GB Group sends... THE HAPPY HOMEOWNER CUSTOM HOMES AND RENOVATIONS
A BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER & GUIDE FOR YOUR HOME 479.464.7336 - www.BuildWithGBGroup.com
NOV - DEC 2014
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Home Building Process Building your new home is exciting, especially when you understand how the process works. The following overview outlines the typical steps in the construction of a home and will help keep you abreast of what happens at key stages.
1. Prepare site and pour foundation: Often, site preparation and foundation work are performed by the same crew, but this may not be the case with a wooded lot. Using a backhoe and a bulldozer, the crew clears the site of rocks, debris and trees for the house and, if applicable, the septic system. The crew levels the site, puts up wooden forms to serve as a template for the foundation, and digs the holes and trenches. Footings (structures where the house interfaces with the earth that supports it) are installed. If your home is going to have a well, it will be dug at this point. If the home has a full basement, the hole is dug, the footings are formed and poured, and the foundation walls are formed and poured. If it’s slab-on-grade, the footings are dug, formed and poured; the area between them is leveled and fitted with utility runs (e.g. plumbing drains and electrical chases); and the slab is poured.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 1 + Feature Story: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Home Building Process
Page 2 + Christmas Comic + Christmas Maze + NWA Community Happenings + Recipe of the Month + Riddle Contest Winner
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After the concrete is cured, the crew applies a waterproofing membrane to the foundation walls; installs drains, sewer and water taps and any plumbing that needs to go into the first-floor slab or basement floor; and backfills excavated dirt into the hole around the foundation wall.
+ Useless Trivial Tidbits + A Christmas Letter
INSPECTION #1: A city inspector visits the site to make sure foundation components are up to code and installed properly. This inspection may be repeated depending on the type of foundation (footing, slab, crawl space or basement). Your builder will then remove the forms and begin coordinating step 2, the framing phase.
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2. Complete rough framing: The floor systems, walls and roof systems are completed (collectively known as the shell or skeleton of the house). Plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing is applied to the exterior walls and roof, and windows and exterior doors are installed. The sheathing is then covered with a protective barrier known as a house wrap; it prevents liquid water from infiltrating the structure, while allowing water vapor to escape. This reduces the likelihood of mold and wood rot.
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3. Complete rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC: Once the shell is finished, siding and roofing can be installed. At the same time, the electrical and plumbing contractors start running pipes and wires through the interior walls, ceilings and floors. Sewer lines and vents, as well as water supply lines for each fixture, are installed. Bathtubs and one-piece shower/tub units are put in place at this point because there’s more room to maneuver large, heavy objects.
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Ductwork is installed for the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and possibly the furnace. HVAC vent pipes are installed through the roof, and insulation is installed in the floors, walls and ceilings. After the roofing goes on, the house is considered “dried in.” The electrician then installs receptacles for outlets, lights and switches and runs wires from the breaker panel to each receptacle. Wiring for telephones, cable TV and music systems is included in this work. Note that HVAC ducts and plumbing are usually installed before wiring, because it’s easier to run wires around pipes and ducts than vice versa. Continue on page 3...
+ Snapshot of Current Projects
+ Talk with Tank: Building Codes + Superstar Client of the Month + Christmas Quote + Book of the Month
+Q&A + Vocabulary Word of the Month + Monthly Riddle + Christmas Facts
Page 7 + Feature Story Cont. + Play Our Referral Contest
Page 8 + Merry Christmas!
S A M
T S I R CH ZEe MSanAta get to th Help lace. firep
N COMMUNITY W A HAPPENINGS
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DEC 31 - Last Night Fayetteville. Fayetteville Downtown Square - Fayetteville. JAN 10 - Cabin Fever Reliever . Shiloh Museum of Ozark History - Springdale. JAN 17 - Wonders of Winter Wildlife. Hobbs State Park Conservation Area - Rogers. FEb 06 - Elvis Lives! Walton Arts Center - Fayetteville
These soft chocolate cookies have a big peanut flavor since they use peanut butter and peanut butter chips.
Ingredients:
DEC 19 - 21 - The Nutcracker. Walton Arts Center Fayetteville DEC 20 - Visit Santa on the Caboose. Visit Santa on the Caboose - Rogers.
Double Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chewies
Preparation:
1 cup chunky natural peanut butter 1/4 cup cocunut oil or butter 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup turbinado sugar 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons whole plain yogurt 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 natural peanut butter chips, such as Sunspire 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (see note)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Beat peanut butter, oil, brown sugar and 1/2 C. turbinado sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the sugars are blended. Beat in eggs, yogurt and vanilla until combined. 3. Whisk flour, cocoa, oats, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture until blended. (It will be sticky.) Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips. 4. Using a small cookie scoop or slightly rounded tablespoons of dough, place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 5. Dip the bottom of a glass in water and then in the extra turbinado sugar. Use the sugared glass to flatten the cookies slightly, leaving a thin layer of sugar on top, rewetting the glass as needed. 6. Bake the cookies in batches until they are just set and the tops appear cracked, 8 to 10 minutes. (Note: Do not overbake or they will be dry.) Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Last Month’s Riddle Contest Winner Congratulations to Jamie Henry of Rogers!
Jamie was the first to respond to the riddle and is the proud winner of a $5 Starbucks Gift Card! Funny thing, Jamie got this riddle correct about 25 years ago when calling into a morning radio show! Way to go Jamie for remembering :). If any of you are still wondering what the riddle answer was, here you go: Last Month’s Riddle: If it’s accounts and transactions you seek, come and see me. If it’s pairs of letters you need, I have consecutively three. Who am I? The Answer Was: BOOKKEEPER 2
Calling all suckers for brain teasers! Look on page 6 for this month’s riddle, and email in your guess to contact@buildwithgbgroup.com.
A Christmas Letter Greetings from the Tankersleys! I hope this month’s newsletter finds you doing well. I have a very specific word I’d like to wish for you during this Christmas Season. It is the word: RELEASE. I know RELEASE is not a word typically associated with Christmas soliloquy, but I feel it’s fitting for many of us to think about during this holiday season. Christmas is a time packed with family, travel, parties, gift giving, and feasting. Amidst it all, you might not feel there is time to do anything besides react to your surroundings. You might be holding your breath until January 1st, so you can finally let out a big exhale. I’d like to challenge you to something. Can I challenge you? See what happens when you make Christmas a time for… release. It will mean different things to different people: For the perfectionist homemaker, it will mean letting go of the need for everything to look absolutely perfect this holiday season. Don’t worry. The meal will be fantastic, the decorations already look great. Release the unattainable goals and enjoy things just as they are. If you work in an office, release may require a letting go of projects and paperwork. This will allow you to fully enjoy the people who surround you. Regardless of the particular home, or even the country you find yourself in, drop the walls and enjoy the moment of Christmas. For those who have a Christmas that brings changes to their family structure—whether it’s through separation, marriage, loss of a loved one, or perhaps the addition of a new beautiful baby—release will be especially important. It will mean letting go of old expectations, old ways of doing Christmas. Regardless of the changes that have occurred, remember to open yourself up, so you can create beautiful memories this year, even as you reflect on fond memories from the past. For some, Christmas may require interacting with family or friends that challenge you. (The word “challenge” is highly subjective, and is up for interpretation--apply liberally as needed to your own personal circumstances!) If this describes you, perhaps to achieve RELEASE this Christmas, it may mean forgiving someone in your family circle. Perhaps it means releasing expectations of others that will never be met. Perhaps it means evaluating your own life, releasing old, habitual patterns of thinking, and raising yourself to new standards. No matter what your world looks like this Christmas season, a beautiful thing happens when you release. It allows the NEW to come in to your life. By definition, RELEASE means: To free from; To let go. When you let go of one thing, you have room to absorb something else. My prayer for you this season is that you can RELEASE whatever needed in your life in order to soak up all the joy, love, and peace that Christmas can bring. Happy 2014 everyone. May these last few weeks of the year bring you many blessings. With Love, Heidi Tankersley & Family
USELESS TRIVIAL TIDBITS
1. A person usually makes a lot of hand gestures when telling a true story. When telling a lie, a person’s hands will stay noticeably still.
2. Walt Disney gave his housekeeper Disney stocks every year for the holidays. She died a multi-millionaire. 3. Russia is 400,000 km^2 larger than Pluto. 4. There was a 3rd Apple founder, Ronald Wayne, who sold his 10% stake for $800 in 1976. Today his share would’ve been worth $65 billion. 5. Neil Armstrong once sued his barber of 20 years after he sold his hair to a collector for $3,000. 6. One of the top-selling items at Wal-Mart as a storm approaches is Pop-Tarts. 7. US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second. 8. It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs. 9. Mattel made and sold Wonder Woman’s “invisible jet” as a collectible. The package was an empty plastic shell with nothing inside, and was originally intended as an April Fool’s joke.
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Project spotlight: a snapshop of some Of our current projects CUSTOM HOME - BEAVER LAKE
CUSTOM HOME - CROSS CREEK, ROGERS
CUSTOM HOME - FAYETTEVILLE
CUSTOM HOME - ROGERS
HOME REMODEL - FAYETTEVILLE
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Superstar Client of the Month
Christmas Quote
Congratulations to Dustin and Lora Murphy of Fayetteville! Dustin and Lora have earned Superstar Client status this month for their easy-going attitude throughout the entire home renovation process, and for their great eye for design. Here’s what Dustin and Lora have to say about our company: “We are pleased with the work that GB Group put forth. The final product really reflects the vision we had for our home. We love it! Thank you guys! We are so grateful for you and appreciate your business!
“Christmas, my child is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas. -- Dale Evans
Must Read Book of the Month THE CHARGE
Brendon Burchard
In The Charge, Brendon Burchard, top motivational expert, asserts that even in a restless, overworked and sometimes mundane world, it is possible to live an extraordinary life. Brendon argues that the only way to measurably improve the quality of life is to learn how to activate the 10 drives that make you most human. These drives are your desires for more control, competence, congruence, caring, connection, change, challenge, creative expression, contribution, and consciousness. Highly recommended for people who are looking to boost motivation and want to be more effective. I’m about half-way through this book and I am really enjoying it. Heidi Tankersley
TALK WITH TANK (He’s a tank full of information.) Hello happy clients and friends! Most of you know me, but if not, I’m Jacob Tankersley, home builder, husband, father, business owner, entrepreneur, and avid hunter. My family consists of myself, my wife, two children, and a Golden Retriever, Drake.
And now, for your Talk
With Tank...
Today, I want to talk with you about building codes. Building codes are a set of rules that specify the minimum standards in construction for safety, health, and general welfare, including structural integrity, mechanical integrity (including sanitation, water supply, light, and ventilation), fire prevention and control, and energy conservation. Today most building regulations throughout the United States are based on the Uniform Building Code, which was established by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) in 1927. The Uniform Building Code’s stated purpose is to prevent people from being hurt physically or financially by providing minimum uniform standards of building construction. Building codes generally include: •
• • • •
Standards for structure, placement, size, usage, wall assemblies, fenestration size/locations, egress rules, size/location of rooms, foundations, floor assemblies, roof structures/assemblies, energy efficiency, stairs and halls, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, site drainage & storage, appliance, lighting, fixtures standards, occupancy rules, and swimming pool regulations. Rules regarding parking and traffic impact. Fire code rules to minimize the risk of a fire and to ensure safe evacuation in the event of such an emergency. Requirements for earthquake (seismic code), hurricane, flood, and tsunami resistance, especially in disaster prone areas or for very large buildings. Requirements for specific building uses (for example, storage of flammable substances, or housing a large number of people).
For more information about how we build our custom homes, visit our blog at: www.BuildWithGBGroup.com/blog
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Questions & Answers
You ask the Q, We give you the A
Q: What are the key measurements and rules to add a pool table to our bonus room?
A:
Pool tables are available in several sizes, and the most common ones are designated as 9, 8 and 7-foot. The actual dimensions are as follows: 9-ft.: 5’2” in. x 9’4’’ in. 8-ft.: 4’8” in. x 8”4’ in. 7-ft.: 4’2” in. x 7”4’ in. All tables are 30 in. high and need a clear space above the table of at least 30 in. from hanging light fixtures. You will need at least 5 ft. clear around the table and next to walls with an addition of 2 ft. or more when placed next to other furnishings such as another game table. Considering the overall size of the pool table and the area required to function, you may need as much as 300 square feet dedicated to it. The floor must be level, and it will need to support as much as 3,000 pounds, the weight of a traditional wooden pool table. Provide diffused lighting with a rating of 375 lumens on the playing surface, which is about three 150-watt incandescent bulbs. Sharp shadows and fluorescent lighting should be avoided. Cues are about four to six feet long, and the rack is about a twelve-oinch triangle. Have a location to store these conveniently within or near the table. Do YOU have a question? Submit your Q to contact@BuildWithGBGroup.com to have it answered.
RIDDLE CONTEST! BE THE FIRST TO ANSWER THIS RIDDLE & WIN A
$5 Starbucks Gift Card
THE RIDDLE: What can you catch but not throw?
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TO PLAY: Call or email now with the answer to the above riddle. Whoever responds first with the correct answer, wins! Call 479.464.7336 or email contact@ BuildWithGBGroup.com (If calling after hours, leave a message. We will honor whoever contacts us first.) All ages can play!!!
Fun and Interesting Facts About Christmas
1. KFC is such a popular place at Christmas that customers must place their orders two months in advance to get food on Dec. 25th. 2. An artificial Christmas tree would have to be reused for more than 20 years to be “greener” than buying a fresh-cut tree annually. 3. Charles Dickens grew up during a “Little Ice Age.” It snowed for each of his first 8 Christmases, and many say it influenced his writing greatly, potentially shaping culture to believe the ideal Christmas included snowy weather, or a “White Christmas.” 4. During Christmas time, Visa Cards are used 5,340 in average every minute. 5. Jingle Bells was the first song sung in space. 6. The world’s largest Christmas present was the Statue of Liberty. The French gave it to the US in 1886. It is 46.5 meters high and weights 225 tons! 7. According to the Guinness world records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was a 221-foot Douglas fir that was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington. 8. The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in Mexico, where it is also known as the “Flower of the Holy Night.” Joel Poinsett first brought it to America in 1829. 9. Artificial Christmas trees have outsold real ones since 1991. 10. More than 330,000 real Christmas trees are sold via e-commerce or catalogs. 11. If you received all the gifts from the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” you would have 364 presents. 12. One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
VOCABULARY
Word of THE month loquacious Adjective
1. Apt to talk too much; talkative.
Sentence example:
She had hoped to read quietly on the plane, but the loquacious salesman in the next seat made it nearly impossible.
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Home Building Process ...cont. from page 1 INSPECTIONS 2, 3 and 4: Rough framing, plumbing and electrical and mechanical systems are inspected for compliance with building codes. Most likely these will be three different inspections. 4. Install insulation: Insulation plays a key role in creating a more comfortable, consistent indoor climate while significantly improving a home’s energy efficiency. One of the most important qualities of insulation is its thermal performance or R-value, which indicates how well the material resists heat transfer. Most homes are insulated in all exterior walls, as well as the attic and any floors that are located above unfinished basements or crawl spaces. Sometimes the insulation will need to be inspected as well. The most common types of insulation used in new homes are fiberglass, cellulose and foam. Blanket insulation, which comes in batts or rolls, is typical in new-home construction. So is loose-fill and blown-in insulation, which is made of fiberglass, cellulose or mineral-wool particles. Another insulation option, liquid foam, can be sprayed, foamed-in-place, injected or poured. While it costs more than traditional batt insulation, liquid foam has twice the R-value per inch and can fill the smallest cavities, creating an effective air barrier. At this stage, drywall is delivered to the building site. 5. Complete drywall and interior textures; start exterior finishes: Drywall is hung and taped so the seams between the boards aren’t visible, and drywall texturing (if applicable) is completed. The primer coat of paint is also applied after taping is complete. Contractors begin installing exterior finishes such as brick, stucco, stone and siding. 6. Finish interior trim; install exterior driveways and walkways: Interior doors, baseboards, door casings, window sills, moldings, stair balusters and other decorative trim are installed, along with cabinets, vanities and fireplace mantels and surrounds. Walls get a finish coat of paint and are wallpapered where applicable. Generally, exterior driveways, walkways and patios are formed at this stage. Many builders prefer to wait until the end of the project before pouring the driveway because heavy equipment (such as a drywall delivery truck) can damage concrete. But some builders pour the driveway as soon as the foundation is completed so that when homeowners visit the construction site, they won’t get their shoes muddy. 7. Install hard-surface flooring and countertops; complete exterior grading: Ceramic tile, vinyl and wood flooring are installed as well as countertops. Exterior finish grading is completed to ensure proper drainage away from the home and prepare the yard for landscaping. 8. Finish mechanical trims; install bathroom fixtures: Light fixtures, outlets and switches are installed and the electrical panel is completed. HVAC equipment is installed and registers completed. Sinks, toilets and faucets are put in place. 9. Install mirrors, shower doors and finish flooring; finish exterior landscaping: Mirrors, shower doors and carpeting are installed, and final cleanup takes place. Trees, shrubs and grass are planted and other exterior landscaping completed. INSPECTION #5: A building-code official completes a final inspection and issues a certificate of occupancy (C.O.). If any defects are found during this inspection, a follow-up inspection may be scheduled to ensure that they’ve been corrected. 10. Final walkthrough: Your builder will walk you through your new home to acquaint you with its features and the operation of various systems and components, and explain your responsibilities for maintenance and upkeep as well as warranty coverage and procedures. This is often referred to as a pre-settlement walkthrough. It’s also an opportunity to spot items that need to be corrected or adjusted, so be attentive and observant. Examine the surfaces of countertops, fixtures, floors and walls for possible damage. For more information visit our website at www.BUILDWITHGBGROUP.com
TIME IS ALMOST UP! Our 2014 Referral Contest is wrapping up soon! We’ll be doing one last drawing this year for DINNER & MOVIE FOR TWO. And of course, THE APPLE IPAD DRAWING IS QUICKLY APPROACHING! For every referral you give, you earn 1 entry into our Grand Prize, end-of-year drawing for an Apple Ipad Mini. It’s happening at the end of this month, so get referring! We’re grateful for your support! Starting in 2015, we launch yet another exciting round of referral contests! Thank you for sharing our name with others.
GB GROUP CONSTRUCTION. PHONE 479.464.7336. BuildWithGBGroup.com
We wish each of you a blessed Christmas and a fantastic start to your New Year. Thank you for reading this month’s newsletter! As we move into 2015, don’t forget to continue to tell others about our company to earn more chances at winning a free IPAD, and free DINNER & MOVIE FOR TWO! We’re always so grateful when you pass our name along. Call us for your Custom Home Building and Large Home Renovation Needs.
GB GROUP CONSTRUCTION Phone: 479.464.7336. PO BOX 7734 - Springdale, AR 72766 BuildWithGBGroup.com
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GB GROUP CONSTRUCTION CUSTOM HOMES AND RENOVATIONS P.O. Box 7734 Springdale, AR 72766
Connect With Us.
merry christmas!
Many Blessings To you and Your family. Much Love, The Tankersleys
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GB Group Construction | P.O. Box 7734 Springdale, AR 72766 479-464-7336 | www.BuildWithGBGroup.com