Category — Quality

In the month of September alone, the Windows for Hunger campaign by Natelli Homes raised enough for 4,200 meals through the Capital Area Food Bank. We are so encouraged by the success, Natelli is now offering 3 meals to the CAFB for every person that “likes” Natelli Homes on FaceBook.

Please support the Capital Area Food Bank by contacting Natelli Homes if you are considering new windows or exterior doors. The results of having new quality windows and doors by Natelli Homes speaks for itself, but now you can also help others in the metropolitan area who are in significant need.

Feel free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com

A new custom home built by Natelli Homes for the Darvish / Fallahi family was recently featured in Bethesda Magazine. The details and character of the home fit the client perfectly. Take note of the spectacular iron railings, the tile-work in the bathroom and the enormous kitchen with stone and marble countertops and WoodMode cabinets.

www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Magazine/September-October-2011/Dar-House/

Fee free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com

In case you missed the New York Times recently, as I did, there was a feature on Marvin Windows that tells the story of this family owned company in our currently challenging economy. The article confirms not only why they are a good employer, but gives me affirmation that their commitment to their employees translates into the exceedingly high quality of their product.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/business/economy/housing-slump-forces-cuts-at-a-small-town-company.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=marvin%20windows&st=Search

Feel free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com

Natelli Homes is pleased to display one of its newest product lines in Arlington this weekend.  The Ashley model is designed and developed for narrow lots in areas such as Arlington and Bethesda.

The original home was demolished in the latter part of 2010 and we are already getting prepared for the Owners to move in their new home.  This hand-crafted home was constructed to the same standards as the ultra-custom homes that Natelli Homes builds throughout the Washington metropoliotan area.  With four finished levels, five full bedrooms and an expansive recreation room and den in the basement, there is a surprising amount of room for families.

Please join us this Sunday, May 15th between 1:00 – 3:00 p.m at 1909 N Quebec St in Arlington, VA.  This will be a one- time opportunity to see the most current new home design and quality from Natelli Homes.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at  Bob@Natellihomes.com

It is late Wednesday morning, the day before Thanksgiving, a very quiet business day, many people are traveling to their families for the holiday and we plan to close the office early so our employees can get some extra time at home.  This is one of those days when you can catch up on all the busy work without interruption – even e-mail traffic is slow.

Then I get the call.  Not one of those calls about an accident or an emergency regarding someone’s health, but an emergency call nonetheless.  A client calls about a sink in a granite top that has an issue and they can’t use the sink.  My immediate thoughts wander through the true urgency of the call, but the more I listen the more I understand this could affect the pending Thankskgiving holiday for our client.  But it is close to 11:00, late in the morning, the day before a long holiday weekend – how in the world can I realistically help?

All I can do is call Greg, the supervisor who built the home, and see if he can put a band-aid on the problem, enough at least to get them through to Monday.  Greg is probably having the same day as I am, things progressing in order, somewhat quiet and many discussions about the weekend plans, football games and time with family.  I hate making the call to Greg, but what choice do I have?  The problem with this client’s sink could effect their whole Thanksgiving weekend.

Within 4 hours of making that call on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Greg had the sink repaired and the house ready for the holidays for our client.  Greg could have easily said, “this is impossible – it’s the afternoon of the day before Thanksgiving and I don’t have any of the subcontactors at any of my jobs that can fix this problem”.  But without any hesitation, Greg rallied the necessary vendors, dropped what he was doing and got  the sink repaired.  Credit also goes to the team at R. Bratti & Associates, who did the same as Greg, recognized the nature of the situation, knew the value of our clients and dropped what they were doing to fix the sink.

Looking back over that afternoon, I realize that I all did was call Greg.  I did not demand anything of Greg except to inform him of the call I just received.  I don’t know what Greg did, how R. Bratti pulled crews off of other jobs and what hurdles everyone did to help our client.  What I do know is this:  what took place was engrained in Greg, his assistant, Luis, R. Bratti’s employees and anyone else who lent a hand.  Our client’s situation was most important - our client called with an urgent issue and our employees and vendors reacted approproately.  Not one person questioned if this was warranty work, something caused by the homeowner or simply not our problem.  The timing of the problem could not have been worse; it was the afternoon before a holiday and things were going pretty well otherwise.

I have a lot of these stories over the years.  Ron and Pete help a client when a storm drain overfows in hurricane like rainfall, Bob comes down from Hagerstown in over 24″ of snow to ensure our client has access to their home during a renovation and Tom and John often help clients on weekends or evenings when the call comes to them. 

From an employer’s viewpoint, I am very blessed.  Not only because I have such a great team on my side, but because my team knows the value of our clients.  We many not be able to pull off the miracle that Greg did on the afternoon before Thanksgiving, but we know how important our clients are and that we should always try to assist when we can regardless of the timing, ease or responsibility.

Thanks for reading.  I can be reached at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website at www.NatelliHomes.com

Arlington, Virginia is such a great location for anyone in the metro DC area.  Quick access to downtown Washington, great neighborhoods, interesting regional restaurants and an abundance of good schools make this one of the most desired places to live in D.C.  Unfortunately the age of the housing stock makes it more difficult for a family to find exactly the right fit for a home.

One of the many strengths of Natelli Homes is the ability to provide exceptional value without sacrificing quality.  Builders have many way to cut costs during construction, but our standards are not going to change whether we are building a custom home for millions of dollars or a home for a client with lower budget.  In fact, many of the vendors and subcontractors used on projects at both ends of the price spectrum are often the same.

Especially in Arlington and Bethesda, we work with clients to evaluate the potential to renovate verses the possibility of tearing down an existing home and building new.  Building new does not mean building expensive; one just has to be smart about making the right choices.

This home will have  engineered floor systems spaced at 16″ on center, not 24″ on center just to meet the minimum code requirements, clad aluminum windows with Low-E high performance glass, hot water recirculating water lines and many other features that are always included in a Natelli home.  The home even incorporates a split zone heating and air conditioning system to address the needs of particular rooms when needed, not just blast air throughout the home when the fan comes on.

We will keep you posted about the progress and features of this fine new home in future posts.  Feel free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website at www.NatelliHomes.com

One of the most rewarding parts of home construction is learning about new products and techniques and using them in our homes.  Our clients are the beneficiaries of our research and the progressive nature of innovative manufacturers.   In the past decade, immeasurable improvements have been made in window standards, waterproofing materials, adhesives, drainage products, plumbing products, electrical devices, heating and air conditioning and the list goes on.  Building products manufacturers recognize the advantages they gain by listening to builders and learning from home owners and users of their products.  Consumer awareness grows exponentially with increased information via the internet and vast amounts of information available in the media.  A recent improvement relates to the reduction of formaldehyde in building products.

Formaldehyde is a very simple molecule (H2CO) consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It occurs naturally and is readily broken down by microbes that live in the soil and water. It also degrades in the presence of sunlight. The human body contains low levels that are regulated by physiological functions. H2CO is also part of the medium in which vaccines are suspended, which extends their shelf-life, and allows them to be delivered worldwide to fight childhood diseases including cholera, measles and polio.

Many consumer products contain low levels of formaldehyde, where it acts as a foaming agent, prevents bacterial growth, and preserves the quality of finished products, among others. Its use as a precursor component to many of the products used in the residential and commercial building industries has been second-to-none for decades. It is exceptional at creating long-lasting glues and adhesives for manufactured wood products. It is also used in the production of urea formaldehyde foam insulation.

As consumers and builders have become more educated to indoor air quality issues, greater attention has been directed at reducing the airborne concentrations of irritants in both the home and workplace. In response, manufacturers of building products are perfecting products manufactured without the use of H2CO.

Knauf Industries currently produces a building insulation called EcoBatt that is formaldehyde free and offers superior energy retaining properties. John Mansville also offers building insulation that is formaldehyde-free.

Remarkably Knauf combines sand and post-consumer recycled bottle glass to produce the EcoBatt insulation.  It does not contain phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors used to make traditional fiberglass insulation.  Its not the consistent orangey color we used to know of insulation, but who would care about that?

Natelli Homes is pleased to offer our clients smart products that contribute to the overall health of our homes and renovations.  We continue to look for the leaders in the building products field like Knauf Industries and John Mansville to develop new means of producing quality materials.  Innovative manufacturers combined with an informed builder makes for a very healthy home.

I can be reached at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website www.natellihomes.com

You can find additional information on building insulation at the links below:
http://www.ecobatt.us/eco_batt.html
http://www.jmhomeowner.com/insulation/products.asp

“Just do it!” – a notable trademark of Nike that catches everyones eye.  I always wanted to make tee-shirts for my employees that said, “Just do it right!”  I paused for fear of trademark infringement, but still like the message.  I am confident that our team thinks that way, even though we don’t have the tee-shirts.

In the case of replacing a dormer window, it would have been easy to plug the new window in and consider the job done, but that would have been a huge disservice to our client.  The trim around the window was rotting and the siding was all but deteriorated.  I wonder how much water was getting into the home through the trim and siding alone.

We chose to remove everything, down to the exterior sheathing so we could observe the flashing and ensure that the dormers were flashed, sealed and water and air infiltration were managed properly.

The new finished product assures our client of a weather-proof installation that will stand the test of time.  We used synthetic exterior millwork, 70% Kynar 500® cladding on the Marvin Windows and a cement based siding on the sides of the dormer. The Kynar cladding from Marvin Windows and Doors comes with a 20 year warranty.  The synthetic trim and cement siding takes paint well and resists rot and deterioration for years to come.  The future maintenance requirements will be minimal.

Always look at the bigger picture and don’t cut corners on a significant investment such as window replacements.  Find a contractor that is familiar with the best products and procedures in your marketplace.  Evaluating all the issues for a client up front is a detail that can’t be overlooked.

Feel free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website www.natellihomes.com

Fireplaces are wonderful complements to any home. When the resources are available for stone or antique mantles, the attention to detail becomes all that more crucial. Steep roof lines and exotic stone work make for beautiful design features, but a chimney and flue that leak quickly become a damaging and very costly repair job. Spending the time and energy to do it perfectly from the outset, is the name of the game.

The chimney block at right has been waterproofed completely, before any finished veneer is applied, and the through-wall flashing has been wrapped around the block and stepped-down to accept the stone and brick that will create the finished surface. The entire structure is fabricated to repel and channel water off the roof, before any stone veneer is applied or brick laid.
Knowing that the construction of a chimney has been given the same attention as the fine millwork and details within the home can be very comforting for an owner. When striking stone work is coupled with contrasting roofing tiles and dramatic angles, the home becomes a movie set in the making.

But it cannot be overstated. If your builder treats a chimney and fireplace as just something else that has to be done, then find a builder that understands how to build that one-of-a-kind fireside masterpiece.

This marriage of an antique French fireplace to a flue and chimney system, that are works of artful design and engineering, will create a stunning atmosphere of warmth and singularity for many years to come.

Feel free to contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website www.natellihomes.com

If you are considering replacing the windows and exterior doors in your home, make sure you carefully evaluate your investment.  New windows and doors can be one of the most significant energy efficiency improvements one can make in a home.  The current tax credits add additional incentive and the investment can arguably break even in a reasonable number of years.  All this plus the additional comfort you notice in your home on a daily basis is enough to pick up the phone and call one of the many window replacement firms in the Washington, D.C. market.

Many window companies offer replacement kits, sash packs or inserts.  These solutions may appear to be good values and offer less disturbance to the existing interior spaces but consider what you are missing.  If one leaves the old existing frame in the opening and just installs new sashes with a frame insert kit, think again about the quality and true energy efficiency of your investment.  A tremendous amount of air enters around the frame of a window, especially in older homes.  There is very little insulation, if any, around older windows and air and water can still enter the home even with a new sash or insert kit.

Look at the adjacent photos of existing windows in a home.  There is significant mold, water intrusion, air penetrating the home and even bug and ant nests.  If one used insert windows or a sash kit, these conditions would still be there unbeknownst to the home owner.  After a significant investment in new windows, wouldn’t you be shocked and disappointed to know these issues were still there!

There is really only one way to properly replace a window.  Replace the entire window and frame – PERIOD.  No inserts, no sash packs, no cutting corners to save anything existing.

Compare this photo of a properly flashed and weatherized new Marvin window and frame to those examples above.  Vikor adhesive flashing is wrapped from the outside sheathing into the opening preventing water intrusion.  Expansive foam has been injected between the window jamb and rough opening. This foam completely blocks air and pests from invading the home.  The foam will be trimmed flush with the window frame prior to the finished trim installation.

Which would you want in your home?  A sash pack or insert window kit which does not address significant existing issues around the window frame or a weather-tight, pest free installation that protects your investment?  The answer is pretty clear to me.

Feel free to e-mail me with your questions and comments.  I can be reached at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website www.natellihomes.com.