Aging in Place

Remodeling Your Home for Retirement or Multi-Generational Living

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6O45kP77ZA

Host Mike Buck discusses Aging in Place with the team at Atlas Construction. Preparing your home for the future by remodeling everything at one time will save you money.  Nate and Mike Buck share their personal experiences with special needs like home care needs, accessibility for caregivers and retired peoples growing requirements for a home.

Alan explains “Visit-ability” being equipped for your friends and families needs.

Quartz is Trending Here are the Pros and Cons

Quartz is a man-made product, but it rivals natural stone in its beauty and effect in the overall kitchen, and even bathroom, design.  The basic recipe is finely ground quartz, resin and pigments, giving it an industrial feel. However, glass, stones, metals or other ingredients can be included to dress it up or tone it down, to create variations in the appearance.

Pros

• Quartz counters are non-porous, so they’re tough!
• Quartz counters are scratch resistant.
• Quartz counters are stain resistant.
• Because they are non-porous, mold, bacteria and mildew are unable to penetrate the surface.
• Quartz counters do not require long-term maintenance (wood and natural stone need to be re-sealed).
• If you want a monochromatic theme, with seamless corners and sinks, quartz is best, because it can mimic natural stone, like granite.
• If you’re looking for a more uniform, monochromatic look, quartz can do that as well. So, it’s versatile.

Cons

• Quartz can be expensive, but if you were deciding between quartz and granite, you would be spending about the same amount.
• Quartz is for indoor design, only. While it is tough, but if it’s exposed to sunshine, rain and other elements, it will show the wear, through fading or warping.
• Don’t place a hot pot directly on a quartz countertop, because it affects the resin. If you always use a trivet, you’ll be fine.

If you want more information about this trending product, call Atlas Construction at 951-9500.

Home Improvement Experts Show You How

When trying to improve the energy efficiency of your home, a big consideration is the appliances you have.  Lou Manfredini, a Home Improvement Expert and TV personality, suggests you look for appliances with the Energy Star Label.

That label, found on washing machines, dishwashers, computers and stereo equipment, means that the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency have certified these products as energy efficient.

Because of recent improvements in insulation and compressors, the Energy Star website at www.energystar.com, says today’s refrigerators use much less energy than older models. An ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator can maximize your energy and dollar savings without sacrificing the features you want. You can help by minimizing the number of times you open your refrigerator and freezer doors. Energy Star also says a full refrigerator keeps its contents colder than an empty one. So, it’s better to be stocked up, rather than having bare refrigerator shelves. In a full refrigerator, the compressor turns on less often, than in a bare refrigerator. That means it’s more efficient. And, keep your refrigerator coils clean. It will work better.   Older appliances should also be replaced. In the case of refrigerators, you should be prepared to change out a ten-year-old refrigerator for bigger savings. And, don’t forget to recycle your old refrigerator. Be sure to check when recycled appliances are picked up in your area.

To circulate air more freely in your home, use ceiling fans.  And, if your ceiling fans have lights, make sure they are ENERGY STAR certified. Adding weather stripping around windows and doors will also help keep out the hot air, and in Hawaii, that’s our main concern.  If you have air conditioning, you should clean the outdoor components of your HVAC system. And, have a professional tune up your HVAC system.

Install a programmable thermostat.  There are many different brands, and they range in price from $40 to $100.  You can program your thermostat to adjust the temperature, while you’re at work or asleep, which can save you up to 30 percent on a well-insulated home.  EnergyStar.com says: When used properly, a programmable thermostat can help you save energy when you’re asleep or away from home. Use the thermostat’s pre-programmed energy-saving setpoints as a guide, setting the temperature back in the winter and up in the summer. Use the vacation setting to maintain energy-saving temperatures when you are gone for several days. Don’t run your heat or air conditioning when the windows are open. Turn your air conditioner up if a ceiling fan is keeping you cool enough. With proper use, programmable thermostats can save about $180 every year in energy costs. EnergyStar.gov also advises that you turn off fans and lights, because it costs almost 20 dollars a year to leave one light on for eight hours a day.  Also, make sure you turn off electronics while not in use.

If you need any further assistance, you can Atlas Construction at 951-9500.

Building Design + Construction’s conducted its annual Top Products report and the year’s top structural products are in. The top-ranked products include Simpson Strong-Tie’s Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix, Owens Corning Thermafiber, and Icynene’s Classic Ultra. 

1. Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix – Simpson Strong-Tie

Simpson Strong-Tie’s FRCM is an easy to apply structural layer that can be used to repair or protect damaged concrete and building material. It doesn’t add weight to the structure itself and greatly reduces installation costs. “FRCM provides a low-impact, low-weight alternative to traditional concrete strengthening and retrofit methods. Many times, it is the most economical strengthening solution available, given its reduced preparation and installation time,” according to Strong-Tie’s website. 

2. Foam-Lok 2000-4G – Lapolla

The Foam-Lok 2000-4G incorporates Honeywell’s next-generation blowing agent in a closed-cell spray foam insulation system. This allows for reduced environmental damage, better insulation, and an improved yield. Lapolla’s cutting-edge product offers a lower core temperature, a more user-friendly application, and saves you money in the long-run. 

3. Plenum Barrier – Rockfon

Rockfon’s Plenum Barrier is a noise blocking panel built to ensure sound isolation and more privacy between rooms in commercial structures. The Plenum Barrier can be quickly installed over most walls and inside ceilings. It is a great choice for jobs that require high sound isolation without having to use bulkheads and full-height walls. 

4. Duramax ICF – Nudura

The Nudura Duramax comes in at eight feet long and 18 inches high, making it the largest insulated concrete form available. This makes it easy for contractors to place large areas of wall quickly and effectively. The Duramax can be shipped flat, with a fastening strip that locks the forms into place once unfolded at the worksite. 

5. Silent FX Quickcut – Certainteed

Certainteed’s sound-reducing dry-wall comes equipped with a viscoelastic polymer between two dense gypsum cores, which improves its noise reduction. The Silent FX Quickcut lives up to its name with a built-in score and snap design made for fast installation. This dry-wall is made for use on interior walls and ceilings in commercial, residential, and institutional structures. Certainteed’s M2Tech also ensures protection against moisture and mold. 

6. Thermafiber – Owens Corning

Owens Corning’s Thermafiber is designed and made with an emphasis on safety and fire protection. Its mineral wool insulation is used for commercial, residential, and industrial structures and can resist fires and temperatures up to 2,000˚ F. Thermafiber also provides building owners with liability protection in the events of an act of terrorism on their structure. 

7. Quiet-Tech – CarpetCycle

Quiet-Tech is CarpetCycle’s acoustic batt insulation built of 85-90% post-consumer recycled materials. It is UL Greenguard Gold Certified, Class A Fire rated, and does not contain any form of toxic inhalant or Red List-banned chemical. Quiet-Tech is designed as a thermal insulator for the interior walls and partitions of any structure.

8. MultiFix – Rockwool

This stone wool insulation board has a glass fiber coating that allows for flat roofing application. It reduces the number of layers needed for low-slope roof assemblies. The Rockwool effectively regulates the temperature of thermal insulation and provides strong point load resistance. 

9. Greenguard XPS – Kingspan

Greenguard XPS offers extruded polystyrene insulation board, air barrier building wraps and accessories such as flashing. Its R-value of 5.0 per inch of thickness makes it perfect for jobs that require below the slab, along foundation, inside basement walls, and exterior insulation application. It can also be used as general purpose insulation for roofing, wall, and foundation jobs. 

10.vClassic ultra – Icynene

The Classic Ultra offers top of the line cohesion,  a gold green guard certification, and an R-value of 3.7 per 1”. It can be sprayed in a wide temperature range and ensures a consistent foam during spraying. It is a cost-effective product that enhances cohesion properties by up to 90%.  

11. Concrete Subfloor Panels – USG

USG’s concrete subfloor panels can carry a total load of 330 psf. When used over a steel frame and covered with carpet and pad, these subfloor panels can achieve a 56 STC sound performance rating. They are non-combustible and offer one- and two-hour fire-rated assemblies. These concrete subfloor panels are built to last; they will not warp and can be installed quickly and easily.  

Your aging mother needs care.  She’s not ill. But, she is finding it a bit more difficult to climb the stairs. And, she doesn’t want to move into a home for the elderly. So, you’ve decided she’ll move in with you and your family.  And, you believe that will be achievable by making a few minor renovations to your single-family home.

Not so fast!

Do your research before you attempt to dive into the sea of regulations to which you’ll have to adhere.  Remember, each step requires a permit.  And, you’ll need to find a reputable contractor, unless you intend on picking up a hammer and nails yourself! Even if you do, you’ll need an experienced professional to walk you through the various steps.

Atlas Construction Hawaii is a family owned business that has been serving Oahu for over a decade. We specialize in building multi-generational homes.  But, building an addition to your home, is more than construction. To add a bedroom and bathroom to your home, Atlas first wants to know about the person (or people) who will be living with you.  So, you will tell us what your mother will use the room for, other than sleeping and showering. Atlas always upholds the cornerstones of safety and accessibility when building multi-generational homes.

Additions are our most common requests. However, each client is individual; their preferences are different, and Atlas Construction doesn’t subscribe to the one-design-fits-all solution. So, be ready to answer a variety of questions about the occupant in the new addition, and we’ll design your space efficiently, with safety and accessibility for your loved one in mind.

If you need more information, call 951-9500.

As they say in Hawaii…”THE STRUGGLE IS REAL”. The following are signs your Hawaii home might need help:

1. You have to walk uphill to get to the kitchen
2. You have more wood and plastic covering your windows than actual window
3. There is a tree growing in either the roof or the foundation
4. You’ve convinced yourself the little piles around the house is just dust, not termites
5. Only one person can shower at a time….a day
6. You short out the electricity when you turn on the Rice Cooker
7. You are using folded cardboard to keep the jalousies from falling out
8. You have a system every time it rains, and know exactly what areas of the roof need buckets, pots and towels underneath

Sound familiar? We are a phone call away.

Nathan talks about how he incorporates aging in place modifications in his bathroom designs on Hawaii remodels and rebuilds.

Older homes in Hawaii are full of memories, history, and charm, but they have unique needs when it comes to care, repairs, and maintenance.

Roofing

Keeping your your roof in good repair is crucial, because leaks can start very expensive compounding effects. When moisture is allowed to seep into your roof, an expensive roof replacement bill will follow shortly after. Tiny little cracks, roof plant growth and inadequate drainage all have to be caught early, otherwise, roofing structures become vulnerable to water damage and mold. This can affect your landscaping, health, flooring and even affect your foundation and make you vulnerable to shifting, buckling and cracks.

Have your roof checked out at least 2 times a year.Roof maintenance ensures that your home remains strong and is capable of withstanding tropical weather conditions for years to come.

Painting

Keeping your home painted, especially with a 10 year paint can preserve the wood and prevent against rot, mold, and termites.

Tenting

Speaking of termites, there is nothing more devastating to your home investment than termites. Hawaii home owners should tent their homes every 3 years. Go with a company that offers a warranty and free checks during that time period. They will come and tent again if you show any signs of termites within the contracted period. Watch for signs an stay on top of it. Termite damage is costly to treat and repair.

Outdated Plumbing and Electrical

Electrical wiring and plumbing problems are common in older homes. Before the 1960s, galvanized pipes were used and they commonly get clogged and corrode over time. They eventually need to be replaced with PVC or copper

Old wiring is also common and a nuisance: If you’ve ever lost power when running the microwave and the rice cooker at the same time, then you are familiar with the problem.

Unsafe Materials- Lead and Asbestos

If your house was built several decades ago, there’s a good chance the paint has lead and there is asbestos in the flooring, ductwork, popcorn ceilings, roofing, etc.

Bad Layouts

If you have shopped for homes in Hawaii, you have probably already noticed that the floorplans in older homes vs newer homes are very different. It is more common now to have open floorplans. Older homes have more walls and rooms, many without closets, very small bathrooms and no laundry rooms.  Finding room to grow for your ohana can be hard. Atlas Construction prides itself in coming up with solutions for even the most complicated projects.

Bad Renovation Work History

The older the Hawaii home, the more times it’s been sold.  Each person’s ideas of “improvements” aren’t always made with a disregard to the rest of the structure. Hawaii homes are commonly pieced together. You may have inherited problems you aren’t even aware of yet.

Use this handy HOW LONG STUFF LASTS guide to help you analyze your home and identify issues you need to stay on top of it, and reduce emergency and costly repairs and purchases.

If you are a Hawaii homeowner in a home built before 1970, here is the bad news.

Your home is probably single wall and poorly designed.  It is most likely made with redwood, but with untreated framing which means over time termites and wood rot will take its toll on the framing.

If you have cast iron and galvanized pipes they will deteriorate and eventually need to be replaced with Plastic and Copper AVS.

If you have louvered or jalousie windows you probably have already noticed they cause water damage, costly utility bills, and security problems over time.

The roofs were mostly pitch and gravel, so they don’t  allow for drainage and have no hurricane anchors and ties to protect them from damage.

Bad foundations are common, if you are noticing cracks in your walls or uneven door frames, you will have to eventually deal with your foundation problems.

And the floor plans that were often designed for single family living leave you no room to grow or accommodate aging in place.

These are the most common reasons Hawaii homeowners start needing to consider remodeling or rebuilding so the faster you start dealing with these issues before they become critical the better.