Foam Foam Foam

February 17, 2010 – 8:03 am

What’s all the talk about foam insulation?  Does it work and what types are there?

Yes, foam is good for residential and commercial construction practices.  The two main types of spray foam are closed cell and open cell foam.  The closed cell foam is a vapor barrier whereas the open cell foam will allow air to pass through.  Closed cell has a better R-Value per inch of application but is more expensive to install.  So where is the common ground?  We have found that a hybrid approach works best for us and keeps the costs down.  In the 2×6 cavity, we spray a 1/2″ of closed cell foam on the back side of the sheathing and then blow in fiberglass batt insulation for the rest of the 5″.  The spray foam creates a great seal to repel any air infiltration and the blown in batts fills the gaps and delivers a great composite R-Value for a 2×6 stick framed wall.  It’s a great idea to also spray foam your band board in a crawl or basement.  The investment will pay dividends year after year and is well worth it.

To learn more about green products go to www.zeroenergybuilt.com.

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By Lance Manlove | Posted in Zero Energy | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Echelon Interiors – New merchandise arriving daily.

February 15, 2010 – 2:56 pm
Come see what's new!

Come see what's new!

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By Joni Hitchens | Posted in News | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

The morning after the blizzard

February 11, 2010 – 9:24 am

Echelon Design Center

Echelon Design Center 02-11-2010

Echelon Design Center 02-11-2010

Echelon Design Center 02-11-2010

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By Echelon | Posted in photos | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Quick winter getaway – Puerto Rico

February 8, 2010 – 12:14 pm

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By Wes Fruehauf | Posted in travel | Tagged | Comments (1)

Schell Brothers and Echelon Custom Homes claim seven national awards

February 5, 2010 – 12:09 pm

CAPE GAZZETTE

Fri, Feb. 5, 2010

Schell Brothers, a Rehoboth Beach-based homebuilder, received seven national awards for excellence in the home building industry in 2009. The company won five Nationals Awards program honors from the National Association of Homebuilders and two Best in American Living Awards sponsored by the association and Professional Builder magazine.
The Nationals Awards program includes the most esteemed honors associated with the building industry. The awards pay tribute to superior new home sales and marketing, and home design achievements. Builders across the country compete for the coveted national honors from the National Association of Homebuilders, emphasizing the level of accomplishment by Schell Brothers in Delaware. Nationals winners are the exclusive finalists for the ultimate Gold Awards, which will be announced at the Builder’s Show in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 19.
The Best in American Living Awards will be distributed at a press conference during the Builder’s Show, honoring Schell Brothers and other builders who have provided the most inspiring and innovative residential designs in the country.
Schell Brothers’ five Nationals Awards span a variety of categories, including home design and model merchandising, with two of the honors recognizing the achievements of the company’s affiliate: Echelon Custom Homes.

Awards were presented to Schell Brothers/Echelon Custom Homes in the following categories:
• Best On the Boards Award for single-family detached home for The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek, designed by Rebecca Fluharty
• Best Product Design Award for a custom home, the Robinson residence by Echelon Custom Homes, home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)
• Best Interior Merchandising Award for a model priced under $500,000, Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors
• Best Website for a Builder Award, Echelon Custom Homes, developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell and Mike Brown
• Best Clubhouse Award, Independence Hall by Schell Brothers at Independence, Pat Mulligan, project manager The 2009

Best in American Living Awards are recognized as the pinnacle of achievement in residential design.Schell Brothers received Best in American Living Awards in the following two categories:
• Gold Award for best single family detached home 1,801 to 2,400 square feet, for the Madison model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek
• Silver Award for interior design in best community facility 151 units and over, merchandised by Echelon Interiors.

Schell Brothers is a Delaware homebuilder committed to providing new homes with energy efficiency, craftsmanship and curb appeal in communities that have lasting beauty and value. In addition to building attractive communities, Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for responsible land use and historical preservation in coastal Delaware.

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THE MADISON MODEL by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek earned a Gold Award in the category for best single-family detached home 1,801 to 2,400 square feet.

Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors won the Best Interior Merchandising Award for a model priced under $500,000 for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors.

Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors won the Best Interior Merchandising Award for a model priced under $500,000 for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors.

Rebecca Fluharty designed The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek. It won the Best On the Boards Award for a single-family detached home.

Rebecca Fluharty designed The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek. It won the Best On the Boards Award for a single-family detached home.

The Robinson Residence by Echelon Custom Homes. Home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)

The Robinson residence by Echelon Custom Homes. Home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)

Best Website for a Builder developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell & Mike Brown

Best Website for a Builder developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell & Mike Brown

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By Echelon | Posted in Press | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Fun in the Snow

February 1, 2010 – 12:13 pm

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By Wes Fruehauf | Posted in photos | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Homes in the snow

February 1, 2010 – 8:19 am
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Henlopen Acres II

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RB Yacht Club

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Henlopen Acres I

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By Echelon | Posted in photos | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

matty the jewish christmas elf!!!

December 23, 2009 – 10:37 am

matty the elf

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By Matty Adler | Posted in photos | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Snow at the beach?

December 23, 2009 – 10:19 am
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Sunday morning (12/20/2009) in Dewey Beach, DE

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By Ivana Biela | Posted in photos | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

What to look for when searching for a builder

December 22, 2009 – 5:37 pm

By far the most important factor when determining the quality of a builder is how happy the builder’s customers are with the builder. However, there are some other factors that a prospective home buyer should explore before choosing a builder. They are:

  1. What is the builder’s financial situation? Many builders have been hurt by the housing downturn and are having trouble meeting their financial obligations. Financial stress has caused builders to cut back on their staff and operate their business with a skeleton crew, which means it will be difficult for these builders to build a quality home and provide adequate customer service. In addition, some of these builders are close to bankruptcy and may not be able to finish your home. To determine a builder’s financial situation, you can ask questions like: How much debt does your company have? How many unsold Spec homes do you have? Are you currently in any form of “workout” with any bank? Can I see a copy of your most recent company bank statement? Good financially sound builders will gladly answer these questions and provide you with any documentation you request.
  2. Who specifically will be building my home? It is important that you meet the actual person or team of people that will be onsite as your home is being built. The quality of your home will be directly related to the skill and experience of the superintendent building your home. Many custom builders have owners who are experienced builders and good salesmen but these “owners” are usually not onsite as your home is being built. Make sure you interview the person who will actually be building your home before you contract with a builder.
  3. Does your company have a dedicated customer service department with separate staff and equipment? Most custom home builders do not have a customer service department and thus will provide minimal customer support after delivery of the home. In our research, this was a major source of frustration for custom home buyers. With custom homes, it is inevitable that issues will arise that need to be addressed by the builder. Without a customer service department, it will be very difficult for a builder to provide sufficient customer support. Unfortunately, most custom builders do not have much interest in allocating resources to customers who have already paid them in full.

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By Echelon | Posted in new homes | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)