Here at WMB CONSTRUCTION we pride ourselves in on time quality work here in the Hudson Valley, NY. For all your needs we are here for you! Based out of Monroe, NY; we are your one stop construction company. With that being said, yor home has many needs; roof, siding, kitchen, bathroom, patios, drainage, garage door, finished basement, egress window, anderson windows, pella windows, decks, remodeling, painting, flooring, staining.......etc!
We perform all phases of construction and home remodeling all over Orange County, NY Most of our work is close based due to word of mouth recomendations with repeat customers. We like establishing trust within our customers that lasts a lifetime.
Adding an egress window to your home is an excellent idea, opening up your basement to fresh air and light and most importantly the safety of your family and your pets. Across the country it has become a national code and all homes must pass inspection and have an egress window if your basement is finished.
Requirements for an egress window:
Window must be 5.7 square feet
Window must have a clear opening of 20"
Window must be at least 24" in height
Window well must be 9 square feet interior dimensions
Sill height of window from inside floor of basement must not exceed 44"
Height inside window well must not exceed 44"
If inside/outside heights exceed 44", a ladder must be installed
Window must be operatable by hand with no tools
Bars on the outside of window will not be acceptable
Garage doors are not an acceptable exit
What are the benefits of adding an egress window?:
First off, the safety of your family and loved ones
Better ventilation because we all know basements can be stuffy and moist
Added natural light which makes for a better and more heathly atmosphere
If your basement is't finished this is a great way go get material in
Added value to your home
Here at WMBCONSTRUCTION we specialize in installing egress windows and all windows around the beautiful Hudson Valley in Monroe, NY. We know what your home means to you and mainly the safety of your family. These codes were put in play for a reason and even in our home town of Orange County, NY we have seen how they have helped save lives during a fire and at the same time improve everyday live when there is no tragedy.
Here in the northeast we can experience some pretty brutal winters that can leave our homes at high risk if you don't have a good roof. The strongest part of your home may be the foundation but without a adequate roof, your home is worthless! Crippling snowstorms are very common in our area and the weight load of snow on our roofs can result in collaspe of your roof, as we have just seen in Buffalo, NY
Another common problem is ice damming. Ice damming occurs when heat loss from your home due to inadequate insulation melts snow and it freezes when it reaches the soffit of your home. As ice forms water backs up under the shingles causing major water damage to the interior of your home.
A poor roof can leave a home with very little value due to the damage it can do. Sometimes the damage can go unnoticed for years until it is too late! Rot and mildew can run rampant if issues aren't corrected quickly and efficiently!
What are the risks of a poor roof?:
Interior water damage
Rotten wood
Dry rot
Mold/mildew
Health problems
Allergies
Termites
Carpenter ants
Roof collapse
With a new roof replacement you want to do it right. New architectural shingles on the market are rated for 30 yrs. Thats a long time but if not installed correctly, roof will fail!!!
Remodeling a home can be a very costly venture. Homeowners looking to add value to their homes may try to add upgrades or renovate entire sections of their homes to make them more marketable. Not all home upgrades and renovations are worth spending your hard-earned money on, though. Here is a look at five ways to make your home renovation worth the money and effort you put into it.
Your roof is the main component of your home. Without a good roof your house will remain worthless. A new roof is always a great investment because no bank ever wants to get involved in loaning money for a home that isn't protected. A poor roof can also increase your chances for mold and mildew build up due to leaking water that can cause health ailments and thousands in damage.
Signs that you need a new roof:
Algae growth on shingles
Damaged flashing
Buckling of sheathing under shingles
Curling of shingles
Blistering of shingles
Missing shingles
Ceiling spots inside of your home
Missing granules on shingles
Evidence of rotting
Your bathroom isone of the most frequented rooms in your home. It is the room where you freshen up everyday and take care of your personal hygiene. Bathroom remodels have been known to return 30-40% on your initial investment when you sell. Nobody wants to move into a home knowing that the bathroom is in need of complete renovation and will in most cases pay more for the home with a good finished bathroom remodel.
Signs that you might need a bathroom remodel:
Visual evidence of mold and mildew build up
Soft spots on floor/and or walls(may indicate rot which could be serious if not addressed)
Leaking water
Musty smell
Grout missing in many areas
Your Kitchen is the most frequented room in your home. It brings family together and is the heart of every home. The kitchen is usually the first room you see in a house, so with that being said, it is the most important. I have seen returns as high a 50% on real nice kitchen remodels. The first thing you want to do when selling is knock your buyer off their feet and you can do this with a good quality kitchen.
Signs you might need a new kitchen:
Soft spots on floors
Cabinets are delaminating
Cabinets are faded
Circuit breakers keep tripping when you plug in appliances
Mold and mildew build up
Decks are always a great benefit to any home. Outdoor living and entertaining is on a rise and each year the demand keeps rising for these projects. It creates a personal oaisis and tranquility right in your backyard. It is a guaranteed investment that you and your family can enjoy for years and still have return at the end.
Signs you might need a new deck:
Deck surface is splintering
Deck bounces or sways when walking on it
Railings are loose and wobbly
Finished basementsare key to any home. Unfinished it adds no square footage or value to your home. A nice finished basement will most likely have any male interested in purchasing your home know it has beautiful hideaway known as "The Man Cave"! But besides that it creates a great area for entertaining or even just a playroom for the kids. The ideas can become endless when designing your basement. You can add a bathroom, bar, play areas, pool table, etc.!!! A definate asset to your home. Right off the bat when listing your home your square footage will increase by 600-1000 which equals big gains.
Why you might want to remodel your basement:
Added square footage
Added value
Creates entertaining/playing area
When performing any remodel it is important to pay attention to detail and quality! The sight of a poor install can have adverse affects on your return. While all these recommended projects can be costly, I advise customers to set up a five to ten year plan to save and complete these projects for your enjoyment and to increase the value of your largest investment, your home!
Egress windows are essentially fire escape windows installed in finished basements. It is a national code that enstates that all finished basements must have a window of 5.7 sq. ft., no more than 44 inches to the sill height and 22 inch clear opening to be able to escape in case of an emergency.
A recent egress window installation byWMB Constructionwhere we removed the sliding glass door, which had water/flooding issues, and installed a window.
Here we closed in the block foundation and added a footing drain to relieve water pressure. Foundation will be tarred and backfilled with lots of 3/4" gravel to keep the water moving.
All parging is complete and window looks like it has always been there. A little paint to match is all the customer needs once concrete has cured. Water issues were corrected to keep this basement dry while also conforming to building codes.
Benefits by installing an egress window:
Added ventilation to your basement
Added natural light which helps prevent growth of mold and mildew
Peace in mind that your loved ones will be protected and safe from harms way
Water is a powerfully force of nature that we we all deal from land, sea and air. It is responsible for billions of dollars in damages each year but mainly we are focused here on your home and the essentials of proper drainage. Every home built by national code requires footing drains to installed to remove any unwanted water from your foundation walls and footings. Without the application of footing drains you run the high risk of water infiltration and potential water pressure buildup that can potentially stress the integrity of your structure causing immense damage. Hydrostatic pressure is one of natures most powerful forces to your home where raising ground waters push up surrounding first under your home and keeps rising to your foundation walls. Between ground water and runoff combined the water psi keeps rising putting great strain on homes structure. Footing drains greatly reduce the amount of water around your home and removes water before it can cause potential damage.
What is a footing drain?
Footing drains essentially remove water from around the perimeter of your homes foundation. Hydrostatic pressure against your foundation walls and basement floor can reach a staggering 33,000 psi. If not relieved it has the potential to cause major damage and complete failure to your foundation and interior of basement. Most common signs of footing drain failure is to look for evidence of water infiltration. This can be noticed where interior foundation wall meets concrete floor. To fix failing footing drains, the footing drains must be excavated from the exterior of foundation to install new corrugated pipes, filtration system and aggregate.
What is a curtain drain?
Curtain drains are essentially trenches filled with gravel covering perforated pipe acting like a gutter system to remove unwanted water away from your home. The trench is lined with filter fabric to ensure that the perforated pipe with remain free of clogs from dirt and silt over the years.
Why you might need a curtain drain:
Areas of your property where you have unwanted water pooling
Water issues in your basement(curtain drains work great in conjunction with you homes footing drains)
Remove water away from retaining walls and driveways
With any drainage project performed byWMB Construction, we always use more gravel than necessary. Gravel is natural drainage that quickly moves water from your perforated pipe and away from your home. Many drainage contractors skip this step leaving your curtain drain system practically useless in years to come as the dirt and silt infiltrates your corrugated pipe clogging it.
How we install a curtain drain:
Dig a trench 18"-24" deep in the ground(extreme water conditions near foundations may go as deep as homes footing)
Line trench with filter fabric
Install a 4" perforated pipe in ground pitched out to daylight(some applications with nowhere to drain water, a dry well may need to be installed)
An egress window is a window that is required in specific locations in a dwelling and is intended to provide an emergency means of exiting a dwelling. Windows must meet specific size and requirements to qualify as an egress window.
WHERE ARE EGRESS WINDOWS REQUIRED?
Egress windows are required in every room used for sleeping purposes (bedrooms) on any floor and in basements with habitable space. If you are constructing a new home, the code requires that you put an egress window in each bedroom. It also requires an egress window in the basement if habitablerooms will be finished in the basement. If you install a basement bedroom or bedrooms, an egress window is required in each bedroom. If you have an existing home and you add a sleeping room in an unfinished basement, the code requires that you install an egress window in the sleeping room or rooms.
WHAT ARE SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EGRESS
WINDOW?
An egress window must satisfy four International Residential Code (IRC) criteria:
• Minimum width of opening: 20 in.
• Minimum height of opening: 24 in.
• Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 sq. ft. (5.0 sq. ft. for ground floor).
• Maximum sill height above floor: 44 in
The window must have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft. Net clear opening refers to the actual free and clear space that exists when the window is open. It is not the rough opening size or the glass panel size, but the actual opening a person can crawl through.
The window opening must be operational from the inside without keys or tools. Bars, grilles and grates may be installed over windows but must be operational without tools or keys and still allow the minimum clear opening.
You might assume that a 20-in. by 24-in. window would be acceptable for egress. However, those dimensions would yield a net clear opening of only 3.3 sq. ft. To achieve the required net clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft., a 20-in. wide window would have to be 42 in. high. Likewise, a 24-in. high window would have to be 34 in. wide.
What do you gain by installing an egress window?
Added safety for you and your loved oned
Better air circulation in your basement creating a better enviroment to eliminate mold and mildew issues
Added natural light
No issues with your building department(especially if you are selling)
Has heavy rainfall and snow melt left your basement unlivable? As the water tables rises, so does the water in your basement? Ever wonder why this is happening? Most likely your footing drains are failing. As water tables rise from the ground up it needs somewhere to be relieved and with poor drainage you will experience what is called hydrostatic pressure. Water will penetrate to the path of least resistance, usually cracks in foundation and/or floor. Signs of a failing footing drain is usually dampness in the corner of concrete floof and wall Footing drains are designed to catch unwanted water from rising water tables. When installed correctly they will quickly remove water from your footings and foundation before it can penetrate into your basement. Over the years footing drains and foundation coatings will fail resulting in a complete replacement of your drainage system.
When caught early enough damage to you home will be minimized. Water is the #1 most expensive costs every year due to the catastrophic nature that water can cause. It can range from a small leak (lots of times hidden behind walls for years) to major flooding. It creates toxic mold and mildew that can travel trough your entire home, rot wood and attract carpenter ants and termites, destroy your belongs,etc.........
How WMB Construction fixed the problem:
Excavated the old footing drains
Installed 30 feet of curtain drain
Installed approx. 40 tons of gravel
Installed filter fabric around gravel
Installed 4" PVC corrugated pipe for footing and curtain drains
Installed filter fabric sock over 4" schedule 40 corrugated pipe
Installed 4" PVC solid pipe for gutters to remove water away from foundation
Applied tar foundation coating on foundation walls
Poor footing drains will result in:
Loss of home value
Mold and mildew issues
Damage to your possessions
Constant flooding
Foundation deterioration
Allergies and respiratory ailments
Wet rotten wood that can attract carpenter ants and termites
Adding a curtain drain also helps relieve a great deal of water off of the property. The idea is to try and catch some of the water before it reaches the footing drains.
Why would you need a curtain drain:
Excessive water effecting your footing drains
Wet areas on your lawn where you need to transfer water
In ground gutter to remove water from your property
What you gain by using WMB Construction for your next footing drain project:
We supersede the competition by overdoing every project with extra material and labor that over qualifies with current codes
Work one job at a time so you can get back to your regular life
Experience in the trade
Many homes new and old all have water issues. Instead of living with it, fix it! Some water issues can be so bad that your entire foundation could lose its integrity and collapse leaving you with thousands in repairs.
Just as an example, WMB Construction had to remove this damaged section of foundation due to water pressure buildup. Do you know that water pressure can reach 33,000 lbs. per square foot on your foundation walls? This could be enough to severely damage your foundation walls, as you can see!!
You may be interested in enhancing the exterior of your home and vinyl siding is the first thing that comes to mind. Vinyl siding offers your home a complete transformation in a matter of weeks. With a variety of colors and styles available on the market the options become endless. With the wrong installation the problems can be endless too!
Vinyl siding benefits:
Instant added value to your home
Maintenance free home
Added insulating values
Home protected from the elements
Installing vinyl siding should be left in the hands of a professional. Poor installations can leave you with thousands of dollars in damage. The sad part is that most customers are unaware what is right and what is wrong. In the end the customer will suffer.
Problems due to poor installations:
Water damage
Dry rot
Termites
Carpenter ants
Blown off siding
Buckled siding
The #1 problem in a poor siding job is overlooking flashing. A good contractor will foresee any water issues and correct the problem before it is a problem. I have seen it way too often when flashing was install incorrectly. Nobody will see the results until the real damage has been done.
A quality siding job consists of:
Removal of old siding to expose any damage and ensure proper nailing of new siding
Tyvek paper and/or styrofoam instalation
Proper flashing installation
Good quality vinyl siding that carries wind ratings and a thick mil rating
Quality aluminum bending that leaves no open voids for water penetration.
Quality caulking. Leave caulking to a minimum and where necessary be clean and neat. All caulking will eventually shrink and discolor.
Pressure bends on aluminum facias will strenghten and help eliminate wavy facias.
Make your home transform into the home of your dreams!!!
Most of my customers are not to familiar with the word "egress". It is a term that mostly defines a fire escape window in your homes basement that acts as an exit in case of an emergency. It is the most effective way to move you and your loved ones out of harms way in case tragedy does occur. Can you imagine your loved ones trapped under fire with nowhere to go? Horrible thought but it happens more often then you can imagine.
What you Risk by not having an egress window:
In time of a possible tragedy, you and your loved ones need to be able to escape
National building codes require egress windows so if tragedy occurs, you will be held at fault.
When you sell, most building departments will require installation of an egress window.(not doing so will most likely create huge delays in closing dates)
Within a few days we will cleanly dig and cut your foundation out for your newly installed egress window. With many installs under our belt, we have perfected installing egress windows with minimal dust and damage. Most contractors cut from the inside- out, we have perfected a technique from the outside-in that brings dust levels to extreme lows. Cutting on the inside reduces dust contents to an extreme low leaving your home virtually free of contaminating particles. Cutting inside will create enormous dust up to three stories high. It is kind of amazing where concrete dust will travel!
The ground has been excavated and concrete removed from the outside. This is a huge part of performing a quality and clean job when performing an egress window. You cannot believe the damage that can be done by hiring an unexperienced contractor for a project like this. Dust control is priority as well as maintaining the integrity of your foundation.
Egress windows will also enhance your basement:
More natural light
Better ventilation
Less mold and mildew
Makes rooms appear larger
Egress windows are a huge investment to your home. From protection to enhancement, think about what you will gain! It is one of the projects in your home you think the least about, but will have one of the biggest effects in the future!
I have to say, most of my calls for egress windows come from home sales that hold up closings for weeks or maybe months. You may have bought your home years ago and during inspection it was overlooked! The new codes have building departments all over enforcing it, and you may/or may not get away with it. If you are looking to sell, do your research ahead of time because the building department can make the closing process painful and costly for both buyer and seller! Most delays range from 3 weeks to a couple of months!
On the other hand, look into the safety and benefits an egress window will add to your home. Pound per penny, it is a wise investment.
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