Tag: project

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Tiny Home Project Supports Pacific Northwest Tribal Veteran

Operation Tiny Home, Celect siding and trim

Operation Tiny Home is a non-profit in Oregon providing affordable, high-quality housing for at-risk populations, including veterans, natural disaster survivors, and young adults aging out of foster care. On April 6, the organization, in partnership with North Sound ACH, handed over the keys of its latest tiny house project to the Lhaq’temish Foundation in support of a Lummi Nation U.S. veteran facing chronic housing instability.

Zack Griffin, co-host of the television series “Tiny House Nation,” joined Operation Tiny Home, North Sound ACH, and the Veterans Administration National Tribal Advisory Committee at the ceremony, which was held at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, Ore. The home’s recipient spoke to supporters and cut the ribbon on her new house. Following the event, the tiny house was transported to its final destination near Bellingham, Washington.  

“Witnessing the joy on the veteran’s face as she received the keys to her new home was truly a moving experience,” Operation Tiny Home noted on its Instagram page. “We want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all who made this possible — your efforts have made a real difference in the life of a veteran and her family.”

Tiny House With All the Comforts of Home

The interior of the home will feature two lofts and a full, modern kitchen. Amenities in similar Operation Tiny Home projects have included wood ceilings, mini-split HVAC systems, a large bathroom and shower with bench, and a washer-dryer combo unit.

For the exterior, Westlake Royal Building Products donated 900 square feet of Celect® Cellular Composite 7” Lap siding, in Latte, along with Celect trim in Frost.

Manufactured with cellular PVC, Celect offers the timeless look of real wood yet absorbs a miniscule amount of water, so there’s no need to worry about swelling, cracking, chipping, and degradation. It’s an ideal combination of features for the Pacific Northwest locale, where wood cladding looks are popular but the wet weather can wreak havoc on natural materials. The siding includes a fade-resistant Kynar Aquatec® coating that withstands all weather conditions and climates, and it comes with a 25-year color protection warranty.

It was the perfect backdrop for a joyous ceremony that brought together members of the tribal community, the local community, and the building community. During the event, attendees were invited to fill unfinished interior walls with messages for the new homeowner.

“This is more than just a housewarming; it’s an opportunity to show our love and support for our tribal veterans,” Operation Tiny Home stated. “We’ll be making this house a home by filling the walls with messages of blessings and support! Because who wouldn’t want to live in a home infused with love and positivity?”

To try Celect Cellular Composite siding on your next project, find products in your area or request a sample.

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High-Performance Siding for The House That Blues Built

The House That Blues Built

Fourth-generation custom homebuilder Albert Cummings knows a lot about two very different things: building high-performance homes and performing the blues. Cummings splits his time between his custom home business and his career as a renowned guitar player, and has performed and recorded music with his band and with music legends like Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Sheryl Crow, Susan Tedeschi, and B.B. King. Naturally, now that he and his wife and business partner Christina Cummings are building their long-planned home in the Berkshires, the couple dubbed it the “The House That Blues Built.”

The 18-acre property includes a pond and views of mountains in Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. “We bought this site for the views, and we’ve been coming just to sit out here and relax for more than a decade,” says Christina. “We’ve been able to position our home for the sunrise and sunset views.”

The two-level post-and-beam style home, designed for relaxing, recharging, and socializing, will include more than 3,400 square feet of living space wrapped on all sides by patios and porches. The walk-out basement is designed as a tribute to music, complete with a dedicated guitar room and a guest suite set up as a place for musicians on the road to regroup and share their creativity.

The upper level will include an open kitchen, a living and dining room with a fireplace, an office, a pantry, and a family entrance with closets, storage, and powder room. The primary suite wing, which is adjacent to the laundry room, will include a bedroom, walk-in closet, and luxury bathroom.

In addition, the Cummings are dedicated to sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint, so the house is designed to meet high levels of energy and water efficiency.  

“We’re eager to show how companies and products can work together to meet stringent stretch code requirements,” Albert explained. “The HERS rating must be 55, which we were able to reach based on the estimated performance of the insulation, windows, and air exchange systems. Once we included the components we plan to include in house, we were able to get to a HERS rating of 45.”  

The House That Blues Built, TruExterior Siding
The House That Blues Built, under construction in the Berkshire Mountains.

Siding That Stands the Test of Time

One of the easiest decisions the couple made was about the home’s exterior, for which they selected TruExterior® siding from Westlake Royal Building Products.

“We’ve used TruExterior for ages,” Albert said. “It’s always been our go-to material because it is highly durable and holds up in any kind of weather.”

TruExterior, a poly-ash siding product made with at least 70% recycled material, works well in any climate or environment. Since the product is moisture-resistant, it works particularly well in rainy regions or areas with high humidity.

“TruExterior is as close as you can get to working with regular wood, but without the moisture concerns and associated maintenance,” Albert explained. “It looks and feels like real wood, but it provides a better defense against the elements.”

The Cummings sometimes see golf ball-size hail in the Berkshire Mountains, Albert said, and trust this product to protect their home. TruExterior is less prone to damage from freezing rain, snow, and freeze/thaw. The composition of TruExterior makes it resistant to rot, so it can be installed all the way to grade. The product is also insect resistant.

In addition, TruExterior is easy to paint and comes in numerous styles that match historic and modern homes. “We knew we wanted this for our house right away because it has so many different kinds of trims that allow us to be creative,” said Christina. “Because this is a typical Farmhouse style, we’ll probably paint it white with different accent tones.”

TruExterior can be installed with commonly available woodworking tools and methods.

“The siding and trim can be planed, sanded, cut, milled, and glued, so you can completely customize it,” Albert said.

Easy installation, low maintenance, customization, and high performance meet the high standards the Cummings have for the House That Blues Built.

This article was written by and originally appeared on the Professional Builder website. Learn more about the House that Blues Built here.

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Stone Siding Provides Varied Streetscapes in Albany

Versetta Stone on Hodorowski Homes project

At the Legends Preserve of Bethlehem in Bethlehem, N.Y., residents can enjoy walking trails, picnic spaces, and just a short five-minute commute to the state’s capital, Albany. They also benefit from eye-catching, varied streetscapes across the community’s cottages and townhomes, with on-trend facades showcasing multiple materials, profiles, and colors.

The curb appeal comes in part from the addition of stone to the façade: Hodorowski Homes uses Versetta Stone panelized stone siding in a variety of ways to add texture and interest to its homes in Bethlehem and its other communities, says Vice President Kristan Hodorowski. These include half walls, gables, and bumpouts.

The builder switched from traditional stone veneer to stone siding about five years ago and now offers it as a standard exterior feature for every residential project. “It dresses up our houses,” Hodorowski says. “It speaks of longevity to me.”

In addition, Hodorowski notes that one of the reasons the builder relies on Versetta Stone is its panelized installation, which requires just screws or nails but no lath or mortar. This means it can be installed well into upstate New York’s cold winter season without requiring tenting and heaters. “The product is easy to install,” she says. “I have my siding installer put it up; I’ve had carpenters install it as well.”

At the Legends Preserve, home buyers can choose their stone colors—which include Terra Rosa, Sterling, Sand, Mission Point, Plum Creek, and Northern Ash—with enough options to provide plenty of choice but not too much to overwhelm.

“We’re very happy with it,” Hodorowski notes. “We’ve never had any service issues, we’ve never had any customer complaints, and I think our homes look wonderful clad in it.”

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Westlake Royal Building Products Celebrates 300th Home with Habitat for Humanity 

Together with Habitat for Humanity – MidOhio, Westlake Royal Building Products recently celebrated a historic milestone with the dedication of the 300th home to feature the company’s donated siding and trim materials in the Ohio region. On Thursday, Sept. 15, the three-bedroom, two-bath single family home was dedicated and keys were turned over to the partner family in the South Linden neighborhood of Columbus.

Habitat for Humanity MidOhio home dedication

The dedication of this house marks the 300th siding donation that Westlake Royal has made to Habitat for Humanity – MidOhio over the last 20 years. For this home, Westlake Royal donated 20 squares of siding, including Exterior Portfolio® Vinyl Siding and Portsmouth™ Shake & Shingles Siding, as well as Royal® Shutters, Mounts and Vents accessories. Westlake Royal’s Columbus-based employees also donated their time and skills to help with installing the building products during the construction of the home this summer. 

Installing siding on a Habitat for Humanity MidOhio home.

“Amid inflation and rising costs, the need for affordable housing today is greater than it’s ever been. Westlake Royal is proud to be part of the solution in donating building products for good quality, single-family homes,” said Steve Booz, VP of Marketing & Product Management, Westlake Royal Building Products. “Our partnership with Habitat MidOhio dates back through several company name changes and decades, but our commitment to this organization and the community of Columbus remains unchanged.” 

“When we invest in housing, we invest in the future of the entire community. Thanks to the contributions of Westlake Royal, Habitat MidOhio has brought the dream of homeownership to 300 families,” said E.J. Thomas, President and CEO, Habitat MidOhio. “We are grateful for the generous support of our donors and volunteers, and look forward to continuing our work of providing quality, affordable housing to our family partners.” 

In January 2021, Habitat MidOhio celebrated the dedication of its 1,000th home. The organization works to bring people together to inspire hope, build homes, empower families, and develop communities. For the past 35 years, Habitat MidOhio has served families through new home builds/rehabs (437), owner-occupied home repairs (350), and tithe support to its sister affiliates in Africa (331).