November 1, 2008

    EarthCraft Virginia provides a certification process for single family and multifamily projects. It serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduces utility bills and protects the environment. EarthCraft House is your best assurance for a quality home.

    EarthCraft promotes diligent airsealing and energy efficiency. Airsealing of the building envelope and its mechanical systems, while still allowing for fresh air intake, provides a tighter building envelope at little additional cost. There is less communication of air and sound between units and better indoor air quality through the use of managed fresh-air intakes. Thus, projects are more energy efficient, less costly to occupy, and more durable overall. 

Resource efficient materials such as concrete with fly ash, cellulose insulation, and carpet pad and carpet containing recycled materials defer wastes from landfills. With window and insulation levels that exceed code, water conservation measures, and the use of ENERGY STAR appliances, utility bills remain low after move in.

    Clark & Company believes in the principles and practices of EarthCraft building.  Matt, Luke, Jason, and Alex are all graduates of the EarthCraft training program.

WWW.ECVirginia.org

October 15, 2008

    We enjoy unusual projects, and are often asked to build things that are out of the ordinary.  One of our customers bought four antique brass teller screens that were removed from a local bank years ago.  She asked us to create some sort of a frame that would allow her to display them on her wall.  Here is the wood surround we created for her.

September 28, 2008

     Clark & Company provides full service remodeling and renovation services.  These are before and after pictures of a deck renovation and sunroom addition we completed earlier this year.  We replaced the damaged decking boards with environmentally friendly composite decking, and added additional deck space.  As you can tell from the pictures, we also added a sunroom, incorporating EzeBreeze windows, a vaulted ceiling, and re-used skylights.

September 9, 2008

      In August, Matt had the pleasure of speaking to a group of educators.  The audience consisted of about sixty instructors in the building trades from across the state of Virginia.  The Virginia Trade and Industrial Educators group met in Roanoke, and invited Matt to speak about the current trends in green building practices.

     These educators have the very important task of teaching public school students about the construction industry.  They provide guidance and training to the students who are on their way to becoming the skilled workers of tomorrow.  The program was entitled Green Building 101, and covered topics such as:

-What is green building?

-Why do it?

-What are the basic principles?

-How is it verified?

-What is the cost?

-What is the future?

          If you have questions, or would like for someone from Clark & Company to address your group, please send us an email, we would be happy to discuss your needs.

August 25,2008

BBB Advice on Hiring Contractors for Home Improvements and Remodeling

                  With the National Association of Realtors’ reporting current pending home sales down 21.4 percent from the first quarter of 2007, and Standard & Poor’s citing the steepest decline in home values in the 20-year history of its housing index, many homeowners are now choosing to remodel their current home rather than selling in an effort to hold home values in a turbulent U.S. housing market.  To execute the strategy successfully, most projects require professional help and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is offering advice and guidance on finding trustworthy contractors who can help make the strategy pay off.

                  According to the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), homeowners spent 306.7 billion on remodeling projects in 2007.  Despite substantial declines in other U.S. housing market indicators, HIRI expects only a modest decline in home improvement spending in 2008, and estimates the amount of money spent by homeowners will exceed $302 billion.

                  Many homeowners feel that finding a trustworthy contractor is a difficult task.  According to the recently released BBB/Gallup Trust in Business Survey, 73 percent of respondents indicated that they didn’t have a great deal or a lot of trust in contractors.

                  “Homeowners often don’t know where to begin looking for reliable help for home improvement projects, but finding a trustworthy contractor doesn’t have to be a difficult task,” said Julie Wheeler, President and CEO of the BBB of Western Virginia.  “While asking friends and family for references is advised, homeowners can start their research easily and quickly online with free BBB Reliability Reports that provide an unbiased assessment on many types of contractors operating in their community”.

                  For homeowners planning to make renovations, the BBB offers the following advice on how to choose a contractor they can trust:

Start with trust

                  Most homeowners have heard of, and in some cases experienced, shady contractors that ask for payment up front, perform shoddy work, and then refuse refunds or redress of issues.  The BBB encourages homeowners to do their homework- starting online at www.vawest.bbb.org where they can search the BBB’s online directory for BBB Member contractors and remodeling businesses in their area.

Get references

                  The BBB recommends homeowners ask all contractors for local references and then take the next step by finding out if those customers were satisfied with the contractor’s work.  If possible, homeowners should visit and inspect completed projects.

Ask the experts

                  The BBB advises that homeowners find out if a contractor is a member of a professional association which has standards or a code of ethics.  All BBB Member Businesses have agreed to uphold BBB standards for ethics in the marketplace.  Homeowners can also check with the BBB to learn how long a contractor has been in business and if the firm has been responsive to any complaints filed with the BBB.

Compare costs

                  Homeowners should solicit at least three bids from prospective contractors based upon the same building specifications, materials, labor and time needed to complete the project.  Homeowners need to discuss bids in detail with each contractor, making certain they understand the reasons for any variations in the prices and not automatically making a decision based on lowest price.  Cost differences may include issues such as quality of materials, craftsmanship and subcontracting for specialized labor.

Check on insurance

                  The BBB reminds homeowners to ask contractors if the company is insured against claims covering worker’s compensation, property damage and personal liability in case of accidents.  Further, the BBB advises people to then call to verify the contractor’s insurance coverage after obtaining the name of their carrier and agency.

Are they bonded/licensed?

                  Contractors must typically meet licensing and bonding requirements set by the state, county or city housing authority.  Homeowners should confirm the contractor meets all requirements and can legally operate in the state.

                  By contacting the State Board for Contractors (804-367-8500), homeowners may confirm proper state licensing.  Bonding is through the contractor’s insurance company and would need to be checked directly through that agency.  Also, if required, check with the local Commissioner of Revenue to ensure the contractor has a current business license.

                  Given the tough housing market, it’s important that homeowners make smart, informed decisions affecting their most valuable investment – their homes.  For advice they can trust on finding reliable professionals to help with home improvement and remodeling projects, homeowners can turn to www.vawest.bbb.org.

Reprinted from BBB The Bridge May 2008, Vol 5/08

August 11, 2008

         Sustainable building materials are those which can be produced without depleting the finite resources of our environment.  Clark & Company prefers to use sustainable materials when possible.  One example of a sustainable material is finger-jointed wood, which is made from small pieces of wood that would otherwise be discarded.  Finger-jointed wood is often used for trim applications that will be painted.

           Cork flooring is another good example of a sustainable building material.  It is produced by peeling the bark off of the cork tree, which does not damage the tree.  The bark grows back, and can be harvested again in as few as seven years.  Bamboo is also sustainable because it grows very quickly.  It commonly grows up to twelve inches in a twenty-four hour period!

            These are pictures of Clark & Company installing cork and bamboo flooring at recent commercial projects, and a cork tree that has been recently harvested.                                                             

July 29, 2008

                 The “Fishburne Mansion” was built in 1908 by Roanoke businessman and benefactor Junius Blair Fishburne.  The City of Roanoke inherited the magnificent structure in 1955, and is currently using the building for various community functions, as the Mountain View Recreation center.

                  Over the course of the past 100 years, the 40 room house has slowly developed roof leaks and other maintenance problems.  In early 2008, the city launched a major restoration project, beginning with the repair of the terra cotta tile and copper roof.  Renaissance Roofing, a specialty roofing contractor from Illinois was contracted to perform the roof restoration.  Renaissance entered into an agreement with Clark & Company to perform much of the specialized carpentry work involved in repairing roof substrates and framing, as well as some exterior trimwork.

                  Clark and Company is actively working on the project, which involves re-constructing and repairing the porte-cochere, rotunda, concealed gutters, and other areas.  All work is being completed in a manner which preserves the architectural integrity of the historic building.    Trim pieces that are salvageable are re-used, and custom millwork has been made to replace badly damaged elements.  This project will be an ongoing endeavor for the City of Roanoke, and Clark & Company is excited to be a part of the process!