with glass inserts for the atrium walls. However, in the interest of possibly saving some money (and also without having any previous experience with curtain wall or storefronts), Ron recommended that we frame up the walls with 2 x 6's and pop in conventional windows. This sounded okay at first, but the closer I came to making final choices, the more hesitant I became. Not only would this create really thick/bulky mulls, it also presented issues with regard to trim and structural integrity. I looked into the possibility of doing this with storefronts, but most people doing storefronts were not interested in doing one-shot residential projects. And fewer were willing to schlep all the way out to the Hamptons, and there aren't exactly tons of window fabricators in the Hamptons to begin with. And the handful who seemed willing to do a residential job in the Hamptons told me to send drawings/specs for pricing. Only one company bothered sending me a proposal, which was so ridiculously overpriced that they were clearly not serious. After some persistence, I finally came across a smaller shop in Cherry Hill, NJ (just outside of Philadelphia!), who seemed very interested in my project. They had done a modern house on Long Island previously, so they had no problem with my location or project. Ultimately they talked me out of storefronts because curtain wall had many advantages over storefronts, not the least of which being lateral structural support and resistance to air and water infiltration. And the pricing was surprisingly comparable to storefronts. And after some further discussion, they proposed to do the entire living room wall in curtain wall as well as the central atrium area, the roof windows and the end gables. I figured it would make sense to have them do all four of the 8' x 8' slider units as well as the front door- all curtain wall and door components would be custom fabricated from YKK and Efco Door. The process of bringing the curtain wall to fruition has been painful (the company has been very busy) and all of the custom fabrication has been way more expensive than I would have wanted, but ultimately I think it's one more painful expense I have to swallow to do this house properly.
THIS N THAT
Other developments on the homefront:
-Much of the electrical wiring has been started and the power line was "shot" under the street to a meter that will eventually be hidden by the front hedge. Unfortunately LIPA requires that stairs to the basement are finished before electric service is activated. I'm thinking this has something to do with ensuring that some fat-a$$ sloth from the electric company can go into the basement to inspect the hookup. Here is Septimiu, the master carpenter, cobbling together the stair framing in a really wet basement:
-Much to my relief, the Suffolk Water Authority confirmed that there is a municipal water line running along my street. It's just a $950 hookup charge. The supply will be trenched when the septic tank is installed.
-The rough plumbing and PVC are complete.
-The supply and return wells/pumps for the geothermal system have been drilled and trenched to the house.
-The rough HVAC ducts have been blocked in anticipation of the concrete slab on the first floor.
-I am currently working up a kitchen design/quote with a local design firm in East Hampton who is trying to establish Berloni cabinets in the Hamptons market; they were very enthusiastic about doing a modern kitchen vs. the standard French country stuff which is the norm. The Berloni cabinets are beautiful and appear to be very well made. Even the grilled anodized aluminum toekick is gorgeous. I have considered some more competitively priced options that I have sourced in the local NYC area; however, the cost of delivery out to the Hamptons largely cancels out any cost savings. I am really liking the Hal cabinets:
or the "Class" cabinets.
WINDOWS
When I placed my house window order from H Window at the beginning of November, I was not sure what to expect. I had seen other installations of H Windows, but I had never seen them done with clear anodized aluminum exteriors. I also ordered a couple of Nordic doors from them for the bedroom roofdeck and the mud room. Even though I specified that there should be no kickplates or extraneous details on the doors, the pictures on the website seemed to have some details (like recessed panels) that I wasn't crazy about. Anyway, I was very, very pleased to see the windows when they were finally delivered to the site on January 23. The windows are absolutely breathtaking from the outside- perfectly squared details and a flawless satin aluminum finish. The doors had none of those superfluous details that I was originally concerned about. I couldn't have designed more beautiful windows if I tried. If I am ever crazy enough to build another house, I am definitely going to order from them again. The pictures don't really do them justice:
The double unit in the master bedroom (nominally 9'H x 8'W):
And here is a close-in detail of one of the Nordic doors. It's hard to photograph this stuff!
And here are some simple awning units being installed in the master bath:
And even before the windows could be installed, Jose and his crew wasted no time wrapping the second floor with tar paper in anticipation of the vertical T&G cedar siding. Apparently tar paper is a better substrate than Tyvek for cedar siding. It's also a lot cheaper, so I'm not complaining! Anyway, despite my initial willingness to go a bit "rustic" with the cedar siding (to save a few pesos), I decided it was worth it to bite the bullet with the #1 clear grade 1 x 6. After comparing the rustic and clear grades side by side, there was just no comparison. It's double the price, but ultimately worth it.
GOALS FOR NEXT WEEK:
-Finish installing windows and secondary exterior doors.
-Figuring out what to do with the fascia/trim. Then actually doing it.
-Applying the cedar siding.
-Installing all of the curtain wall.
-Figuring out what to do for the garage door.
-Check out the woodburning fireplaces up at the Wittus store in Pound Ridge.
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Fixtures
Thanks... I suppose I would not want an "apple juice" jug floating above my head either! I like that first light fixture because it has a biomorphic/organic kind of vibe about it- like some kind of ancient arthropod or barnacle. And with everything else being so square and angular, I thought it would be a good contrast, in a modern way, of course.
By the way, that's no soapdish, that's a light fixture. Part of the Luceplan Orchestra series. But the idea of using scrapped auto parts is interesting...
As for the rest, I've been shopping on the internet. eBay is a surprising treasure trove of bargains. I just bought a bunch of Artemide fixtures (which includes the second picture above), as well as Leviton and Lutron switches, outlets, screwless wallplates, CATV outlets, etc.- all for a fraction of retail. But for the really big-ticket plumbing fixtures I qualified for a bulk purchase arrangement with Ira Wood and Sons, which is where I ordered most of my tubs, toilets and consoles from. It wasn't a terrific amount- just a 2% discount and a flat shipping fee of $399 for the whole order. But it isn't like I had many alternatives since they are one of the few online U.S. dealers of Duravit's more obscure lines like Starck X and In the Mood. And it sure beats buying it through a local store who has never seen the stuff, charges full retail, charges delivery and 8.625% NY sales tax. Unfortunately the lead time for some of this stuff is killing me- upwards of 12 weeks! Now I wish I had ordered a lot earlier.
Not thinking specifically about tile, but I have a hunch that it is going to be glass or some kind of composite material not unlike Bissazza. Is it me, or does the tumbled stone/travertine/marble tile seem a little overdone? Same with granite countertops. My own personal gauge of what to do is to do exactly the opposite of what is the current rage in McMansions. Since marble, granite and stone are so popular now, I'm afraid they will become the avocado appliances and formica of tomorrow.
tiles
I'm with you on the tumbled marble. I'd avoid it. granit counters... depends on the particular granite. I sort of like the solid black. but I don't like the swirly ones. we chose silestone in a greyiish color for our temp house counters.
I'll be interested to see what you uncover for glass tile. I made a glass tile back splash behind the cook top. the first glass tile we chose from home depot was like $100 a sq ft! at 6 sq ft we found a cheaper option and I think we ended up paying $68 for a box of red glass tile.
here is the link for the recessed truck stop that was used for a shower soap dish
http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog.cfm?dest=itempg&itemid=19256&secid=73&linkon=subsection&linkid=255
your house is really going to finish out well. I'm a big starck fan (a side affect of the mid 80's club scene). have also enjoyed staying at the royalton and the paramount.
paul
Handrails!
Cool link! I like the truck step idea... but it looks like the truck handrails would make great towel bars! You can pick up two 36" chrome plated steel handrails and stanchions for only $38.99.
Oh my...
I hate to have to say this after all your hard work, but...
Your neighbors are REALLY going to hate you. I would if I were them. That house is going to be gorgeous!
1) I've got a list about a mile long of windows I've been researching for about a year now. Your suggestions here regarding H Window and NOW the photos (their website photo skills suck!)... DEE-LICIOUS! They MUST be worth the money. The detailing looks awsome on them. The clear anodize does look good.
2) Q: Do you plan on doing a rainscreen with the cedar? If you do, can you take some extra photos of the design/install detailing for us?
3) I wish my site was big enough on the sides, because I have been eager to try out Superior Walls too. It looks good-industrial on yours. I cannot tell, but is the finish brushed like they normally do from the factory... or were you able to get them to not brush it?
Neighbors
Thanks... I have already met a couple of the neighbors already and they seem to really like the house so far. The one directly behind me is an interior designer/antiques dealer who loves midcentury modern, so this is kind of her cup of tea. But she also likes the fact that it blocks out the searing afternoon sun in the summer (which will now be my problem, I guess). The other neighbor only sees $$ signs; the theory being that a nice modern house will elevate the property values in an area that consists mostly of small 1950's bungalows and cottages. There were also a few neighbors who anonymously helped themselves to my dumpster, which is to be expected in an area where curbside trash haul-off is a luxury!
The windows were not cheap, but I suppose it could have been a lot worse. The commercial window quote I got was literally double the price. I should also mention that the representative at H was extremely courteous, attentive and bent over backwards to save me money on freight. I know I shouldn't be giving them all this free publicity, but I think it was well earned.
I am definitely not doing a rain screen, even though I think they look really nifty. I suspect a rain screen would not be practical in a wet/coastal extreme (northern) climate. Also, I would imagine that the screen material's life is shortened considerably by the fact that it wears on two surfaces (front and back) rather than just on one side. You could explore using a compressed wood/resin material like Prodema, which is absolutely beautiful, but dang if it ain't pricey. But at the end of the day, the most daunting issue is just fear of the unknown. I'll bet you're going to have a tough time finding someone who has had experience with this.
The Superior Walls finish is very "nubby" and coarse, not unlike stucco; there is no brushing texture at all. Even though I had originally hoped to leave it as-is, it appears that everything will have to be parged. Not only are there some visible seams and imperfections in the concrete, I will need to parge and feather away the window fins (as opposed to trimming out the windows).
H window and rainscreenn...
If you don't mind me asking... how much was your H Window system? I have searched and received quotes from commercial (as I have yet to find any residential product (Milgard does not sell their Al stuff out my way) that has simple enough profiles) brands and they seem to range from $45k to $65k. My house is ~3500sf and about 28% window facade. I assume they are somewhere in that ball park. I like the extruded exterior and the large size range.
I think you're right about the rainscreen. I'm almost at the realization that I will be climbing those high scaffolds to install them myself. I have the same worries about wear and tear on both sides, but actually worry MORE about the wasp condo projects that would likely be under development in the gap. Those phenolic-based exterior panels are nice and I would have considered them... except for the fact that they suddenly decided to drop the ONLY color I like. And this is AFTER they send the brochure which shows a project in my hometown (Motown) with the exact same color sheathing (WTH??).
It's good to see the broad range of designs and cost levels presented at this forum. You guys do a good service to this hopefully burgeoning community.
- S. Maaan, I bet you'll have second thoughts urinating in those toilets... given their prices (hehehehe). Speaking of which... did you mail order them or get them locally?
That's a lot of glazing
Yipes, 28% is a lot of glazing. A lot. Before pricing anything out, you should probably do an energy calculation to make sure that you are in compliace with the DOE/local requirements for energy efficiency. If you are in a northern latitude with temperature extremes, you may have to use very high-efficiency (i.e., $$$$) windows to be in compliance. That being said, the H windows that I got (double paned, low-e) have pretty decent R values relatively speaking- approximately R4. I can't get into pricing specifics (since I got them at cost), but I was able to get all of my house windows and secondary doors (plus a few interior windows) for under $25K. However, most of my glazing will be in the form of curtain wall, sliders and commercial doors. This will be an additional $50K.
Regarding the toilets... yeah, $700 for a toilet is pricey, especially when you can pick up a toilet at Costo these days for $89. But perhaps the $700 toilet will last 7 times longer than the Costco toilet. Ha! Sometimes sublimation and denial are the only things that carry you through the day...
27.1%
Yeah... I know I need to reduce it some. The local rule is >25% and you got to do things like X% efficiency in HVAC, Wall Rvalue increase, and/or combinations thereof.
I remember those Duravit toilets being $2000 retail or something nuts, so... $700 seems "fair" (pretty damn nuts). You'd think someone like American Standard would come out with a modern style toilet and just knock out these smaller snob brands... you'd think.
How did you swing windows AT COST (not like I'd ever get that lucky, but... just nosey).
What do you mean by CurtainWall? I can never understand the difference between that and StoreFront. They both seem to be the same to me - commercial alum-extruded-framed window walls essentially, right? Or is there some specific differences?
Was there a reason you went with commercial AND HWindow? Was HWindow NOT able to "mull" separate, large window units together to afford you a total wall of glass?
$25k+$50k = your glazing. I can't wait to see the finished product to gage the cost/window area. It'll likely slap the denial out of me... finally.
It's not what you know, but who you know...
The energy calculation on a house with more than 15% glazing is pretty tricky. I think my house was originally something on the order of 30% glazing, which has reduced quite a bit. I did manage to eliminate a lot of windows, either by choice or due to limitations with the Superior Walls or just by pure dumb luck. For example, the master bedroom originally called for TWO ginormous 8'W x 9'H windows. By some fortuitous mistake, the framers only framed out one of those windows. Upon initially looking up from the yard, I was furious about this mistake. When I finally went upstairs to look around, I realized that the second big window would have been a big mistake- it would have been like sleeping in a fishbowl. And because that wall faced south, the summer sun would have been relentless. Anyway... I guess my point is that sometimes less glazing better.
American Standard already makes overpriced plumbing modern-ish fixtures. It's called Porcher. Anyway... I am also disgusted that modern designed plumbing fixtures are so overpriced in the U.S. And I know for certain that it is not just about the build quality. It probably has something to do with economies of scale and lower sales quantities. But it also has to do with the fact that they have been able to get away with the high markups. You just slap a vaguely European-sounding badge on an American Standard product (Porcher is pronounced "por-SHAY") and it is instantly five times as expensive.
At the risk of incurring the wrath of the H Window distributors lurking out there, I probably shouldn't get into my means of getting at-cost windows. But I will say that, in general, unless you are a builder with extensive contacts in the local trades, you will always pay "retail." This is for windows, plumbing, electrical, framing, Superior Walls, etc. Let's just say that I am very lucky to have come across some great people on this project.
I am no expert on the subject, but my understanding is that the difference between curtain wall and storefronts is essentially about structural integrity, performance, quality and longevity. Yes, they are both extruded alumininum frame systems. But curtain wall has the lateral structural support that the storefronts lack, thereby allowing you to do much larger/taller expanses of glass. Curtain wall framing also supposedly has superior air and water resistance, which is a definite consideration in my location close to the open water. My curtain wall fabricator, who also does storefronts, insists that curtain wall will last forever, whereas storefronts are much more prone to failure over time. I have no reason to dispute this, especially when I consider that skyscrapers are made of this stuff.
Was it a good week?
I'm anxiously awaiting your next blog post. I had not even heard of the Rapson Greenbelt until I stumbled onto your blog. Now I'm about 90% sure this is the design we are going with. The limited illustrations and sketches on the Rapson site doesn't really give me any idea of the scale or finishes, and I can't get the company to email me back with any additional information. "Help me Rain King, you're my only hope!"
Help is on the way!
I didn't know people were actually getting useful information from this blog, so thanks for the encouraging words.
If you are really serious about doing the Greenbelt house, you should speak with Nate Wieler directly, as opposed to writing e-mail. I am under the impression that he is quite busy working on projects in the NC area these days. A word of caution if you plan to stick build this yourself: make sure you have an overall construction budget of at least $375K. And depending on your geographical location/weather, be prepared to address engineering and energy-related issues with the building inspector. I think the most frustrating aspect of this project has been the engineering/approvals.
The siding is almost complete, and the curtain wall framing is just about to go up. The early word in the field is that it looks good and will match the H Windows after all, which was one of my main concerns about the curtain wall. I hope to take pictures this weekend, which, as expected, is expected to be rainy! I still reign over rain!
H Windows
Would love to see where you house is now.
fixtures
rain king,
I really like your fixture choices. I especially like that 2nd light fixture. and those toilets are quite impressive. can you reveal where you did most of your shopping? or should I just ask you to double your order and maybe we can get a volume discount?
I saw in the dec/jan issue of readymade where a couple had used recessed truck steps in their shower for the soap holder, looks just like the item you have just N of your kitchen sink.
as for that first light fixture.... I distinctly recall my grandfather often holding something similar. his bedroom was on the 2nd floor and there was no plumbing up there (old nebraska farm house). he used to laugh and say it was apple juice and offer it to anybody who expressed any interest to it's contents. we knew gramps well enough and there was no apple juice in there. so I'm not sure I can like that fixture much.
things are really looking great! can't wait to see that stuff installed. any tile choices on the horizon?
paul