Bay Area home remodeling contractor and custom homebuilder Wm. H. Fry Construction Company was honored with Columbia Forest Products first PureBond® Quality Award at the International Woodworking Fair on August 22, 2012. A custom kitchen remodel in Cupertino California received second place in the Residential Kitchen & Bath category among over 850 PureBond® Fabricator Network eligible members. Columbia’s formaldehyde-free PureBond® technology exceeds the California Air Resources Board (CARB) rule for formaldehyde in pressed wood products to promote good indoor air quality and is the natural choice for today’s health-conscious homeowner.

The winning kitchen design features vertical grain veneer that is matched from the crown moulding to the cabinet base. A challenge for this gourmet kitchen design was to maximize usable space while retaining the original footprint. This was achieved through detailed planning and installing both custom and purchased storage solutions.

“The PureBond Quality Awards is a way for Columbia Forest Products to recognize the world-class work being produced by our PureBond Fabricator Network members,” said Director of Marketing Todd Vogelsinger. “We’ve created a partnership of craftsmen who build quality custom woodwork for residential and commercial clients using our flagship PureBond brand of hardwood plywood.” The criterion for the winners was simply demonstrating “quality” use of PureBond hardwood plywood.

The panel of PureBond Quality Awards judges included Dave Grulke, the Executive Director of the Cabinet Makers Association; William Sampson, editor of CabinetMaker+FDM Magazine; Eric Pfeiffer, an award-winning product designer and co-author of “Bent Ply: The Art of Plywood Furniture;” and Ana White, a designer who posts free furniture plans featuring simple designs, standard materials, and fresh modern styles.

Wm. H. Fry Construction Company
Columbia Forest Products
Award-Winning Kitchen on YouTube

The Contractor’s Wife on the Award Process
This Bay Area high-end kitchen remodel was the first project I’ve ever submitted to get an award and I was thrilled that Bill Fry was recognized for his fine work at the International Woodworking Fair. I first got interested in awards when Bill’s company was honored with an international award at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference in 2010 for Best Renovated or Restored House. The architect went through all the work of hiring a magazine-quality photographer, submitting the project as per requirements, and paying the fee – we found out about it at submission time. And our company name was on top because the award was issued by a builder’s conference, not an architect’s conference!

Then I did some research on awards. Most awards have steep requirements: great photos, a detailed submission in a binder, a fee, and a costly membership to a professional organization (such as ASID, NAHB, AIA, NKBA, NARI, etc…; for example, joining NARI costs $530 and applying for an award costs $160). I even took a free seminar on how to apply for awards and was overwhelmed by the cost in both time and money. I’ve also collaborated with a couple of publications for articles about Bill Fry, Green Build & Design and Palo Alto Weekly, to name a couple. The process is quite time consuming.

When I got an email on the Columbia Forest Products award and learned that it was free to participate and only required emailing photos along with 500 words in 3 paragraphs, I figured let’s give it a whirl. I already had photographs of an interesting recent project. But we had plenty of other projects that I thought were better than the one we submitted. So my point is that when you see that a building professional has awards, they’ve not only done good work, but they’ve worked really hard on the process of getting those awards. You’ll also find plenty of professionals who are content doing great work and their reward is the project, not the plaque. Anyway, now we have this cool plaque printed on Purebond Plywood, of course!!!

Here are the 3 paragraphs that I submitted for the award according to instructions:
A Woodworker’s Custom Kitchen
The Wm. H. Fry Construction Company is a fine home remodeling and custom home building firm. Our own cabinetry shop evolved from a desire by one of our employee’s to return to his roots in cabinetmaking along with a need to provide exceptional service to our discerning clientele. Our company began with Bill Fry, who started his career building hillside homes. Shortly after obtaining his general contractor’s license, Bill met subcontractor Jim, a cabinetmaker. As Bill and Jim’s complimentary skills promoted collaboration on more projects, Jim sold his shop and joined our company to manage finish work and render working drawings for cabinet fabrication by partner shops. To expedite smaller projects, Jim would build a vanity or a fireplace surround in a modest shop. His exacting standards led to increasingly complex projects and equipment purchases. The shop now includes a Delta Unisaw, Powermatic Shaper, Powermatic Jointer, JET Edge Sander, Festool Panel Saw, Quality Vakuum Products Veneer Press, and an Oneida Pro dust collector. Because we have a cabinet specialist on board from project inception, our projects are fully integrated with cabinet design. While we continue to work with partner shops, about half of our clients request our artisanal cabinetry.

As an example in December 2011, our client, a physicist by profession and hobbyist woodworker / gourmet chef wanted a new kitchen that enhanced his own quarter-sawn oak floor with a herringbone pattern and walnut border. Jim and our client selected sheets of Anigre veneer at Exotic Hardwoods & Veneers in Oakland, CA. The veneers on the finished cabinets match from top to bottom, including the crown moulding. Our client designed and fabricated the cabinet pulls and handles. Towel handles by the cooktop feature a stainless steel inlay to protect the wood. A major project challenge was to retain the existing footprint while making the best use of space to accommodate a 25-year collection of cookware. To that end, we:
•raised the ceiling to add space to the cabinets (and more light)
•maximized drawer widths while clearing cooktop knobs and cabinet pulls
•optimized cabinet access by dividing a cabinet door
•designed drawers and storage for specific uses
•purchased products such as Blum Blumotion drawer glides for full extension of drawers and Hafele hardware, such as a Lazy Susan, Magic Corner, and trash can pull out with foot pedal for accessibility

As a woodworker, our client wanted the best available plywood for his casework, which meant choosing Columbia Forest Products Hardwood Plywood (maple-faced for interiors). In addition, this project is located in Cupertino, a Tree City USA community; home to the largest Whole Foods store on the West Coast; and headquarters to technology giant Apple computer. In a culture that embraces the environment and elegant technological solutions, choosing Purebond plywood products by Columbia Forest Products, winner of an EPA green chemistry award, was a natural choice. Our client delights in the fact that his new kitchen exceeds every standard, including the stringent California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde limits, thanks to Purebond Technology.

Our Bay Area home addition in Los Gatos has inspired a feature story on houzz.com. While our projects have been mentioned in at least 34 houzz home improvement articles, until now, we’ve never had an entire story written about one of our projects. This one is a small but mighty remodel of an extra long garage that was converted into a “pool cabana,”or pool house / guest house: Junk Storing Garage Becomes a Cabana Getaway

Slideshow of Bay Area Home Addition featured on Houzz:

When I went to get this project photographed, I didn’t want to leave! The radiant heat is very welcoming. I have to agree with Bill’s radiant heat specialist, that hydronic heating provides a level of comfort you just can’t get from forced air. I love the Porcelanosa Parker Wood tile the homeowner selected; it looks like wood but conducts heat better than wood and you don’t have to worry about wet feet from the pool. The pattern on the tile somehow makes it feel as though it has more give than regular tile as well.

Anyway, check out the story below. Becky from houzz did a masterful job at putting the feature together (better than I did on our website). Here’s my short version of this Bay Area home addition. Another twist on this story is that when houzz approached me about putting the story up, I thought the story would benefit from an interview with the homeowner. Most houzz stories are written from the perspective of the architect, interior designer, or contractor. Since it published, I’ve gotten a ton of inquiries on the story and photos, which resulted in lots of new tags on the photos. I have to say that our client had impeccable taste in pulling the project together.

All licensed general contractors in the State of California are required to have a Contractor’s Bond in the amount of $12,500. The bond is filed for the benefit of consumers who may be damaged as a result of defective construction or other license law violations, and for the benefit of employees who have not been paid wages that are due to them.

You might be surprised to learn that the common phrase “licensed, bonded, insured” is not permitted on promotional materials! Contractors are forbidden by law to advertise the fact that they are bonded as it could lead the public to believe there is a higher level of protection than might be the case.

To learn more about the nuts and bolts of bonds, here’s a guest article from Sara Aisenberg (thanks Sara for all this great information and your time!):

Sara Aisenberg is the executive writer for SuretyBonds.com Facebook site, one of the nation’s leading surety providers and an expert in the contractor bonding industry. As part of SuretyBonds.com’s educational outreach program, Sara helps consumers and professionals alike understand the importance of surety bonds in a number of industries, such as contractor bonding.

As a project owner, you obviously want to protect the investments you make in a construction project. Fortunately, there’s a great way you can verify whether you’re working with reliable construction professionals. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) of California requires contractors in the State of California to be licensed before they can legally practice their trade. A requirement for obtaining a license is a surety bond, which is a special type of insurance policy used to guarantee professional performance and keep project owners from losing their investments.

What is a Surety Bond?
A surety bond is a legally enforceable contract that binds together three separate parties.

1. The contractor that buys the contractor surety bond is the principal party.
2. The state agency that requires the contractor to purchase the surety bond is the obligee party.
3. The company that provides the contractor surety bond is the surety party.

By purchasing a Contractor’s Surety Bond a California contractor promises to fulfill the bond’s terms, which state that the contractor will perform jobs ethically and in accordance with the law.

Whom does a Contractor Surety Bond Protect?
Contractor bonds protect you, the project owner. When it comes to hiring a California contractor, you need to be sure that the professional you hire is licensed and bonded. Why? Because by having a surety bond, the contractor pledges to the state of California that he will complete jobs according to licensing laws and other industry regulations. With a bond in place, this pledge is then made to you when you hire the contractor.

In the event that the contractor you hire does not adhere to the regulations of the bond and the state of California, the surety bond protects you and the state from suffering the consequent losses (financial and otherwise).

How do I Know if a Contractor is Bonded?
It’s mandatory for all California contractors to have a surety bond before they be licensed to legally work in the state, so all licensed contractors you interview should be bonded. To verify that a contractor’s license is valid and that his bond is up to date, ask to see his credentials or consult the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

Although all contractors who wish to practice business legally will be bonded and licensed, a contractor license bond does not guarantee that a contractor will execute a job well. To ensure that your expectations are met and that your construction project is completed to your liking, meet with a number of contractors before you decide on the one you’d like to hire. With the qualified contractor’s expertise and his legal obligation to ethically perform his job, the cards are in place for you to love the outcome of your construction project.

The kitchen pendant lighting above is in a home remodel in Saratoga, CA

Pendant lighting is an attractive way to add light to your kitchen island or kitchen bar area. While small pendant lights are typically installed in threes, larger pendant light fixtures are more often seen in pairs. Pendant lights can add a splash of color or can be neutral. Make sure that the height of your light is appropriate for your intended tasks and they’re in an area where they’re not likely to be bumped. One of my favorite places for inspiration is houzz.com; for example, here is the results of a search for “pendant kitchen island” http://www.houzz.com/pendant-kitchen-island.

Another consideration is that the current California Title 24 energy code requires that at least 50% of the total wattage of kitchen lighting must be from high efficacy lighting fixtures or luminaires (at least 40 lumens per watt). Non-high efficacy kitchen light fixtures must be switched separately from high efficacy luminaires. Here is a comparison between the 2005 Title 24 and the 2008 Title 24 lighting standards. An even more energy efficient California lighting standard is under development for 2013.

Your best bet is to get a designer on board to assist you in making an informed decision. Here are some examples from our portfolio of pendant lighting above kitchen islands and other kitchen counters:

Pendant lights in Bay Area home remodel

Large pendant lights in Los Altos kitchen remodel

Pendant lighting in colorful Palo Alto kitchen remodel

One of the many decisions to be made during the course of a home remodel or custom home construction project is whether to put hardwood or tile in the kitchen. Looking through our Bay Area home remodels and custom homes, hardwood flooring is selected more frequently than tile. In our home, we have tile and I’m still quite happy with that decision. And of course there are many other flooring options such as cork or concrete. Installed hardwood typically costs about one third the cost of a tile installation.

Asthetics: Today’s open floor plans can also drive the flooring choice because a transition of flooring type from a family room area to the kitchen area just wouldn’t look quite right. At the same time, a change in flooring type can also help to define the space. The image above features maple flooring in the kitchen that extends to the family room our major home remodel in Saratoga.

Comfort and Durability: Hardwood is softer than tile underfoot and some hardwoods are harder than others. You can learn about the relative hardness of woods by checking the Janka scale. If a hard item is dropped on a hardwood floor, it can dent the floor (creating an emblem of a busy kitchen). As water is the enemy of wood, you might want to put a placemat under your pet’s water bowl. The good news is that you can give worn hardwood floors a facelift by refinishing them. While tile holds up better to traffic than hardwood, tile is harder underfoot and dropped items are more likely to break. Tile floors are also colder underfoot than hardwood, but this can be remedied with an investment in radiant heat.

Tile in the kitchen is an ideal choice for this pool house

Radiant Heat: About half of our projects these days also have radiant heat. Although tile is an excellent conductor of heat, hardwood flooring over radiant heat is a popular flooring choice as well. Installation of hardwood flooring over radiant heat must be done properly to prevent expansion and contraction of the flooring, which can create gaps between the floor boards over time.

Tile that Looks Like Wood: Within a few months we’ve installed Parker – Wood Porcelain by Porcelanosa Tile on two different projects by two different interior designers, so it has got to be good, right? It looks like wood but has all the advantages of tile, including being better suited for radiant heat applications. And, it even feels softer underfoot than regular tile – something I noticed when we were photographing the projects. Could it have been my imagination because the floors were nice and warm? So, I phoned our local Porcelanosa Tile showroom, who shared their secret that isn’t posted on their website – the pattern on the tile actually makes the tile feel like it has a little give to it. Wow!

Parker Wood Porcelain by Porcelanosa Tile in a Bay Area home addition.

CA Modern Home Design Resources

The photo above is our award-winning mid-century modern renovation and addition with Ipe rain screen siding and Blomberg window systems

Eichler and California mid-century homes present special challenges when it comes to home remodeling, renovation, and building additions. Some cities have special zoning ordinances for Eichler homes. The open structure of the Eichler home is challenging when it comes to where to put heating, plumbing, and electrical. Most homeowners choose to retain and enhance the mid-century design aesthetic and here are some resources to help with that:

Eichler Renovation that retains mid-century aesthetic

Windows for Eichler and Mid-Century Renovation

Most Streng homes were originally built with Blomberg sliders and glass, both of which allow for compatible upgrades, according to Ralph Blomberg, the company’s owner. Other options include Fleetwood Windows and Doors, which makes modern style windows and doors for luxury homes and Milgard Windows and Doors, which makes windows with modern profiles at a lower cost.

Eichler and Mid-Century Design Publications

The Eichler Network is an Eichler / CA Modern publication and Atomic Ranch focuses on the mid-century home aesthetic. Sunset and Dwell often have features on Eichler and Mid-Century homes.

Feeney Architectural Products Cable Rail around pool

CA Modern + Eichler Video

Here’s a video showing three very different mid-century home improvement projects. The first is a mid-century home renovation and addition that received an international award at the 2010 Pacific Coast Builders Conference. The second is an Eichler addition with a curved barrel ceiling entry and 10 bright colors. The third is also an Eichler renovation that adheres more closely to the CA Modern aesthetic. You’ll see a number of products that enhance the mid-century style such as: ipe rain screen, Blomberg window systems, and Feeney architectural cable rail system.

Link to my Eichler remodeling video page or view below:

The pocket door comes in handy in a tight area where you want a door but cannot fit a swinging door. Installation of a pocket door allows for nearly 10 extra square feet of usable space as compared with a hinged door. A hinged door can be impractical in a small bathroom or a kitchen where it can block a cabinet.

The pocket door literally fits into a pocket inside the wall and typically slides on rollers on a track above the door. One of my favorite pocket door hardware companies is Johnson Hardware, which makes incredibly smooth-rolling hardware.

One downside to the pocket door is that it often leaves little room for anything else in the wall, such as plumbing or electrical (such as outlets or switches), so careful planning is required. Many people falsely believe that you cannot have any wiring, electrical outlets, or electrical switches in the pocket wall – but we have a nifty trick! We just build the wall a little thicker so that there’s room for electrical wiring, switches, and outlets.

The bathroom pictured above comes from this Bay Area home addition. The dining room pocket doors pictured below, come from this Los Altos remodeling project.

The Bay Area is home to at least three green tile manufacturers: Fireclay Tile (shown above), Heath Ceramics, and McIntyre Tile. You can find their eco-friendly tile products at a number of local tile shops. And when you purchase local products, you’re being green too – a win-win! The image above with Saltillo tile, comes from this Menlo Park new home.

Fireclay Tile

founded in 1986, has headquarters in San Jose and manufactures tile in nearby Aromas (along with tile sourced from elsewhere). According to their website: ‘Fireclay Tile is the leading ceramic tile company using recycled materials and sustainable manufacturing practices. We make the highest quality, most durable and aesthetic hand-made ceramic materials using “old world” methods that are unique, affordable, and “green.”’ While the public can visit the showroom, retail tile can be purchased only from tile dealers. The company “boneyard,” which is open to the public, sells seconds, overstock tile, and Saltillos/Mexican Pavers.

Fireclay is sold at these tile stores (visit website for more retailers): Artistic Tile and Stone, Da Vinci Marble.

Heath Ceramics

founded in 1948, is located in Sausolito manufactures hand-glazed stoneware tile and other stoneware products such as dishes. Their mid-century aesthetic lends itself particularly well to Eichler home renovations. According to their website, Heath can contribute to LEED-NC credits. Their factory tours make for a fun outing.

Heath Ceramics tile is sold through through Ann Sacks showrooms.

McIntyre Tile

founded in 1972, is located in Healdsburg designs and produces unique handmade artisan tile for residential and commercial applications. The Whole Foods Market in Cupertino, which is a green building, installed McIntyre tile. According to their website, “McIntyre Tile has been employing the most environmentally responsible manufacturing methods available… We consider recycling in three ways: first by formulating our clay bodies utilizing post-industrial waste materials that we purchase, second by processing internally produced scrap materials back into our clay bodies, and third by finding special markets for tiles that do not meet our exacting specifications.”

McIntyre Tile is sold at these tile stores (visit website for more retailers): All Natural Stone, Artistic Tile and Stone, Walker Zanger.

My under 2 minute video on custom cabinets and cabinetry design highlights some of Bill’s most inspired projects and demonstrates deep expertise in both home building and cabinetmaking with cabinetry that is fully integrated into the home’s structure. All projects shown have come from the Bill Fry Construction portfolio of custom home building and fine home remodeling projects. Over twenty images of custom kitchen design, bathroom remodeling, library, and wine bar from:

- in-house artisanal cabinetry shop
- working drawings for custom fabrication with partners
- collaboration with interior designers
- installation of designer showroom cabinetry

Since I put up this post, I figured out a good place to index my YouTubes on the main website. You can also find my Custom Cabinets YouTube here now.

Top of the line appliances and brands such as Viking, Gaggenau, Thermador, KitchenAid, U-Line, Sub-Zero, Miele, Wolf, Blanco, Kohler, Hafele, Blum Blumotion, Top Knob, Andersen, Marvin, Blomberg Window Systems, Columbia Forest Products Purebond . . .

Here’s the text of the video about Bay Area custom cabinets: Focus on Cabinets: Wm. H. Fry Construction Company – the Professional choice for Home Remodeling and Custom Home Building | When an Experienced Builder and Cabinetmaker work as a team . . . . Magic Happens! Shelves can float | A table floats (structural steel in wall) | A countertop has no external support | Drawers are deeper than a wall | Niches are exactly where you want them | A library is integrated into your home | And everything fits . . . just right | Cabinets crafted in our artisanal shop | Cabinets from an interior designer| Cabinets purchased from a showroom | Cabinets designed by our company | Cabinets are installed by professionals who also know how to build them | Modular cabinets can require altering to create superior results | Custom cabinets offer endless choices: | A special place for your beverage cooler | Customized kitchen storage solutions | Choices to improve indoor air quality | When an experienced cabinetmaker and builder work as a team…Magic Happens

Bill Fry Construction Reviews include:
A Structural Engineer recommended Bill Fry Construction for my home remodel in Menlo Park. As a professional Interior Designer, I always recommend Fry Construction to my clients because of the many positive experiences that I have had.

Bill Fry worked with us to be as environmentally low impact as possible and worked seamlessly with our architect and interior designer.I have never worked with a contractor who has his level of dedication and care for his clients.

BillFryConstruction.com/Testimonials

I went green and licensed music from local Bay Area Composer Pat Rickey

NOTE: I intend to keep this blog with general interest stories with the likely exception of the videos I’ve made. I haven’t been able to figure out a reasonable place to put them on our main website, so here they are on my blog. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I enjoyed putting them together!

Did you know that the cabinets you choose can affect indoor air quality (IAQ)? Most cabinets are made of engineered wood, such as hardwood plywood or Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) that is bound together with adhesives. The resin used in the adhesive typically contains urea-formaldehyde which is bad for your health. The EPA and WHO have classified formaldehyde as a “probable human carcinogen” and the State of California has classified formaldehyde as a toxic air contaminant (TAC) with no safe level of exposure. A number of other health ailments have also been associated with formaldehyde. Worse, today’s airtight energy efficient buildings have exacerbated the problem and formaldehyde can take years to off gas.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has introduced a phased reduction for the maximum allowable amount of urea-formaldehyde in pressed wood products and the EPA has followed California’s regulatory lead. The most stringent piece of this regulation takes effect in July 2012. While new standards are in effect for manufacturing, consumers might not benefit right away as CARB has allowed a grace period, which might be extended, for retailers with old stock containing higher levels of formaldehyde. The following table was copied from the regulatory text.

Fortunately, consumers can breathe even easier – there are pressed wood products available that exceed these standards and contain no added urea-formaldehyde (NAUF). One example is Columbia Forest Products PureBond® hardwood plywood which uses a proprietary non-toxic soy-based adhesive. And if you want to go greener, Columbia Forest products hardwood plywood can be specified using Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC) Certified materials.

Columbia Forest Products has also featured the Wm. H. Fry Construction Company in their Profiles in Quality and one of our Bay Area kitchen remodels was featured in their 2012 Press Release announcing their PureBond® hardwood plywood website.