Backyard pools, covered porches, and outdoor kitchens are great assets to any home and can provide hours of outside entertainment. Have you ever considered enjoying the outdoors from the inside of your home — a blending of the outside and inside? Architect Sarah Susanka, author of “The Not So Big House” says, “… a home does not stand separate from its surroundings.” Custom home designs carefully incorporate the transition between the interior and exterior through effective use of glass doors and windows. Unfortunately, this design detail is not commonly found in older homes. This does NOT mean you are prohibited from bringing the outdoors in if you have an older home. Through a well-designed alteration and the incorporation of creative door products, you can transform your home, creating flexibility of use, enhanced views, and larger open-air spaces.
There are many options to consider. A folding glass wall, pocketing sliding glass doors, patio doors, or a set of French doors can help you achieve your project goals. One option can be as easy as converting existing window space into operating doors. Selecting a good contractor and designer is your first step. These professionals will help you understand the construction pros and cons, cost considerations, and will help you decide on the best fit for your home.
A popular approach is the NanaWall, an engineered folding door system that will collapse to one end and provide a flexible use of space while inviting the outdoors in. The NanaWall can be used in many applications; 90-degree converging corners, curved walls, and straight walls. It provides a clean design and easily blends the outside and inside of your home. The NanaWall is Energy Star rated, which designates superior energy performance and high efficiency. Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors offers a similar folding door system, yet gives a little more variety in interior and exterior finishes.
Pocketing sliding glass doors are commonly used, especially in new construction. Although they can achieve benefits similar to folding doors, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes prefers other systems to the aluminum frames and the wide guide track which has to be stepped over. Sliding French doors and hinged Patio doors are a great alternative to other systems. They can be assembled together in many different combinations to meet every need or desire. Pella windows and doors are our personal favorites if your budget does not allow for the NanaWall.
Like NanaWall and Jeld-Wen, Pella offers many different styles and colors. However, they also have other features such as blinds or shades between the panes of glass, retractable screens, and multi-point locking systems. These doors and windows are very energy efficient and boast very low solar heat gain coefficients. We can personally attest to the excellent customer service which accompanies these fine products.
Like any alteration to your home, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes encourages you to select your contractor and allow them to work with their own engineer or architect. We prefer to work with our engineer closely to determine the different options for the project and to provide any input that will help save job cost. We call this value engineering. There are many different ways to accomplish the same goals. We believe the person responsible for the construction should be involved from the very beginning. More often, the customer secures the architect or engineer, completes the drawings and then begins their search for the contractor. You will have a much more successful project if you select a builder who is knowledgeable in structures and engineering and has a good relationship with the professional responsible for the drawings. When starting your search for the right licensed contractor, look for one who specializes in structural alterations and has good references (be sure to call each one). The National Association of Homebuilders (https://www.nahb.org/) is a good source to begin your search for a local contractor.
As we embrace the warmer season and the beauty which Mother Nature provides, it’s the perfect time to renovate your home and…Welcome the Outdoors In!
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