Slightly belated, but here is the front page of our last newsletter. If you'd like to subscribe to it, please send us an email at: info@wallaceremodeling.com !

A Brief History of Building Codes

As you might or might not know, our president, Kevin Wallace, is a member of the San Francisco Building Inspection Commission’s Code Advisory Committee. In the future, we will try to bring you the juiciest bits being currently discussed. For now, as an introduction, let’s start with a brief history of building code…

What is generally accepted as the first building code was in the Code of Hammurabi, which specified:

• 229. If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.
• 230. If it kills the son of the owner, the son of that builder shall be put to death.
• 231. If it kills a slave of the owner, then he shall pay, slave for slave, to the owner of the house.

…and so on; you get the idea.

The Bible book of Deuteronomy, chapter 22 verse 8, states:

• "In case you build a new house, you must also make a parapet for your roof, that you may not place bloodguilt upon your house because someone falling might fall from it."

Archeological fragments of Greek and Roman laws give the first evidence of buildings being required to be inspected during construction. For example, the records of a building being constructed by Socrates in 341 BC tell of the specific requirements:

·         "He shall set the joints against each other, fitting, and before inserting the dowels he shall show the architect all the stones to be fitting, and shall set them true and sound and dowel them with iron dowels, two dowels to each stone..."

In 1189 AD, the Mayor of London, Henry Fitz-Elwyne, issued an ordinance known as the "Assize of Buildings. This ordinance was referred to as a "planning act", but contained much on the construction of structures. After the plague and fire consumed much of the city in 1664, Parliament enacted further building regulations reflecting the growth in knowledge of building technology. To enforce these "codes”, surveyors were appointed and empowered with the authority to invoke jail sentences on violators. Perhaps this was the birthplace of the first building inspector.

In early America, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson encouraged the development of building regulations to provide minimum standards that would ensure health and safety. One of the first American building codes, New York's Tenement Housing Act of 1867, required fire escapes on every building and a window in every room. Later guidelines required interior toilets and windows that face outside, not just a hallway.

On a local note, San Francisco got its first “real” Building Code in 1903. It has been steadily expanding ever since! For your chance to hear the latest tidbits regarding the current topics being discussed by the Code Advisory Committee, stay tuned!

 Our May 2012 newsletter is finally out! To read it, please click on the link below:

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=csx85ieab&v=001JbA8pPO1z-OQ5lC-dZUW_Fkq6nzXUYjL0xMtoPDSkgzhPJOiSKFPHHbdRjOk8i0Ynrf3uePGg1OUjI08A-14vIEw196azABuP2hLTB-J0q8FGp1JAGN-eNpyHiGmYV2as9qRdyN61ps%3D

If that doesn't work, here is the consolation prize: scan of the first page

 Questions? Comments? We'd like to hear from you! Drop us a line at: info@wallaceremodeling.com !

 So, the job you create (by buying American) might be your own! This video sums it up nicely:

http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821

So, for all of you who are, for whatever reason, still not on on our mailing list - here are jpgs of our September newsletter! For a version with "clickable" links, please go here . And, of course, if you want to join our mailing list, drop us a line ! Enjoy!

Another year of rewarding NARI membership

 

Still going strong after all these years!

Kevin founded the SF Bay Area chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) way back in 1990. 21 years ago!

Kevin says that the SF Bay Area chapter should have been there, and 200 phone calls later, he got the ball rolling. The chapter is still going strong, like Wallace Remodeling. That's quite a feat in this economy. Neither of them has aged a bit of course...

Check out the SFBA NARI website for all kinds of useful info, like how to choose a contractor and a list of their yearly REMMIES award winners. Great ideas for your remodeling projects, not to mention the ones we have, too!

WRI loves being a small business

Small but powerful!

The list of Wallace Remodeling's affiliations is long, but it's still nice to see renewal notices from associations we like, like Small Business California!

Do you have your carbon monoxide detector yet?

We just received notice that, as of July 1st, all homeowners should install carbon monoxide detectors. A good idea for safety! Give us a ring if you have questions about this, and in the meantime, feel free to click on the press release below from the SF Department of Building Inspection for more details.

"Integrity, value, and excellence": Wallace Remodeling seen from the inside

Glowing client testimonials are nothing new at Wallace Remodeling. But it's rare to get one from an employee; they're usually too busy making your remodeling project zip along to take the time to write about their boss.

So Kevin was pleasantly surprised to get the following accolades from a former employee. It was truly a blast from the past. Thanks for the kind words, Paul! 

I started as a journeyman carpenter and evolved into a "captured" subcontractor in 1980.  Mortgage financing at 19% killed the industry; while HUD projects sustained our Wallace Const. group.

 Kevin was one of the BEST bosses I have ever experienced in my career.  His humanity and incessant/brilliant pursuit of excellence resulted in his always being a rare breed of professional.   His leadership and supervisorial talents have always been at the top of his field; while the producers around him would discover new talents of their own in that never-ending pursuit to serve the client and the project with integrity, value, and excellence.

Love Thy Neighbor, San Francisco Style!

Photo credit: Michael Macor/The Chronicle.

When Kristin Hansen and her husband, Eric, were ready to start a family, they made plans for a 700-square-foot addition to their Noe Valley house. They expected they'd have to carefully follow planning codes, get architectural drawings, and speak to the neighbors.

What they didn't expect was a 2 1/2-year, $150,000 nightmare.

The Hansens fell into the city's residential rabbit hole - a process called "discretionary review."

 ...and so begins another battle before the City Planning Commission. The weapon of choice? Discretionary review, or "DR" for those in the know. Read on:

In simplest terms, discretionary review means that neighbors can object to changes in their neighborhood if a project is deemed to be "exceptional and extraordinary" and get a hearing before the City Planning Commission - even if city planners have approved the project.

John Rahaim, the city's planning director, says this is the only large city in the United States to grant residents such wide-ranging power.

C.W. Nevius brings us the rest of this DR drama in his article on SFGate. We at Wallace Remodeling are no strangers to this process, luckily for our clients!

Rooms Down: Kevin's Expertise Profiled in Cole Hardware Newsletter

Click here to see a bigger version of the article!

If you're looking for a good emergency locksmith, appliance repairperson or irrigation system installer, local hardware-and-more retailers Cole Hardware is a great resource. Their Re-COLE-mend Repair Referral Service can point you in the right direction. 

Naturally, Kevin Wallace is their go-to expert on "rooms down". Not sure what that is? Read below for the text of their September newsletter. Or click the image above for a bigger version.

 

BURIED TREASURE

Discover Yours with Kevin, the Rooms Down Expert

There are so many advantages to living in San Francisco that homeowners are usually willing to endure one of the main drawbacks - the lack of space. The ubiquitous 100 x 25 foot lot size, quirky architecture of your purchased home and the desire to maximize any existing open space are all good reasons to look down when considering adding habitable room to your home. “Official” term for this expansion (per San Francisco Building Department) is Rooms Down.

The benefits of Rooms Down are virtually limitless: 

· Has your child decided to take up the trumpet? Encourage practice time downstairs in your new music studio!
· Are you a budding painter, sculptor or photographer? Allow your talent to flourish in your new art space!
· Bored with the same old gym scene? Get fit in your private exercise room, or relax in your new spa!
· Want to do more telecommuting? Manage your career from the home office downstairs!

Expanding downward gives you the advantage of more living space and increases the value of your home without increasing the building’s footprint. 

Kevin has just completed a Family Room Down with bath for client Mary McLaughlin. Her active family includes 3 teenagers. Mary reports: “Now the kids can have friends over and hang out downstairs while I enjoy the rest of the house in peace and quiet!”

Another client, H. R., is thrilled that Kevin was able to transform her dark and dingy basement into an urban retreat with a garden view: “(…) the most beautiful room in the house – a little oasis in the city”. 

H.R.’s basement before...

...and after.

There are many considerations for obtaining a building permit for a Rooms Down project – primarily, ceiling height and a means of emergency exit. Kevin is very familiar with building codes and procedures (he is a member of the San Francisco’s Code Advisory Committee), and he can provide you with a variety of structural solutions to any pre-existing cramped conditions. Once your plans have been completed, he can often obtain a building permit within a day. There is no need for you to endure the tedious neighbor notification process – he can take care of that for you too! 

If a Room Down idea sounds intriguing to you, turn to Kevin for all the answers! He has over 35 years of experience as one of San Francisco’s most respected remodelers, employs an in-house architect and offers a full spectrum of design/build services. He also has the expertise to advise you about creative options for obtaining financing for your home improvements.

 Thanks, Cole Hardware!

SF Apartments magazine tackles the soft-story building issue

Alexander Itsekson of Enginious Structures brings us a fantastic write-up of the latest soft-story building news in the May 2010 edition of SF Apartments Association's magazine. You can read the entire text here or double-click on each of the pages below to see how it appeared in print.

A few key excerpts:

The Bay Area currently has thousands of potentially hazardous soft-story buildings, with tens of thousands of units. Damage to soft-story buildings has caused significant economic loss to building owners and has also resulted in fatalities and serious injuries to tenants during recent California earthquakes.

[...] The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently passed a program to incentivize voluntary seismic retrofits. This program offers owners an expedited permit process and waived permitting fees if they voluntarily retrofit their buildings. Those who choose to take advantage of the program will also be exempt from any mandated retrofitting for 15 years following the construction. Owners will certainly want to take advantage of these incentives as the Mayor’s Office has put together a task force, which includes SFAA representatives, to design a future mandatory program for soft-story seismic upgrades. Code-mandated work remains eligible for a 100% capital improvement passthrough if proper paperwork is presented to and approved by the San Francisco Rent Board.

Deciding to retrofit is a difficult decision for a building owner to make, because the costs of retrofitting are clearly evident and demanding, while the benefits of a seismic retrofit lie far in the future, when an earthquake strikes. Contact a structural engineer or general contractor experienced in soft-story building strengthening to help you determine the magnitude of capital improvement costs associated with a seismic retrofit.

Kevin's Design + Build Excellence Featured in Cole Hardware Newsletter

Recognize anyone there? Cole Hardware featured Kevin as one of their design/build experts in their May 2010 edition of Hardware Hotline. Of course you may know Wallace Remodeling's work already, but it's great to see him profiled here! Read on to find out why.

EXPERT GUIDANCE FROM START TO FINISH

After 37 years in business and with over 2000 successfully completed jobs, Kevin’s keen enthusiasm for remodeling remains undiminished. His specialty is complex, high-end jobs. Here in our photo, he seems to have devised a particularly nifty solution to some pesky problem. Kevin has found that the Design/Build method is the most efficient way to complete most substantial projects, and he employs an exceptional Architect and dedicated support staff to accomplish this.


As the term implies, Design/Build is an integrated process, where both design and construction are implemented by a single company. This approach provides Kevin’s clients greater efficiency and a wider range of remodeling options than other companies can offer. If you are considering a substantial remodeling project, here is a brief outline of how the Design/Build process would typically proceed:


• Initial meeting with Kevin at your home to discuss the project’s scope and budget
• Kevin provides a proposal and a contract for the initial design work.
• The architect measures your home and generates floor plans of existing conditions
• Kevin presents various design options
• Project details are refined & appropriate floor plans & architectural renderings are generated.
• Client receives project contract and budget for all work.
• Kevin and staff coordinate all of the design features with the client and subcontractors through completion of the project.


Kevin’s many projects include whole house remodels, vintage home restorations, updated kitchens and baths, new master suites and garage additions, and structural seismic upgrades. He can suggest creative financing options for your project, and he also offers on-site consultation services for prospective homebuyers.


Reliable communication, coordinated teamwork, consistent on-site supervision, and superior craftsmanship from beginning to end are the keys to Kevin’s continuing success, and to the satisfaction of his loyal clients and colleagues. See how Cole and Kevin can make your remodeling dreams become a reality by calling our Home Repair Referral Service at (415) 753-2653 ext. 3.

Feeling safer already?

The management at Wallace Remodeling is one crack team! Keeping in tradition with our long list of awards and affiliations, project manager Jön boasts OSHA certification for Construction Safety and Health.

The New Rules of Remodeling, from the Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal reports on how homeowners are getting maximum value for their remodeling projects. Plus there's good news for the industry:

According to an April 15 report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, annual spending on remodeling is expected to accelerate this year, with nearly 5% growth over 2009. "This year could produce the first annual spending increase for the industry since 2006," the peak of the housing boom, says center director Nicolas P. Retsinas.

Read the full article here.

Kevin's EPA certification card has arrived

Remember our news the other day about the new EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule? Here is Kevin's RRP certification card. Double click for a close up of the great photo!

April 22 is upon us! The new EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule

Click on the image to enlarge

Our good friends at NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the Bay Area chapter of which Kevin Wallace was the founding president) bring us the following news: 

It is April 22, 2010 -- not only the 40th anniversary of Earth Day-- but for the remodeling industry, the implementation date of the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. Please comply with all requirements of the rule; effective today, the rule is the law.

More information is available on the EPA website here and here. 

And in the meantime, the good news is that Wallace Remodeling has completed the course and is fully certified! If you have any questions regarding the new law, please do not hesitate to contact us! Our email is still info@wallaceremodeling.com and our phone number is still 415-550-1993.

Update: More information on fines from the Contractors State Licensing Board. 

Farewell to Sherrill!

After an eternity spent with Wallace Remodeling (well, at
least 26 years of it) as our chief estimator and occasional project
manager, Sherrill Yurth decided to leave San Francisco behind and
dedicate his time solely to sunny Petaluma. We wish him the best at
his new business venture: http://www.aceshirt.com/